Beginning with the 2009-10 school year, the Bet Am Shalom Hebrew School implemented a new and innovative format which includes two regular days of school and an array of interesting electives. The program is continuing to evolve with the 2010-11 school year. The format arose from a two-year Visioning process during which we challenged ourselves to re-imagine Jewish education for our children and for the congregation as a whole.  Read the full Vision Statement.

The key elements of our new format are:

• Integration of outside-the-classroom activities into the curriculum in order to "live our Judaism" and build a stronger community;
• More opportunities for family and inter-generational learning;
• A revitalized core curriculum, especially in Hebrew;
• More flexible scheduling, allowing students and their families to find a combination of outside-the-classroom activities that works for them.

We believe this new format is worthy of the great effort we put into the Visioning process, and of our unique and wonderful synagogue and congregation.

Description of Program for Kindergarten through Grade 6

Students in Kitah Bet through Kitah Vav (grades 2 through 6) have two fixed class days:
Wednesdays from 4 – 6pm
Sundays from 9 – 11:30am.

Torah Lataf and Kitah Aleph (Kindergarten and Grade 1) have class on Sunday only.

In addition, each student from Kitah Gimmel through Kitah Vav (grade 3 through grade 6) is required to attend electives ('Peulot Points') from a menu that includes:

* Regular services (regular Friday night and Shabbat morning service, Junior Congregation on Shabbat morning);
* Ritual and holiday services;
* Social action activities
* Special classes offered by teachers and/or congregants;
* Other family-oriented and inter-generational activities at the synagogue

Incorporating these out-of-classroom activities into our curriculum: (1) draws whole families together in the synagogue; (2) increases contact among Hebrew School families and other congregants; and (3) models ongoing Jewish learning for our children. During the pilot program, many Hebrew School children were thrilled to learn with their parents or in parallel, depending upon the activity.

For more details on Peulot Points, please click here.

Description of Program for Grade 7

The Kitah Zayin (Grade 7) year at Bet Am Shalom Hebrew School is unique. For half the year, Rabbi Bronstein's B'nai Mitzvah class meets on Sunday mornings. In this series of 12 wonderful sessions, 7th graders and their parents study with the Rabbi in an intimate setting. This is a participatory class that incorporates the study of text and explores topics such as Torah, God, righteousness, prayer and the meaning of becoming B'nai Mitzvah.

Click on the attachment below for Hebrew School Registration Form for the 2010-11 school year.