Educational Model
At JUDAH, we use the latest interactive teaching methods, incorporating project-based learning and various arts, including drama, storytelling, art, music, and STEM.
Collaborating with JCrafts, we offer hands-on activities throughout the year, making lessons engaging and fun. Each session is multi-sensory and immersive, ensuring students fully experience and connect with the material.
To explore the curriculum by grade, click on the buttons below. For an overview of the JUDAH curriculum, scroll down past the buttons.
General Curriculum Outline
Hebrew: Hebrew is the language of the Jewish people, linking us to our heritage. It unites us through prayer and tradition. Our program integrates Hebrew reading and prayer into each weekly session, starting every day with tefillah (prayer) and dedicated Hebrew sessions.
Aleph Champ: At JUDA Hebrew School, we use the engaging Aleph Champ program to teach Hebrew reading. This system allows students to progress at their own pace by grouping them by skill level rather than age or grade.
Beginner students start by learning the Aleph Bet (Hebrew alphabet) through interactive exercises and games to ensure a strong foundation. Once they master the letters, they move on to learning the Nekudot (vowels), focusing on their names, appearances, and sounds. Students then practice reading simple words.
As students advance, they enhance their reading skills, focusing on fluency and accuracy, and work towards mastering Hebrew prayers.
JCrafts Workshops: Once a month, students at JUDAH participate in JCrafts workshops that enrich their learning experience across various facets of Jewish life. These workshops cover holidays, Mitzvah observances, and Jewish values, aligning with topics studied in Hebrew school sessions.
By engaging in hands-on projects, students not only enjoy a fun and interactive learning environment but also deepen their understanding in a lasting way. These experiences leave a lasting impact, connecting them more deeply to their heritage and education at Hebrew School.
Prayer: Each day begins with prayer, using melodies familiar from synagogue services to help students feel at ease and engaged. Younger students learn basic prayers like “Modeh Ani” and “Shema” using a colorful, illustrated Sing-Along Siddur. This resource, paired with music, aids in understanding and memorizing the prayers.
Older students delve into more complex prayers such as the Amidah. They use a specially designed Siddur that includes clear introductions, English translations, transliterations, and larger Hebrew text to aid comprehension and reading.
Torah/Jewish History: Our curriculum covers the five books of the Torah, from Genesis to Deuteronomy, providing an overview of Jewish history up to the entry into the Promised Land under Joshua's leadership. Students explore the lives of key figures like Moses and Miriam, shaping their understanding of the Jewish Nation.
We are excited to pilot the innovative "Jewish Journeys" curriculum. This two-year program engages students with Torah stories through diverse mediums including technology, engineering, art, and theater.
Mitzvot & Jewish Values: Students learn what it means to live as a Jew by exploring fundamental Mitzvot (commandments), both those between people and those between individuals and G‑d. This section helps students understand the principles behind Jewish practices, and the practical aspects of Mitzvot.
Jewish Life Cycles: Older students explore significant milestones in Jewish life and their associated traditions and customs. They learn about Jewish life cycles through the perspective of the soul, examining its journey from life to death and beyond.
Israel: Our Israel curriculum deepens students' connection to the Land of Israel. They learn to appreciate its significance to Judaism. Projects include cultural exchanges, like collaborations with the Technion, where students design toys for children in Sderot, enhancing their understanding through practical applications.
Holidays: Throughout the year, students learn about each Jewish holiday, from Rosh Hashanah to Shavuot. They explore the traditions, customs, and lessons associated with each holiday through music, drama, art, and food. Family programs before or during each holiday provide opportunities for interactive learning and celebration.
Torah Trivia: This curriculum covers essential Jewish facts, from Biblical figures to Jewish artifacts. Students learn one new fact each week, continually reviewing past lessons to reinforce their knowledge. Fun trivia questions and mini prizes add excitement to the learning process.
Jewish Birthday Bash: We celebrate Jewish birthdays monthly with a special party. Students with birthdays in the upcoming Jewish month receive certificates with their Hebrew birthday and goody bags, while the whole school enjoys treats. This program helps students learn their Hebrew birthdays and the traditions associated with celebrating them.
Aleph Champ
The Aleph Champion Program© is on the cutting edge of Hebrew reading today. Modeled after the Karate/Martial Arts motivational system, it works by dividing different reading skills into levels defined by color. Students understand that their teacher is a black aleph champion and their goal is to reach that level.
THEORY
Aleph Champ, modeled after the Karate Martial Arts system of motivational colored levels, breaks up the Hebrew reading process into bite sized motivational levels which makes it more kid friendly and exciting.
Students start as a white Aleph Champ learning half of the aleph bet. They work their way through the different levels "belts" until they become a black Aleph Champ with the ability to read fluently from the Siddur (prayer book).
Each Aleph Champ level has a color coded book, flashcards, workbooks and a medallion which is awarded once a level is passed. All of these work together to create the motivation needed to progress in their own way.
Reading groups are divided by color instead of age group, thereby allowing conscientious students to surpass the pace of their class and advance in reading on their own. This program ensures that students do not go on to a new level until they have truly mastered all that their current level expects them to know. This avoids the common problem of children learning to read without fully mastering a letter, vowel or concept in reading.
Aleph Champ influences the child to motivate themselves to advance in their Hebrew Reading.
LEVELS AND STRIPES
Each level is divided into three stripes. As the children progress within their reading primer, they are awarded a stripe. Stripes keep students motivated in the long haul from one level to the next. The excitement of receiving a stripe keeps up the Aleph Champ momentum.
Aleph Champ Levels:
White Aleph Champion - Master the first 18 letters of the Aleph Bet.
Red Aleph Champion - Master all 32 letters of the Aleph Bet.
Orange Aleph Champion - Master the first 3 vowels with letter combinations.
Yellow Aleph Champion - Master the first 6 vowels with letter combinations.
Green Aleph Champion - Master the first 9 vowels with letter combinations.
Blue Aleph Champion - Master all the vowels and exceptions to the rules.
Purple Aleph Champion - Master reading basic prayers.
Brown Aleph Champion - Master reading higher level Tefillot.
Grey Aleph Champion - Master reading from the Siddur in a timed fashion.
Black Aleph Champion - Master reading over 100 words in a minute.
