Kindergarten –Being Jewish

The curriculum in Kindergarten focuses on the children learning what it means to be Jewish.  Students will begin to explore God concepts through the holiday and Torah stories.  During the course of the year students will begin to learn the letters of the Hebrew alphabet and to recite the Sh’ma prayer and the blessings for the Shabbat candles, challah and wine. 


First grade–My Jewish Home

The curriculum in the first/second grades will focus on what it means to be a part of the Jewish community.  The Hebrew language will be taught through games, songs and activities. The prayer service including the Ma Tovu, Barchu, Sh’ma, Shabbat songs, and Oseh Shalom will be part of their weekly services.


Second grade-My Jewish Community

Students will learn all the areas in the synagogue and ritual objects which make our synagogue a very special place.  They will learn the stories of the first book of the Torah. They will begin to acquire a Hebrew vocabulary and learn to recognize the Hebrew letters and vowels. Students will explore our connection with Israel and Jews around the world.


Third Grade-My Jewish Learning

Students will discover the Jewish values in the Torah and in the Jewish tradition.  The students will learn to grapple with the moral dilemmas presented in the Bible and discuss what it means to each person today.  In the Hebrew curriculum students learn greetings and foods in Hebrew, and begin reading letters and vowels.  Students will explore the meaning of the prayers and begin to write their own creative reflections on life, God, and what it means to be Jewish.


Fourth Grade-Hebrew, Torah and Israel

In the fourth grade, students start coming to Religious School two days a week. The fourth grade students are expected to have mastered the entire alef-bet, read syllables, words, phrases, and be able to read simple prayers and sentences in Hebrew. They learn how to read the Shema, the blessing for Chanukkah, Shabbat and Passover.  They continue to study the books of the Torah and Prophets.  Israel as the ancient and modern homeland of the Jewish people is explored through a virtual tour of important places and people.


Fifth Grade-Hebrew, prayer and life cycle

Students will study and experience the Jewish Life Cycle with its emphasis on making all of life's moments holy and meaningful. The Hebrew program includes teaching the prayers of Shabbat morning and afternoon services.  By the end of the fifth grade year, we expect that students will have mastered, Sh’hecheyanu, Barchu, the Sh’ma, V’ahavata and Mi Chamocha, the blessing before donning a tallit, and blessings before and after reading the Torah.


Sixth Grade-Hebrew prayer and mitzvot

Student will focus on Jewish Values and the meaning of the prayers. Students will discuss morality issues and begin to learn how to make decisions based upon Jewish values. The Sixth Grade Hebrew curriculum continues to focus on the prayers of the Shabbat services. By the end of the sixth grade year we expect the students to have mastered all of the prayers for the Bar/Bat Mitzvah service including the blessings before and after reading Haftarah.


Seventh-Eighth–Ninth Grade-Teen Club on Tuesday

We are very excited to announce a new program for students in the 7th, 8th and 9th grades at Temple Kol Tikvah. Teenagers need to develop a positive self-image; one that is empowering and enables them to make significant contributions to society.   The new Teen Tuesday curriculum will feature the A.C.T. (Activist Certification and Training) Program, a partnership with Jewish World Watch.

Our academic objective is to understand Jewish values and mitzvot as part of our tradition. Through text study, discussions, role playing and values-clarification exercises, students will begin to integrate these ethical behaviors into their own lives. 

The program also includes youth group activities as well as B’nai Mitzvah preparation during the fall semester for the 7th graders.  All students will participate in a field trip to the Museum of Tolerance.  In addition, our collaboration with Jewish World Watch will enable each student to work towards a certificate in youth activism (great for future college applications!)


Tenth –Twelfth Grade Confirmation –meets every other Tuesday

In each of the three years of the Confirmation program, students will explore their Jewish identities through different lenses.
1.    Jews in the media: A look at how Jews and Judaism are portrayed through movies and television, and how those portrayals reflect back on us.
2.    Comparative religions: Our identity as Jews will be explored through interacting with other religious traditions; discovering the commonalities and differences Judaism shares with such traditions as Catholicism, Protestantism, Hinduism, Islam, Bahai and others.
3.    God and Spirituality:  How do we understand God and spirituality as Jews?  Using traditional and contemporary sources, we will explore how Jews today are finding God’s presence in their lives.
The confirmation class meets regularly with Rabbi Offel.  At the end of the year, the 12th grade members will be confirmed in a service in which the entire class participates.


Madrichim Program-Assistant teachers

This program is for post B’nai Mitzvah students who want to contribute to the Religious School by helping out in the classroom, tutoring students and setting a positive role model for the younger students. Each Madrich must be currently enrolled in Kol Tikvah Religious School Program.  We offer a Service Award and Scholarship Program for those teenagers who participate in this program.