Our Core Curriculum
Several years ago we adopted the URJ’s CHAI CURRICULUM as the core of our educational programs. Each CHAI lessons follows a curriculum model known as "backward design", as outlined in the book Understanding by Design (UbD) by Wiggins and McTighe and published by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD). This approach ensures that student learning will go beyond the specific classroom activities and will reach a deeper enduring understanding, which will establish the basis for later Jewish learning and living.

This Judaics curriculum also follows a “spiral” formula.  Each grade level contains 27 classroom lessons in Torah (ethics), Avodah (prayer), and G'milut Chasdadim (act of loving kindness).  All lessons are developed to be age appropriate and help guide our students as they develop their own sense of Judaism. Each year our students receive a workbook which includes projects and reflective writing where they demonstrate their understanding of each lesson.

The goal of our Hebrew program is to develop an understanding and familiarity with the siddur (Hebrew prayer book). Our students learn more than the words in our siddur, they learn the meaning of our prayers and how to lead our community in worship.

For information on specific grades please see the descriptions below. Please follow the links to learn more about the individual family program, overnights, and retreats.

Seventh Grade

The seventh grade is all about preparing for Jewish adult life. The theme from the Chai Curriculum is: What does it mean to be a responsible Jewish adult? Our students discuss the voices from previous generations to find ourselves in the Torah. They also use workbooks from Beit T’shuvah, a Jewish recovery program in Los Angles California. Both of these programs allow our students to refine their core Jewish beliefs that will carry them through their adult Jewish lives.

The Hebrew program in the seventh grade is focused on leading a congregation in a Shabbat morning worship experience. It continues through the year to reinforce the prayer experience to lead to an adult understanding worship and connections with God.

The seventh grade year is highlighted by the Seventh Grade Retreat weekend at the URJ camp Harlam in magnificent Pocono Mountains in rural Pennsylvania.