For Kindergarteners their first taste of Torah study is full of delight as they build a strong sense of personal connection to the meaning and values they discover. Through story-telling, dramatic play, songs and visual art, students:

Examine the physical and spiritual trajectories taken by our patriarchs and matriarchs in the study of Parashat HaShavua (weekly Torah portion)

Develop empathy towards the dilemmas faced by the personalities they meet in the pages of the Chumash

Discuss, reenact and create personal connections to the experiences lived by their ancestors

Learn to appreciate the importance of the Torah to the Jewish people

Learn how Torah scrolls are made and cared for

Connect the study of Torah to their everyday lives

The Kindergarten classroom provides a beginning immersion experiences for young Hebrew learners of all levels. Through stories, art, dramatic play, songs, games, and a variety of experiential activities, students:

Progressively immerse in a Hebrew environment and become increasingly familiar with everyday words and routine expressions used in the classroom

Become familiar with the aleph-bet and begin to read short two and three letter words

Learn to recognize basic everyday vocabulary words, including colors, clothing, classroom materials, food and numbers

Progressively lead the daily calendar routine in Hebrew, applying the Hebrew words they accumulate to describe the weather, identify the month and the day of the week

Learn and use relevant vocabulary related to the Jewish holidays and rituals

Learn and enjoy a wide variety of traditional and modern Hebrew songs

Celebrating Tefillah (prayers) and the holidays are an important part of the Kindergarten experience. Students explore ritual objects involved in each chag (holiday). Through songs, stories, discussions, and art, students:

Participate and lead their class in the introductory morning prayers (including Ashrei and the Shema)

Explore the idea that everything we have is a “gift from”

Recite the blessings over different food categories and after meals

Identify key stories, practices, symbols, meanings and traditions associated with the major and minor Jewish holidays

Sing traditional songs and blessings associated with Jewish holidays

Kindergarteners learn how the Jewish people share one language (Hebrew), one book (the Torah), and one Land (Israel). The focus in Kindergarten is the biblical Israel. Through songs, stories, celebrations and art, students:

Explore the relationship of Torah personalities with the Land of Israel

Learn about Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and its history in the times of King David.

Develop an awareness of the importance of the Land of Israel to the Jewish people

Learn about the symbols of Medinat Israel including the Menorah, the flag, and the national anthem Hatikvah