PRE-SCHOOL: HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS FOR PRESCHOOLERS AND PARENTS
Or Shalom's preschool class meets one Sunday morning each month from 8:45am-10:30am. Three and Four year olds, with at least one parent, experience a Ta’am (taste) of all the excitement and joy that Judaism has to offer. This hands-on class explores Jewish holidays and symbols through arts & crafts, stories, songs, cooking and games. This class is a wonderful introduction to Or Shalom for preschoolers and their parents who form lasting relationships which last well past Bar/Bat Mitzvah.
THE PRESCHOOL CLASS IS OPEN TO BOTH MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS!
KINDERGARTEN: LEARNING ABOUT MITZVOT AND OUR JEWISH HOLIDAYS
Kindergarten marks the beginning of our student's weekly Sunday school experience at Or Shalom. Working towards our goal of developing a feeling of pride in being Jewish, the year begins as students are called up to the bimah during the Simchat Torah/Consecration service. They will recite the Sh’ma prayer and receive their very own baby Torah. In the classroom, children experience the beauty of Jewish life, customs and traditions. Jewish holidays are highlighted with celebration and the concept of Jewish ethics (Mitzvot) is integrated through crafts, music, and stories.
1ST GRADE: HOLIDAYS AND DISCOVERING GOD
First grade at Or Shalom focuses both on the role of the child in their family's observance of holidays, and relationships with God. Students learn about each holiday; the story, key ritual objects, vocabulary, and observances. Holidays come to life through art projects, singing, dancing, cooking and eating! First grade students also explore basic concepts about God – our Covenant with God, how we talk to God, and how we act in God’s image.
2ND GRADE: EXPLORING THE SYNAGOGUE & INTRODUCTION TO THE HEBREW ALPHABET
The second graders learn about the people and ritual objects found in the synagogue. Our goal is to familiarize each student with the synagogue and emphasize its centrality in Jewish life; a place where Jews gather to pray, study, and meet other Jews. As the year progresses, our 2nd graders will prepare to celebrate Jewish holidays and learn the meaning and rituals associated with each holiday. Students are also introduced to the Hebrew alphabet.
Students with Special Needs
The goal of Or Shalom’s religious school is that each child will have a positive Jewish identity, will be proud of being Jewish, and will want to continue their Jewish traditions into adulthood. While Hebrew and Judaic studies are mastered easily by some students, we are aware that to others learning can be more difficult. For those students who have physical limitations, learning challenges, emotional issues or other special needs, we try to develop a program that is appropriate for each individual. Or Shalom is proud to offer a small special needs class called Bonim (“Builders”) which builds upon the skill level of each participant. Typically this class has 4-6 students ranging from grades 3-7, with a specially trained teacher. Students progress in their Hebrew and Judaica studies at their own pace, sometimes with classroom games, projects, cooking, music and services. The Bonim class is part of Or Shalom’s Family School program, and students attend on Family Sundays with their parents. Bonim students have the opportunity to become Bar/Bat Mitzvah at age 13, wherever they fall into the calendar with the rest of our students. Parents who think that their child would benefit from the Bonim class should contact the Education Director.
HEBREW SCHOOL PROGRAMS
Congregation Or Shalom believes that children must be equipped with a solid foundation in the Hebrew language in order to fully appreciate our worship service, and to connect them with the spirit of the Jewish people and Israel. Our Hebrew School Curriculum is designed to provide students with:
• A familiarity with the Hebrew language
• The ability to read and write in Hebrew
• A basic conversational Hebrew vocabulary
• An understanding that Hebrew is an important part of our Jewish history and culture and that Hebrew is both a holy and a living language
• The ability to follow and lead a worship service and to understand the order of the service
• A knowledge and understanding of the prayers for weekdays, Shabbat and holidays
• Familiarity with the melodies of the prayers that are chanted during services, and songs connected with our holidays
In order to archieve these goals, we offer two choices for Hebrew/Judaica learning:
Tuesday/Thursday program: 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m weekly
Family School: Wed. 4:30-6:30 p.m. & Sunday mornings (early or late session.)
3RD – 5TH Grade FAMILY SCHOOL PROGRAM
Family School is an exciting option for students in grades 3-5 and their parents to meet, study, and socialize with other Or Shalom families and build a true sense of community. This model in Jewish education offers students an opportunity to learn about Judaism both with their peers and with members of their own families. Family School participants study the same Judaic and Hebrew curriculum as the Tuesday/Thursday 3rd - 5th grade program (see below ). Students attend every Sunday morning and Wednesday afternoon. Twice a month on Sunday mornings, parents join their children in family workshops to study Torah, Bible, Israel or holidays and traditions. This is done through hands-on activities such as drama, art, music, storytelling, and games. On the “student only” Sundays and Wednesdays, children learn Hebrew in the classroom with their peers.
3RD - 5TH GRADE INTEGRATED HEBREW & JUDAICA CURRICULUM
THIRD GRADE: INTRODUCTION TO HEBREW & THE TORAH Third graders begin to study the Hebrew language. Students learn how to read (decode) and write in both block and cursive. They master some basic Hebrew vocabulary and learn the blessings associated with each Jewish holiday. Additionally, 3rd grade students are introduced to our most important text, the Torah. Beginning with the story of creation, students learn all the major bible stories of our patriarchs and matriarchs through the birth of Moses.
FOURTH GRADE: HEBREW STUDIES AND ISRAEL
Our 4th grade students advance their reading and writing skills and begin to learn to read and understand the meaning of several foundational Hebrew prayers. Hebrew stories and basic conversation are used to present Hebrew as a modern conversational language as well as our language of prayer. In addition, 4th graders study the land and people of modern Israel. Students experience the geography, history and culture of Israel through text, visual arts, games, maps and art experiences.
FIFTH GRADE: BIBLE & HEBREW
Fifth graders continue their study of Hebrew, emphasizing reading fluency, script writing and basic grammar. Students read and translate Hebrew stories incorporating modern Hebrew conversation, prayer skills and new vocabulary. Students continue their Bible (Torah) studies beginning with the ten Commandments and the journey into Eretz Yisrael (the land of Israel), and are introduced to selected stories from the Prophets and Writings.
SIXTH GRADE: LIFECYCLE & HEBREW
Sixth grade students continue the prayer curriculum focusing on the order and parts of the worship service. Students deepen their understanding and appreciation of selected prayers. Sixth grade students lead weekday worship services, and become familiar with our Shabbat morning and Torah service liturgy. Students learn to chant the Torah and Haftarah blessings in preparation for their Bar/Bat Mitzvah year.
Additionally, our Sixth graders enjoy learning the traditions and explanations of Jewish Life Cycle events to understand how they bring holiness into our lives. They will explore brit/brit bat and baby naming, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Confirmation, Wedding, and Funerals/Mourning. Interactive teaching methods including speakers, group projects, a mock wedding, art, and games are used to present the lifecycle material.
JUNIOR HIGH PROGRAMS (TUESDAYS 6:30-8:15PM)
Recognizing the importance of giving students at this age time to socialize with eachother,
7TH & 8TH GRADE STUDENTS START EVERY TUESDAY EVENING WITH PIZZA!!
7TH GRADE: JEWISH ETHICS & ACTIVE MITZVOT, HOLOCAUST STUDIES, JEWISH ART AND CULTURE
Or Shalom's 7th grade program breaks from the traditional religious schools model. The year is divided into trimesters, students are divided into three groups and each group of students rotates through the three independent learning experiences. The Jewish Ethics unit is exposed to real-life dilemmas and discusses how best to handle the situations based on Jewish Ethics. This unit includes several weeks of learning about urban poverty, culminating in a grocery shopping trip and visit to a homeless shelter in Chicago. The Jewish culture rotation is fun and hands-on. Sessions include Jews in the Movies, Jews in Sports, Jewish cooking, and creative arts taught by a master teacher and artist. The Holocaust unit begins with an introduction to anti-Semitism and explores what life was like for Jews living in Europe before, during, and after the Holocaust. Through a variety of media, students "experience" the difficulty of making decisions during this difficult time in history and come to understand the courage of the Jewish families and the non-Jewish heroes of the Holocaust.
8TH GRADE: JUDAISM IN THE LARGER WORLD
Students in the eight grade embrace the opportunity to begin examining important Jewish topics. The curriculum includes a study of comparative Judaism beginning with Orthodoxy. This material is brought to life through 2 field trips: a visit to a mikvah (ritual bath) and a scavenger hunt at the local Dominicks as the students look for kosher food items. Our scavenger hunt is followed by ice cream at Bo Bo’s. After students gain a basic understanding of Orthodox Judaism, they learn about the changes made by Reform Judaism. Rabbi Looper will be a guest speaker as the class discusses the traditions that they celebrate with their families. During the 2nd half of the year, the theology of Conservative, Reconstructionist and Humanistic Judaism are introduced, bringing in guest speakers whenever possible. Towards year-end the class visits a Catholic Church - with their broader understanding of the different branches of Judaism, students are better able to appreciate the differences and similarities between Catholicism and Judaism.
A highlight of the 8th grade program is the Shabbat overnight retreat to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. The class typically stays at Timber Ridge Lodge, and enjoys the indoor waterpark, as well as leading their own Shabbat services, discussion groups, movies or sporting events.
