Primary Department

CURRICULUM : K-3

Our curriculum for the primary years is built on the basis of concrete Jewish experience, relevant to a child’s life, instilling a love for Judaism and an aim to nourish the child’s own natural sources of curiosity.  Every family in grades K – 6 will participate in family education.

KINDERGARTEN / GRADE ONE

Kindergarten and first grade students are introduced to Jewish aspects of everyday life using art, music, poetry, and any number of fun activities to help them connect to being Jewish, even at this early age. They are also introduced to Jewish holidays with a special focus on Shabbat. Finally, students are exposed to basic Hebrew vocabulary, including Shabbat and holiday blessings.

GRADE TWO

Second grade is all about Torah and the synagogue! Each class, students will learn about that week’s Torah portion to begin to learn about biblical stories and characters. Students will also spend time learning about the people, places, and objects in Temple B’nai Torah, while getting to compare and contrast these different aspects of our synagogue with those of other congregations around New York, the United States, and the world. Students will also be regularly exposed to the Hebrew aleph-bet, learning a new letter each week to get them ready to learn to read and write in third grade!

GRADE THREE

This is the year that students become proficient in reading and writing in Hebrew! With this new skill, they will be able to begin to learn prayers and new Hebrew vocabulary. Throughout the year, students will also focus on “Jewish Time,” learning about the Jewish calendar and Holidays, and how and why they occur at different times throughout the year. Third graders will also review Torah stories, focusing on the relationships between some of the most well-known of our biblical ancestors and creating a family tree as they learn about each new generation.