Youth Education - Congregation Sherith Israel

~A Playful Approach to Serious Jewish Learning~  

Registration for IN-PERSON Studio for the 2021‒2022 academic year is now open!  Click here to sign up.

Studio @ Sherith Israel for grades PK‒6 meets Sundays, 9:30 a.m.‒12:30 p.m., plus Zoom Hebrew sessions for grades 2‒5 on Tuesdays from 4:15‒5 p.m. To maximize safety, we are meeting outdoors as much as possible this year, starting with two sessions in the beautiful Pine Lake Picnic Area of Stern Grove on 9/26 and 10/3. Click here to download the 2021‒2022 Studio calendar.

Due to demand from our teens, Teens @ Studio for grades 7‒12 will meet Fridays on Zoom from 4‒5:30 p.m. beginning on 9/28. We can switch back to 5 p.m. in-person meetings anytime the teens want!

Studio @ Sherith Israel’s Vision:
We envision a world full of open-minded and open-hearted Jewish adults who can articulate what Judaism means to them and who regularly practice their Judaism, whether through prayer, ritual, cultural activities, study, decision-making, relationships, or something else.  These Jewish adults gravitate toward one another and feel at home in Jewish spaces and gatherings, but also engage in tikkun olam, efforts to repair the wider world around them.
 
Studio @ Sherith Israel’s Mission:
We help Jewish youth build basic Jewish literacy, essential social-emotional skills and positive associations with Judaism and the Jewish people. We know we can’t teach all of Judaism in just a few hours a week, so we aim to provide a baseline of Jewish knowledge and to spark a desire for further Jewish learning and living beyond Studio. We take a playful, student-centered approach to teaching, encouraging students to ask questions, express themselves authentically, and help shape their own learning. We treat Judaism like a jungle gym — a strong foundation that can stand up to vigorous play, and even a little pushing and pulling — and we offer students not just tools for their Jewish toolboxes, but also toys for their Jewish toy boxes.

Jewish literacy includes:

• Hebrew decoding (reading skills) and Jewish life vocabulary—we want students to feel ready to go when it’s time to start studying for b. mitzvah!
• Familiarity with key prayers, holidays and life cycle rituals
• Understanding of Jewish values, intellectually and through lived experience
• Exposure to Jewish history and culture, with a focus on multicultural Judaism

Social-emotional skills include:

• Curiosity—capacity for questioning and experiencing wonder
• Kindness—capacity for empathetic imagination and compassionate action
• Self-actualization—capacity for self-expression, self-advocacy and resilience

Positive associations with Judaism and the Jewish people include:

• Friendships with other Jewish youth of many ages
• Mentorship from Jewish teens as well as adults
• Exposure to Jewish worship, ritual and community service informed by Jewish values

Contact Rabbi Abby Phelps for more information.

Preschool to Grade 5

Our students learn core values through age-level experiences including opportunities for family learning, worship and the arts. Introduction to spiritual Hebrew is an integral part of the learning, focusing on developing a working vocabulary of key Hebrew words and phrases through activities, music and study.

Members only (login required): view the PK/K blog here, the 1/2 blog here and the 3/4/5 blog here!

Grade 6 — Preparing for B. Mitzvah

This program guides students through an exploration of the Hebrew language, the Shabbat liturgy, and the Jewish obligations and opportunities that lie before them as b. mitzvah.

Members only (login required): view the 6th grade blog here!

Grade 7 — The B. Mitzvah Journey Continues

Students explore their emerging roles as full members of the Jewish community, learning more about opportunities for Jewish service, living and learning as they continue honing their Hebrew and prayer skills and celebrate each other's b. mitzvah ceremonies.

Grades 8–12 — Teens @ Studio

Teens learn to unpack Jewish texts, respectfully discuss hot topics like Israel, the legacy of the Holocaust, and the challenges of teen life, and find Jewish meaning in all parts of their lives. Teens also participate in social action together, welcome guest speakers and workshops, and build kehilah kedoshah—sacred community.

Madrichimot Program

Teens who are interested in developing teaching and leadership skills by becoming madrichimot, the non-binary Hebrew plural term for guides for younger students, can join this program to receive structured training and practical  experience. Contact Natalie Weizman for more information.