Our Virtual Trip to Israel
with Amy James
Click here to see slide show.
Religious School - Youth
Education Program (YEP)
Welcome to the Youth Education Program One Stop Shop for all your registration needs. You will find a wealth of information on this page! We look forward to seeing you in the Fall. Have a safe and wonderful summer.
- Please download and complete the forms and mail them back with your tuition payment and any fees associated with the classes. We cannot register your children until payment is received.
- Elective classes will be filled on a ‘first come, first served’ basis, and students are asked to choose their first three choices in ranking order. Some classes have a limit of how many students can be in the class. Please note on the elective choice form if the class has a limit.
- Once school has begun we cannot switch elective classes without the permission from the Director. We ask that you mail in ALL requests with your registration forms with your payment, for we cannot take requests by telephone or by email.
- Please fill out ALL forms even if your child is a returning student.
General Information,
PreK - 7th Grades
We offer weekly classes of general Jewish Education
for PreKindergarten through 7th grade. Our sessions
are on Sundays from 9 to 11:30 a.m.
Grades 3 - 6 come on Sunday mornings and also have Hebrew Language lessons
on Wednesday afternoons, 4:30 to 6 p.m. Congregants who live in the Farmington Valley may elect (as an alternative to the Wednesday session) to enroll in the Hebrew Language class at the Farmington Public Library. This is held on Tuesdays from 4 - 6 p.m.
Grades 3-7 follow core courses of Hebrew, Israel,
History and electives of their choice, pertaining
to all walks of Jewish life. Students can choose
by teacher, subject, or friends! Electives range
from the awarding winning Harry
Potter and Jewish Values, Israeli Art, History through
the Art of Cooking, Jewish
Life Cycles, Youth Choir and many more, varying from
semester to semester.
Special Programs
for 6th & 7th grades
Our 6th Grade Conclave is a chance for students
to retreat to one of our Reform camps and enjoy a
weekend away from parents with clergy and youth leaders.
All students who reach the age of 13 are encouraged to become B'nai Mitzvah.
They follow an individual, year-long training program, which entails detailed
knowledge of the liturgy, learning to chant Torah and Haftorah and one-on-one
study with one of our rabbis. Check out our Youth Brochure for more cool youth
activities!
Special Programs for
8th - 12th grades
Our Mitzvah Corp for 8th & 9th graders: Our tradition
teaches us that we are partners with God in the creation
of a just and kind world. Here is your chance to
become that partner!
Committed students entering the eighth grade can make a real difference in our
world as they are challenged to complete 18 mitzvot – or commandments.
On the first Sunday of each month ( usually ) we will go out as a group and perform
Mitzvot ranging from feeding the hungry to cleaning up our world to visiting
the sick.
Not only that! But you will have numerous opportunities to do mitzvot, not only
with G-D, but also with a partner!
Not only that!! Each month we will, in different ways, add another piece to our
broken world and at the same time, forge friendships and bonds through common
purpose.
Confirmation:
It has been about three years since your Bar or Bat
Mitvah. Where are you now?
Don't miss this wonderful opportunity to continue your
Jewish Education. At confirmation you will enjoy:
-•A weekly class held every Monday where you will have be privileged
to
study
with
our rabbis.
-• Family dinners and presentations of topical interest.
-• An exclusive week-end trip to New York City, to enjoy theater and places
of
Jewish
Worship, and a few delicious meals.
-• New friendships, and strengthen old friendships that you thought were
forgotten when you were in 7th grade!
-• Opportunities to create your own programs and services.
-• Your picture displayed on the 'wall of confirmation' for decades to
come. (bring
your
brides, grooms, family and friends to witness the photographs of your youth!)
Check
out our Youth Brochure for more cool youth activities like Madrichim
Programming (for assistant
teenager teachers); 'Lunch and Learn' with
the rabbis once per month, and
our Junior and Senior WHTY (West Hartford Temple Youth
Group).
Music
There are many opportunities for students to experience the joy of music in this program. We have several
choirs, and we have just published a CD entitled "Musical
Mosaic"! Read more about our Music Program by going to our Organizations page.
Mitzvot Opportunities
We subscribe to the Foodshare Back
Pack Program, for Hartford area children who may be hungry through the week-end.
Mighty Mitzvah Mavens are
encouraged to perform acts of love and kindness, and are rewarded by community
recognition and an award from the Amy Beth Seltzer Mitzvah Fund.
B'nai Mitzvah students are required to choose a community
project that will benefit social groups who need financial or practical
help.
More ideas are listed on our mitzvah page .
Shabbat Services for Youth
We offer a monthly Shabbat evening service where
grade-specific students and parents are invited to a Shabbat dinner
followed by participation in a Family
Shabbat Service.
On a frequent basis, we offer a Teaching Shabbat Service, held on a Saturday
morning and Havdalah services, held on a Saturday evening. These services are
clergy/student led and give chances for explanation and discussion of the liturgy,
as well as Torah and Haftarah study.
Services are also held on a weekly basis within the Youth Education Program,
led by our clergy and songleaders.On
Family Education
We offer family education for PreKindergarten through 7th grade students and
their parents. Programs range from Life Cycle, Jewish Philosophy,
Talking to Your Children About G-D, as well as programming around the
Holy Days and Festivals. These programs encourage children and parents to learn
together, sometimes by parallel teaching and sometimes by coming together in
a warm and encouraging environment experiencing learning through music, art,
drama and text.
Pathways
This program addresses the needs of K through 7th grade
children who have moderate learning disabilities and
unique learning styles, and who would like to follow
a course of Jewish Learning with an option of becoming
a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. The program specializes in
Tourette Syndrome, PDD-NOS, Cognitive Delays, Autism, Processing
Disorders, and Fine
Motor Concerns.
Children who have difficulties with coping in a mainstream classroom will have
the benefit of excellent and personalized study, using appropriate text books
and creative teaching techniques including art, drama and one on one teaching.
The curriculum will be designed to incorporate 4 categories. Tefilah (prayer),
Hebrew, Torah, and Judaica.
Susan Fried is the teacher and curriculum designer. Susan has ten years
of experience in the field of special needs and
has degrees in communication disorders and psychology.
For
more information, contact Cantor Pamela
Siskin, 233-8215
x234.
Other Ways to Get Involved
There are plenty of opportunities for you to get involved
with the running of our school. Join our Education Committee, join our Family
Education Advisory Committee, become a classroom parent, become a Youth Committee
Consultant. Enjoy our Youth Education Program which can offer as much to you
as to your children!
