While students are exposed to Hebrew letters, basic vocabulary, prayers and the sounds of Hebrew beginning in Kindergarten, more rigorous Hebrew learning picks up in 3rd grade. Our Tuesday afternoon program is designed to strengthening Hebrew language acquisition and comprehension and expose students to the rhythm and meaning of prayers and some basic modern Hebrew vocabulary and grammar. Students make solid gains in overall confidence and competence as they refine their reading skills and come to master the challenges inherent in leading tefillah (prayer service) and reading from the Torah.
Students in 5th grade and beyond who are preparing for B’nei Mitzvah gain proficiency in trope (chanting), increase their understanding of the flow of the Shabbat prayer service, and deepen their personal connections with Jewish life.
Every Tuesday afternoon begins with a brief tefillah session led by Rabbi Schulman; then the group splits into classes according to their grade and focus. Tuesday afternoons feel more intimate, and students forge even deeper relationships with each other, with the teachers, with madrichim, with the rabbi, and with themselves.