CONTACT US!
Ask about our
Kindergarten Program
Director of Child
& Youth Education
Alley Dezenhouse Kelner
416.782.4495 x25
[email protected]
Rabbi Yossi Sapirman
416.782.4495 x26
[email protected]
ADVE
N
JUDA TURE
ISM
Hebrews' Cool
THE VALUES OF LIVING JEWISHLY
A YEAR
F LIVING
JEWISHLY
BAR/BAT MITZVAH PROGRAM
APPLICATION
INFORMATION
Tabl
e of
Yout
h
Prog & Fami
at B rammi ly
eth T ng
orah
Cont
ents
Hebrews' Cool
THE VALUES OF LIVING JEWISHLY
Philosophy & Goals ........................... 2
Program Outline ............................... 3
Special Programs ............................... 4
Days & Times ...................................... 5
Beth Torah Congregation has a full calendar of
A YEAR
F LIVING
JEWISHLY
programs for children and families. Whether you’re
looking for a Holy Day celebration or a family-friendly
service, or if you’re interested in volunteering,
Beth Torah is the place to be! For details, check out our
website or our latest program calendar, or contact the
BAR/BAT MITZVAH PROGRAM
office at 416-782-4495.
Mission Statement .................... 6
Why Another
B’nai Mitzvah Program? ........... 6
Sept-Oct Frequently
Asked Questions ....................... 7-8
Pizza in the Hut Sukkah
Decorating Party
Important Note ......................... 9
Youth & Family
Programming ............................ 10
Director of Education
CONTACT US!
Amy Goldsweig
416.782.4495 x25
[email protected]
High Holy Day Youth Programming
Simchat Torah Party
Nov-Dec Chanukah Bash
Jan-Feb Kabbalat Shabbat
Family Dinner
Mar-Apr Purim Carnival
Pre-Passover Shabbat Dinner
Monthly
Family
Programs
Shabbat Family Services
10
Hebrews' Cool
and
gram
s
ings
hy, G
oals
, Pro
l Th
Phil
Due to the unique nature of some events,
flexibility is occasionally required and it may be
necessary to contact participants to clarify details
of the event. If parents will be away or children
will be staying with friends, please take the time
to ensure that we have a phone number where
they can be reached in case the program has
to be rescheduled or relocated.
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Important
Note
Other
THE VALUES OF LIVING JEWISHLY
CONTACT US!
9
2
Hebrew and T’fillah
the f
ollo prog Our s
wing ram ix-year
area inclu
s of des
stud
y
Our goal is to give our students the
knowledge they need to participate in prayer
services. In the early years, they will earn the basics
of reading and writing, and they will be able to read
and sing common prayers like the Shema. As they progress, our
students will be able to read and understand the most important
prayers and prayer concepts. In their final years, they will learn
about specific elements of our liturgy such as the Torah service
and the Amidah. Our students will achieve a level of reading
fluency that will carry them not only to their B’nai Mitzvot,
but to their studies beyond.
Torah Studies
and Jewish Values
Our goal here is two-fold: to teach
about the origin of our people, and to
extract lessons from the Bible about ethics
and morality that we can apply to our lives
today. In the early years, we will focus on
the stories of our ancestors, and what
those stories teach us about how to live
our lives. As our students progress,
they will study the mitzvot and
the writings of the prophets.
History and Culture
Our goal is to present the
development of Jewish
thought since the Bible
was written. In the early
years, our students will
learn about our folklore –
from ancient tales of morality
to the humour of Chelm, and
stories that are still being
written today. Our older
studentswill learn about
modern Jewish values that
come from the writings
Social Action
of our sages.
The units covered here will tie
into the values-based curriculum
mentioned in the preceding paragraphs,
and they will also prepare students for the
Year of Living Jewishly that they take during their
Bar/Bat Mitzvah year. Our students will learn how
the Jewish community functions, and how we
contribute to the greater Canadian community.
3
What If Already Have A
Tutor For My Child?
Time
Commitment And
Other Details
The tutor you have chosen must
be approved by the Rabbi and
Cantor.
The YLJ program is designed to follow
the school and Hebrew calendar and
not interfere with Civil or Jewish
holidays and seasonal breaks. It is
advisableto ensure that your child
can commit to attend every event
throughout the program. Please
contact the Director of Education
immediately if there is any
concern about attendance.
Synagogue
Attendance
Parents should commit to
attending a synagogue at least
once a month during the year of B’nai
Mitzvah. It is preferred that they attend
the synagogue that will be hosting their
B’nai Mitzvah event..
What If My Child
Doesn’t Read Hebrew?
A private tutor will be arranged to teach
your child Hebrew. It is suggested that your
child begin lessons as soon as you register
in this program in order to give you the
maximum amount of time to upgrade your
child’s skills. While your child will not need
to sight-read Hebrew expertly, a basic proficiency
will be necessary for your child’s success. Please
note that the program fee does not cover the
cost of Bar/Bat Mitzvah tutoring.
Parental
Involvement
Over the course of the year we
will invite parents to a few parent/
student events. The purpose of these
programs will be to educate parents together
with their children about the intricacies of planning,
organizing, and maintaining the significance of a B’nai
Mitzvah celebration. These dates will appear on your
calendar and it is strongly recommended that you
attend – it will enhance the experience further by making
it a family affair.
Certificates
And Recognition
At the end of the year, our
students will be given a certificate
upon completion of the course, and they
will participate in a special graudation at
Beth Torah for their outstanding accomplishments.
8
Israel
What If My Child’s Bar
Or Bat Mitzvah Is
In The Middle Of The Year?
By enrolling your child in this program, you offer
them more than just knowledge; you’re giving
them the opportunity to make lifelong friends
who will share the year of Mitzvah with them.
The educational and experiential components of
the program work well for all ages, and your child
celebrating a Bar or Bat Mitzvah during the year
will offer his or her classmates the opportunity to
experience their education in action. If your child’s
Bar or Bat mitzvah is celebrated during the Year
of Living Jewishly, your child willcontinue with the
program as before.
What Will
Be The Length
Of The Program?
The Bnai Mitzvah program will
run approximately every other
Sunday from September until
the end of May.
FAQ’s
Who Qualifies
For This Program?
This program will be of great
value to any Jewish child
regardless of religious affiliation
or denomination, whether
or not they belong to
a synagogue.
What Are The Unique
Features Of This Program?
Your child will have the benefit of a
personal relationship with a dynamic and
teen-aware Rabbi, a custom designed
program prepared by Beth Torah’s
Director of Education and a Jewish
experience of a lifetime.
As our national homeland and the center of our culture, a
study of Israel will be incorporated into just about everything
the students do. In addition, they will learn about the
modern state, and we will foster a strong connection
between our students and Israel by using internet and e-mail.
Beth Torah’s Hebrews’Cool offers an innovative
curriculum and a relaxed atmosphere in which to
learn it. Our teachers have the flexibility to scale the
program to the needs of their students, and our small
class sizes promote a sense of closeness and enable
our staff to give the students considerable
one-on-one attention. Our goals are ambitious,
but our children deserve nothing less.
Holy Days
and Festivals
Each year, our students will
learn different aspects of the
Holy Days that coincide with their studies
in the other areas mentioned above. As the
students progress, they will also learn about
Jewish lifecycle events. It isn’t enough to know
what we do; they also need to know why we’re
still doing it, and what the Holy Day celebrations
teach us about our responsibility to
ourselves and to each other.
What Age
Groups Can
Join This Program?
For Hebrews’Cool students,
YLJ is the Grade Seven year
of their school program. For
non-Hebrews’Cool students,
YLJ is a B’nai Mitzvah program
that should fall within the
year of their event. Please
contact our Director of
Education for specific
details about
your child.
7
How Will My Child
Be Taught His/Her
Own Torah Portion?
Our Director of Education will assign every student
a private tutor who, subject to their availability
and by arrangement with the parents, will
determine location, time, and frequency of lessons.
The program provides for approximately 23 half
hour lessons, including a one hour rehearsal at
the synagogue. Should more be necessary it
would be by special arrangement with the
Director of Education.
Music
School
Kiddush
& Hebrew
Word of the Day
Each week, we run a
brief school-wide kiddush
food break. We provide a
nut-free and yummy snack
so that the students can begin
a life-long association of
Judaism , eating and schmoozing.
A staple of our school
kiddush is the Hebrew Word of the
Day and Parsha Riddles. Each week,
a new Hebrew word is introduced,
and there is trivia related to the
week’s Torah portion and
upcoming holidays.
Every week, our music teacher engages
the students with traditional, modern and fun
tunes for our liturgy, Israel and the Holy Days. We also
run a monthly school-wide prayer service which is led by our
Director of Education. Not only does this give the students an
opportunity to practice what they know, but they will hear a story that
relates to the themes they learn about in class, and they will get the
chance to experience a real Torah firsthand.
In addition to the weekly music class, Hebrews’Cool has its own magnificent
children’s choir, which performs at synagogue and community events.
They even get to sing on the Bimah during the High Holidays (the bubbies
can’t stop kvelling)!
4
A YEAR
F LIVING
JEWISHLY
DATE & TIMES
We recognize that our students
have many priorities, and that
Hebrews’Cool will be added to a list of
extracurricular that includes sports, music lessons,
and other activities. Therefore, in an effort to avoid
scheduling conflicts and thus give our students the maximum
benefit of our program, we offer flexible times for our classes.
Students attend Hebrews’Cool once each week, but the families
can choose between two days. On Sunday, class for Grades One
and Two runs from 9:00am to 11:00am, and classes for Grades Three
through Six run from 9:00 to 12:00. On Tuesday, class for Grades
One and Two runs from 4:15pm to 6:00, and classes for Grades
Three through Six run from 4:15 to 6:45. Classes for Grades Three
through Six on both days are broken up by a school-wide
Kiddush, which includes a snack, Hebrew Word of the Day,
and a chance to show off their impressive
knowledge during Trivia.
5
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BAR/BAT MITZVAH PROGRAM
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