The B'nai Mitzvah Curriculum
Between Persons בן אדם לחברו
- Engage students to develop and understand Jewish values and traditions through Contents of Their Character (Torah Aura), activities, writing, and conversation both as a class and בחברותא (in haveruta settings).
- Thinking and learning “Jewish” - wrestling with texts, ideas, and values from traditional and modern sources and ideas (The Prophets: Speaking Out for Justice).
- Being Jewish is more than attending services, it is a part of us from when we wake to when we lie down.
- Showing respect for adults (teachers, administrators, board members, clergy and guests) by rising when one enters the room.
Between Jews and G-d בן אדם למקום
- Living with G-d, Struggling with choices and conditions (The Time of Our Lives, God: Jewish Choices...) Yi-sra-Eil: He (Jacob) who struggles with G-d- We are ALL JACOB. K’lal Yisrael struggles with G-d.
- Holidays- connecting ritual to meaning to ourselves, connecting to G-d through tradition, ritual, prayer, time and space (Rediscovering the Jewish Holidays)
- Using ברכות (blessings) for various, appropriate times, most importantly over food, studying תורה, and שהחינו (Sheheheyanu)
- Wearing כפות (males: mandatory, females: optional)
- WWAD: “What would Adonai Do?”
- On becoming בני מצוה (b’nei Mitzvah): becoming under the law
- What does this event mean to the student, to their family?
- How does this change someone?
- What is the meaning?
- How can you grow to form a new relationship with G-d?
Learning Torah לימוד תורה
- The Rabbis remind us there are Seventy faces to תורה... What’s yours?
- Wrestling, understanding, conversing, experiencing תורה. (Topical Bible)
- Weekly Parshiot (Text Messages)
- Introduction to Mishnah (Learn Mishnah)
- Prophets (Moses, Samuel, Elijah, Amos, Isaiah, Jonah, Jeremiah)
- Torah Portion for בני מצוה
- G-dcast, other internet tools
Hebrew עברית
- Increasing reading confidence
- Introduction to Modern Hebrew (Let’s Talk Hebrew: Modern Hebrew for Teens)
- Establishing a Hebrew classroom (inserting hebrew into lesson, classroom flow, greetings and salutations)
T’filah תפילה
- Sunday morning minyan to reenforce what is learned on Wednesdays
- Using ברכות (blessings) for various, appropriate times, most importantly over food, studying תורה, and שהחינו (Sheheheyanu)
- Increase knowledge of keva vs kavanah
- Shirah Sessions
- Sidduraudio.com
Israel ארץ ישראל
- Spring topics to revolve around יום הזיכרון לשואה ולגבורה יום העצמאות (Experiencing Israel)
Conservative Judaism
- Students are encouraged to join USY.
- Spring: Jewish History and differences in movements, Jewish thought and philosophy, modern jewry (American and worldwide).
