B’ruchim HaBaim: Welcome to the Brooklyn Heights Synagogue Religious School.   
We look forward to teaching your children, to studying and learning with them, and to renewing as a community our appreciation and knowledge of our Jewish tradition.
In the Brooklyn Heights Synagogue Religious School, our students learn together in a warm and supportive community. Through their religious school experience, students develop their knowledge of Judaism, and a personal connection to their heritage. Teachers, clergy and parents all work in partnership to guide the students as they develop their Jewish identity and become thoughtful, dedicated participants in Jewish living and in the Jewish community.
We’re taught that our world rests spiritually on three pillars: Torah, Avodah, and Gemilut Chasadim. Torah: one’s relation to God, Jewish texts, Bible, stories, rabbinic thought; Adovah: prayer, knowledge of the meaning and history of prayers, prayer experience and prayer time; Gemilut Chasadim: acts of loving kindness, honoring parents and one another, giving Tzedakah, treating all creatures with kindness and dignity. The Religious School offers opportunities for students to experience these Jewish teachings, and to gain spiritual nurturing that can sustain, inform and enrich all aspects of their lives. CONTACT INFORMATION
To request information, registration materials, or a school visit, please contact us:
tel:718-522-2070
email:
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address: Brooklyn Heights Synagogue , 131 Remsen Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
ENROLLMENT POLICY
You must be a member of Brooklyn Heights Synagogue to register your child for Religious School. Registration materials must be completed, and tuition paid, in order for children to attend class. To view and print REGISTRATION forms for the 2010-2011 school year, click here. WHEN TO BEGIN
Families are strongly encouraged to enroll each child starting in Kindergarten. To celebrate Bar/Bat Mitzvah at BHS, the child must begin Religious School no later than the 3rd grade. Transfer students in grade 4 or above must meet with the Educator to assess the child’s proficiency in Hebrew and knowledge of Judaism, and to recommend grade placement. Students must study the Hebrew language and Judaism in this or another Religious School for a minimum of four years prior to entering 7th grade. Bar/Bat Mitzvah is celebrated sometime after the child’s 13th birthday.
The Religious School Committee sponsors two informative open houses per year – in September and in May – when registration and membership materials will be available. CLASS SCHEDULE (*Beginning Fall 2010) Kindergarten
| Thursday
| 3:45 - 5:00 pm
| | | OR Sunday
| 10:00 am - 12 pm | Grade 1
| Thursday
| 3:45 - 5:15 pm
| | | OR Sunday
| 10:00 am - 12 pm
| Grade 2
| Thursday | 3:45 - 5:30 pm
| | | OR Sunday
| 10:00 am - 12 pm
| Grade 3
| Thursday
| 3:45 - 5:45 pm | Grade 4
| Monday & Wed
| 4:00 - 6:00 pm
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| OR Sunday & Wed | 10:00 am - 12 pm | Grades 5-6
| Mon & Weds
| 4:00 - 6:00 pm
| | Grade 7 | Tuesday
| 4:00 - 6:00 pm
| Grades 8-9
| Tuesday
| 6:00 - 8:00 pm
| Confirmation
| Tuesday
| 6:00 - 8:00 pm
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FAMILY EDUCATION
At BHS, parents are acknowledged as the most influential teachers of their children. Brooklyn Heights Synagogue offers several opportunities throughout the year for parents and children to study together, and for parents to teach their children. Among our programs for family learning are Mishpecha B’Yachad / Family Learning, Shabbat B’Yachad / Shabbat Together, Family Shabbat, and the Congregational Retreat.
RELIGIOUS SCHOOL COMMITTEE
The Religious School Committee is a vital pillar of the synagogue community. Among the many projects the Religious School Committee sponsors each year are Rosh Hashana Outreach, Open Houses in September and May, the Consecration Dinner, the Toy and Coat Drive, the Shul-In, the Homeless Shelter Pantry, the Purim Carnival, the Passover Candy Sale, At-Home Potlucks, Shabbat B’Yachad dinners, Shabbat Morim in honor of teachers, and the Fifth-Sixth Grade Retreat Brunch.
FACULTY
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel wrote: “Everything depends on the person who stands in front of the classroom . . . It is the personality of the teacher which is the text that the pupils read, the text that they will never forget.”
Our teachers are experienced in both formal and informal Jewish education. Most of our teachers are currently graduate students in Jewish education, the rabbinate, the cantorate, psychology, education, Hebrew, art history, politics, music, art, Jewish history, philosophy, and law. Many bring their background as counselors and program leaders in Jewish summer camps. Among our faculty are also young professionals: two rabbis, a psychologist, an actor, and a producer of children’s theater.
CORE CURRICULUM
In 2007-2008, students and parents are studying Community through Jewish Virtues (Middot). The need for a community of friends / chaverim to learn with is paramount in Jewish tradition. The Rabbis advise us to “find a friend / chaver, to study with.” To experience concrete ways to enhance and strengthen their community in their classroom and in their daily lives, students are exploring the tradition of Jewish middot, or virtues. Middot are inner traits. The Rabbis acknowledged that middot are acquired over time; we strive toward making the middot / virtues part of our character. The five middot our students are experiencing and studying this year are: | Emet | be honest | | Shimat ha Ozen | be a good listener | | Dibuk Chaverim | cleave to your friends; be a good friend | | Lo Yevayesh | don’t embarrass anyone | | Shalom Bayit | strive for peace, at home and wherever you are |
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Curriculum
Hebrew
Through our individualized and self-paced Hebrew program in grades 4-5-6, students learn basic Hebrew reading skills and prayer understanding. It is our goal that students be able to participate in prayers and celebrations both at home and in the synagogue, and that they grow to appreciate and value Hebrew as their own, and as the historic and holy language of the Jewish people.
Tefilot / Prayer
All students participate regularly in tefilot / prayer led by the Rabbi.
Kindergarten / Gan and 1st Grade / Kita Alef
Kindergarten and first grade students are introduced to the Jewish study through art, stories, music, games, movement. Through experiencing Shabbat and holidays, students are connected with the joy of their Jewish year. Students learn about Judaism's basic symbols, found at home and in the synagogue, and hear a wealth of stories connected to the holidays and their symbols. Students are introduced to Hebrew through hearing blessings and songs. Through story telling, dramatic enacting, and rendering in visual art, students are introduced to selected Torah stories. Students begin to learn about the Mitzvah /commandment of Tsedakah.
2nd Grade / Kita Bet
In second grade, students hear, enact, re-tell and discuss stories taken from Torah, Midrash, and modern children's literature. Stories are chosen which give examples of such basic Jewish values as honesty, responsibility, justice and helping other people. With puppets, art, music, acting, games and discussion, students also become familiar with the personalities of Torah stories and begin to connect the lives of those figures with their own lives. Second graders begin learning the Hebrew alef-bet, and build on their Hebrew vocabulary through hearing, by naming objects found at home and in the classroom, and by practicing their greetings in class.
3rd Grade / Kita Gimmel
In third grade, students expand and consolidate their knowledge of the Hebrew alef-bet, and learn to read syllables and simple words. Students learn blessings for foods and Jewish holidays, and deepen their understanding of the customs, prayers, songs and significance of the holidays. This year provides the basis for meaningful, joyous holiday observance throughout students' lives. Through stories, art and drama, students learn the family tree of the patriarchs and matriarchs of Torah, and connect the heroes and heroines of Jewish history with their associated major holidays. Third graders participate in tefilot / prayer and music with the Rabbi. A portion of the third graders’ year is devoted to the understanding and personal experience of gemilut chasadim, acts of loving kindness.
4th Grade / Kita Dalet
Fourth graders continue to hear and learn Torah stories. They also learn the structure of the Tanach. Fourth graders learn and experience the mitzvot of tzedakah and gemilut chasadim, the mitzvot that are related to holiday observance, and mitzvot that teach us to love and honor other people. Fourth grade students learn of the Jewish life cycle, as it connects them to their Judaism through their family and friends, through their community, and through their individual relationship with God. Fourth graders learn about the relation of the Jewish people to the land of Israel, and begin to see their membership in the Jewish community as an agreement with God, encompassing the Torah, the mitzvot, and the land. In the fourth grade, students begin to see themselves as active participants in their prayer community.
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5th Grade / Kita Hay
Fifth graders view the Torah reading cycle through names of the Parashiyot, and add to their sense of the Jewish calendar by noting the seasons in which we read each part of the Torah. During their study of the holidays and festivals, fifth graders note the holidays’ connections to the seasons, and connect the observances as instructed in Torah with how the holidays and festivals are observed today in their own community and family. Students are introduced to selected Prophets, and link their message of Repair of the World / Tikkun Olam, with the students’ own experiences of Kehila / Community, Tsedakah / Justice; Kavod / Respect. Their fifth grade history study introduces students to the choices Jews have made throughout history that keep Judaism alive and relevant. The course moves chronologically from Biblical Israel through today, and includes maps, timelines, key terms, and images of life in specific cities during specific times, with biographical sketches of important people in the community and a central event or idea that we as Jews explored during that era.
5th-6th Grade Retreat
 Once a year, students in grades 5 and 6 travel out of the city for a retreat at a URJ camp. Our Retreat is among the most profound experiences students have during their Religious School time. Learning about Torah while enjoying the woods and fields outdoors , students participate in group-building activities, cooperative learning games, nature hikes, skits, discussions, art, Shabbat dinner, Shabbat morning services, Havdalah, stories and a campfire. What the students experience, learn and share during the retreat is an integral aspect to their formal Jewish education here at Brooklyn Heights.
6th Grade / Kita Vav
In their history studies, sixth graders focus on 20th century Jewish history through studying about Zionism and the formation of Israel. Students look toward Jewish history as their own personal legacy. They study about the Shoah in an age-appropriate way. Sixth graders consider their connection to both the land and the people of Israel and how the legacy of our collective Jewish history affects our everyday lives. In preparation for their Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremonies, sixth graders explore the Torah Service and their own role in it. During the spring semester, sixth graders are introduced to Torah Cantillation: the principles, the names of the ta’amei mikrah, and the melodies for chanting from the Sefer Torah. Sixth graders explore how they can participate in community action both on a local scale and global scale. They participate in community service in the synagogue through helping in the Homeless Shelter. In their study of prayer and community, sixth graders are guided to create connections to their own lives to make their Judaism personally meaningful.
7th Grade / Kita Zayin
To prepare for Bar/Bat Mitzvah, seventh graders study Torah, Hebrew and Cantillation. In their Torah class, seventh graders study the weekly Torah portion through an array of approaches to the text, including students’ own reflections alongside rabbinic commentary, history, sociology, mysticism, literary metaphor, and parable. Students also consolidate their understanding of the basic narrative and their knowledge of the Biblical characters.
In their Hebrew class, seventh graders continue to practice chanting and reading the prayers which they will lead during their B’nei Mitzvah ceremonies. In the process, students become more familiar with the order and significance of the Shabbat morning service, and forge a deeper personal connection with the prayers.
The seventh graders continue their study of Cantillation for the Torah and Haftarah. Through listening, chanting, reading, and playing interactive games, students learn the names and shapes of the musical symbols which are attached to the words of Torah, as well as the melodies associated with each symbol. Students also learn the historical relevance behind this system of music. Once they have learned the basic symbols and their melodies, students begin to apply them to various texts from Torah. The goal is to empower the students to study their Torah and Haftarah portions through the skills which they have honed in this class.
During the final months of their individualized B’nei Mitzvah preparation (which will often continue on into 8th Grade), students have weekly individual tutoring sessions with the Cantorial Intern, and study with the Rabbi to prepare their service and D’var Torah. |
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