Statement of Purpose

Congregation Kol Chadash is committed to lifelong learning that starts with our children. Our primary goal is to provide a quality education that will create a lasting and positive Jewish identity.

Judaics

Our philosophy of engagement and hands-on learning provides our students with a feeling of connection not only to Judaism but to the Jewish people.

Our goals are to teach each student:

• Blending of Jewish and secular life
• The study of Torah and how the ancient text relates to our present lives
• Art and culture (food and music)
• Celebration and life cycles
• Building a Jewish, as well as, Hebrew vocabulary

Hebrew

Hebrew will focus on prayer, starting with basic decoding and progressing to understanding. Students will be able to read, speak, and understand Hebrew; and be able to conduct and follow a religious service in a variety of congregational settings.

Telilah and Music

Prayer is one of the central tenants of Judaism. We have identified three levels of engagement with prayer that we are using as a basis for our program:

• Basic: Learning basic prayers by rote through music, memorization, body movement (prayer aerobics), etc.
• Intermediate: Introduces the concept of kavanah (feelings)- what we feel when we pray. These concepts will be explored in the third and fourth grades.
• Advanced: Starting with prayer book geography, the students will explore the sequence of the prayers and their timing. Students will be able to construct and conduct Tefilah.

The goal of the program is to give a "taste" of Jewish learning to our youngest students through music, arts and crafts, and stories.

Taught by an early childhood teacher with over ten years experience, the class will provide a nurturing and fun introduction to Judaism and concentrate on the Jewish holidays, Shabbat, Jewish symbols, and building a Jewish vocabulary.

This program meets from 11 am to noon, the first and third Sundays each month that the Solon Hebrew School is in session.

The focus of M & M is to make the history and heritage of the Jewish people come alive through stories, drama, arts and crafts, and music. This group will also be introduced to prayer and the Hebrew Language.

The students will spend their morning in Judaic studies, Hebrew and Tefilah (prayer). The activities will be hands-on to make learning about Judaism a positive experience. Both our K/l class and our 2nd grade class will be taught by an experienced elementary school teacher and a Hebrew teacher who truly make learning fun. This group meets on Sunday mornings from 9:30 until noon.

BBQ gives students a chance to form a community, to begin preparation for Bar or Bat Mitzvah, and to have an appropriate forum to question, explore, and develop their own beliefs. Sunday mornings will begin with bonding over bagels (and not BBQ), followed by an hour of Hebrew and Judaic studies taught by beloved teachers who understand that students need the opportunity to challenge and wrestle with the tenets of our faith. Monday afternoons will begin with Hebrew study followed by an interactive student-led prayer experience; the afternoon will end with chugim, a series of enrichment activities or mini courses that the students may choose from such as Israel, Jewish cooking, games, etc. All of the chugim will utilize Hebrew vocabulary and supplement the Judaic curriculum. BBQ students meet on Sunday mornings from 9:30 am until noon and on Mondays from 4 until 6 pm.

The year will be divided into a series of mini courses and will include book discussions, a comparative religion series in which we will join with peers from area churches, a tikkun olam project, and the opportunity to explore contemporary issues from a Jewish perspective.

The course will be taught by a series of instructors, including Rabbi Estelle Mills. Optional learning activities may include a trip to Jewish New York, a Political Action Seminar for Jewish teens in Washington, or a visit to the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati to learn about the beginnings of Reform Judaism.

This class is meant as an opportunity for students to learn about what Judaism says about current controversial or difficult subjects, such as the afterlife or abortion, and to explore their own beliefs. The topics covered will vary from year to year, depending on the students' interests.

This group meets twice a month on Sunday evenings from 6:30 until 8 pm and will include dinner.

Sunday Schedule

	9:30 - 10:00	10:00 - 11:00	11:00 - 12:00
Kindergarten and First Grade	Tefilah and Music	Hebrew	Chai
Second and Third Grade	Tefilah and Music	Chai	Hebrew
Fourth and Fifth Grade	Bonding	Chai	Hebrew
Sixth and Seventh Grade	Bonding	Hebrew	Chai

Monday Schedule

4:00 - 5:00	5:00 - 5:30	5:30 - 6:00
Hebrew	Tefilah	Chugim