The primary years of our religious school attempt to instill in the child a sense of Jewish identity and self-acceptance. These years are built on the basis of concrete Jewish experience, hopefully relevant to the child's home life. Our aim is to nourish a child's own material sources of curiosity and desire to discover. Whenever possible, this is accomplished through a first-hand experience of music, art, holiday observance and understanding, and Jewish experiences in general. These experiences will carry on through to Confirmation.

Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten
The core of the curriculum centers around the holidays of the Jewish year. A beginning effort is made to acquaint the children with simple concepts and rituals associated with Jewish life. Our methods are experiential -- the children learn through touching, seeing, hearing, tasting and creating. The Jewish experience is shared through music, drama, dance, art, and literature.

Basic prayers are introduced. Through participation, the children learn the Sh'ma, blessings over bread and wine, and simple holiday songs. Tzedakah, the act of giving, becomes part of their lives. Kindergartners begin to explore their understanding of God in their lives. They are introduced to the temple, sanctuary, school, the rabbis, the cantor and the educator. It is the perfect beginning on the path to Confirmation year.

First Grade
The focus of the curriculum is the Jewish home, which becomes a focus, again, in the middle grades and Confirmation. Those things that make a home Jewish, the way in which each holiday is celebrated at home, will be learned and, with the help of parents, experienced by our first graders. We stress the celebration of Shabbat and begin our study of Biblical heroes and heroines. Prayers continue through participation in our children's services. The first grade holiday focus is on Shabbat and the High Holy Days, although all holidays are covered.

Second Grade
Second graders will study the synagogue. We want to help them see the temple as a place to meet, discuss, learn, interact, share and experience Jewish life. We prepare our students for active participation in our synagogue and they are introduced to the ceremonial objects and symbols in the sanctuary. Prayer, mitzvot and one's relationship with God are an integral part of the year's study. We also use a pre-readiness program for Hebrew.

The students are also introduced to the Ten Commandments, using the book, Who Knows Ten?, and the texts, My Synagogue House of the Jewish People and Molly Cone Stories. The second grade holiday focus is on Pesach and Shavuot

Third Grade
The third graders are introduced to an important course of study during the year. Using the book, A Child's Bible: Lessons from the Torah, the children begin to discover what Torah is and to see Judaism from a new, historical perspective. From Creation to Moses, our children are taken on a fascinating journey through time. The third grade holiday focus is on Chanukah. The reinforcement of letters and sound recognition in Hebrew continues.