The goal of the Or Zarua Hebrew School is to nurture and develop caring, knowledgeable and involved young Jewish adults by providing an engaging and rich curriculum in a positive and warm learning environment. We firmly believe that there is nothing more central to living Jewishly than educating our children and passing on to them our treasured heritage. Through a curriculum that includes the study of Bible, synagogue skills, Jewish culture and values, religious life and laws, Israel and Hebrew language, we seek to instill a lifelong intellectual, emotional and spiritual connection to Judaism.
Or Zarua takes a "nuts and bolts" approach to Jewish education: we want our children to LEARN. While many schools concentrate on creating a fun environment to induce kids to learn, we believe that our students have a good time precisely because they DO learn. The satisfaction in acquiring new knowledge and the investigative process of learning itself creates the atmosphere in which our kids excel. Small classes aid in this goal: keeping our classes to an average of 10 children allows for greater contact between each student and his or her teachers.
Our Hebrew School provides after school classes for children from ages 5-18 and meets Monday through Thursday from September through May. Kindergarten and first grade meet one afternoon each week from 4:00-6:00; 2nd-6th grades meet twice each week in the same time slot. In addition, students in grades 4-6 attend one Shabbat service each month as a class, enabling them to become familiar with, and to participate in, synagogue ritual, a key aspect of Jewish life.
The Hebrew School also has a program for students through high school. Middle and high school students meet once each week from 6:00-8:00 over dinner with Ilana Burgess, the Youth Education director, to explore a wide range of topics, including discussions of the weekly parashah.
For the 2010-2011 school year, class meeting times are as follows:
| Class |
Day |
Time |
|
| Kindergarten |
Monday |
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm |
| Alef - First Grade |
Monday |
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm |
| Bet - Second Grade |
Monday & Wednesday |
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm |
| Gimel - Third Grade |
Monday & Wednesday |
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm |
| Dalet - Fourth Grade |
Monday & Wednesday |
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm |
| Hey - Fifth Grade |
Monday & Wednesday |
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm |
| Vav - Sixth Grade |
Monday & Wednesday |
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm |
| Dinner is provided during the following classes: |
| Zayin - Seventh Grade |
Monday |
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm |
| Bogrim - Eighth Grade |
Monday |
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm |
| Machon - Ninth Grade |
Monday |
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm |
| Atid - Tenth through Twelfth Grades |
Monday |
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm |
While services are being held in the sanctuary, separate activities are held for toddlers, young children, and older children in our classrooms from 10:30 am - 12:00 pm:
Ages 2 - 6
Ages 6 - Bar/Bat Mitzvah
Classes and activities are also held during services on holidays; check here, or with the office, as a holiday approaches for specific information concerning the classes which will be held.
