Hebrew

Overview of Hebrew Education at Beth Am

• Hebrew is the language that binds Jews together throughout time and space. The study of Hebrew engenders connection with Jewish culture and the Jewish people everywhere.
• Hebrew Education is integrated into all youth education programs at Beth Am, now called Beit Midrash (pre-K through grade 8).
• Beit Midrash students add a mid-week component to their Hebrew education beginning in grade 3 and are encouraged to continue the study of Hebrew throughout their education.
• Hebrew education at Beth Am introduces Hebrew as a spoken, living language. Beit Midrash students learn to read, write, speak and understand the basics of modern Hebrew as well as to develop prayer book literacy.

Vision of Hebrew Education at Beth Am:

Hebrew is a fundamental component of Jewish learning and living.  It is valued as the “mother tongue of the Jewish people,” the language that binds Jews together throughout time and space. A Committed Knowledgeable Participating Reform Jew will, at a minimum, achieve prayer book literacy (can decode prayers, has basic prayer book vocabulary, understands structure of the siddur, and the meaning of key prayers). However, prayer book Hebrew is only one component of the Hebrew language. Modern Hebrew is the language of the State of Israel (home to over 40% of world Jewry) and the shared vehicle for communication among all Jews.  The study of Hebrew engenders connection with Jewish culture and the Jewish people everywhere. For all of these reasons,  Beth Am embraces a program that introduces Hebrew as a spoken, living language.  Our students experience the excitement of reading a poem or story in Hebrew and knowing what it means, have short dialogues in Hebrew, and master the most basic modern Hebrew vocabulary and grammar. In the words of HUC-JIR professor Isa Aron, our goal is to "plant seeds of excitement and a love for the Hebrew language” that we hope will lead to lifelong Hebrew study.

Goals for Hebrew Education:

• To build a connection with the land and people of Israel .
• To plant seeds of excitement and a love for the Hebrew language.
• To develop a Hebrew literacy connected with Jewish values, traditions, rituals, and life cycle events shared by Jews around the world.
• To introduce Hebrew as a living language—basic vocabulary, grammar.
• To motivate students to continue learning Hebrew in high school and college
• To enable students to achieve prayer book literacy.

Hebrew Working Group

In 2005, Hebrew Education at Beth Am was re-envisioned through a process undertaken by the Hebrew Working Group.  Chaired by Frieda Haidt and Ellen Lefkowitz, the group made the following summary recommendations.

• Start Hebrew learning with our youngest learners
• Create opportunities for Shabbat Service participation in each grade level
• Provide ongoing opportunities for reinforcement at home
• Integrate Hebrew language acquisition throughout our Judaica programs

Click here for the full report of the Hebrew working group.

Structure of Hebrew Education

Age group	Hebrew Curriculum Schedule	Hebrew Topics
Pre-K through grade 2	Hebrew topics integrated with Sunday Program or Shabbaton	Hebrew Music Tefillah Art Key Hebrew words/phrases integrated into the curricula Introduction to the Alef-Bet
Grades 3 – 5	Wed OR Thurs 4:00 – 6:00 pm PLUS Sunday Program, Hagigah, or Shabbaton	Learn to decode/ primer year Basic conversational Hebrew Tefillah checklist*
Grade 6	Wed 4:00–6:00 pm OR Thurs 4:00–6:00 pm OR Sat 3:45-5:45 pm OR Sun 9-11 am PLUS Tuesday Night Program	Basic conversational Hebrew Tefillah checklist* Tzavta Shabbat -Family B’nai Mitzvah Education (10 times/year)
Grade 7	Tues 4:30-5:30 pm	New! Conversational Hebrew class Hebrew reinforcement & review, particularly for those whose B’nai Mitzvah will take place late in 7th Grade or early in 8th Grade Opportunity to improve Hebrew in an intimate setting and connect more deeply with Beth Am . For more information, contact the Education office at 650/493-4665

*The Tefillah Checklist is a self-paced program for students to build their reading fluency of the Beth Am Shabbat liturgy. Students will use many of the resources listed below to learn the prayers through individual study as well as prayer experiences and on-going assessment during Beit Midrash programs.

Resources

The following is a brief list of resources available through Beth Am to reinforce Hebrew education at home. Resource packets are available for families of Beit Midrash students through the Beth Am education office.

• Hineni Prayer Booklets
• http://www.behrmanhouse.net/hin1prayer/
• Interactive CD-ROMs
• CDs of the Beth Am prayer service
• Hebrew Websites
• Flashcards