At Temple Israel, our Religious School is more than just Hebrew and holidays – it’s where kids build friendships, explore Jewish identity, and feel like they truly belong. Whether your child is just starting out or already knows the Four Questions by heart, our program meets them where they are with joyful learning, meaningful experiences, and a strong sense of community. We know families are juggling a lot, so we’ve created a space that’s engaging, flexible, and rooted in the values that matter most.
Our curriculum is designed as a spiral, meaning students return to the same core stories, values, holidays, and Jewish concepts year after year. Each time they revisit them, they do so at a new developmental stage, adding greater depth, complexity, and personal meaning.
A student might first learn a Torah story in the early grades simply through the narrative itself, then later explore the values and ethical questions within it, and eventually wrestle with how that story connects to Jewish history, identity, or their own life experiences.
Rather than learning Judaism as a series of disconnected topics, students build knowledge and connections over time. Each year adds new layers of understanding, new questions, and new opportunities for students to see themselves reflected in Jewish learning and tradition.
A joyful, hands-on introduction to Jewish life. Through stories, music, art, and play, our youngest learners build friendships and begin to experience the rhythms of Jewish holidays and traditions in ways that feel natural and fun.
Our PreK class meets on Mondays from 3:15-4:00 pm.
Kindergarten and 1st grades meet on Mondays from 4:00-5:30 pm. Once a month, parents are invited to join their children from 5:30-6:00 pm for our Tefillah program.
2nd and 3rd grades meet on Mondays from 4:00-6:00 pm.
As students grow, so does their learning. This is a time to deepen Hebrew skills, explore Jewish values in more complex ways, and begin to ask bigger questions, all within a community where they feel known and supported.
The 4th–6th grade day is divided into three blocks: Judaics, Hebrew, and Electives, where students can choose from a variety of modalities and topics to expand and extend their learning. In addition to their in-person classes, students are paired with one of our exceptional Hebrew tutors for individualized 1:1 Zoom sessions, helping them build skills and confidence at their own pace.
4th-6th grades meet on Wednesdays from 4:00-6:00 pm. Once a month, parents are invited to join their children from 5:30-6:00 pm for our Tefillah program.
A thoughtful and engaging year leading up to becoming B’nei Mitzvah and beyond. In 7th grade, students explore big questions about identity, belief, and what it means to grow up Jewish today. Through conversation, current events, the arts, technology, and social action, they’re encouraged to reflect, wrestle, and make meaning in ways that feel personal and relevant.
The year also includes a full-day Sunday trip as part of the curriculum, giving students a chance to step outside the classroom and connect their learning to the wider world. Along the way, students deepen their connection to Jewish tradition – past, present, and future – while beginning to see the role they can play in shaping it. Our goal is that they leave not just prepared for their B’nei Mitzvah, but curious, confident, and ready to stay connected to Jewish life in ways that matter to them.
Our 7th grade meets on Wednesdays from 6:00-7:00 pm.
Jewish life doesn’t stop after B’nei Mitzvah and neither does the fun! TI Teens meets 1–2 Sundays a month, with a mix of social events, meaningful conversations, and hands-on social action projects.
It’s a space where teens can show up as themselves, connect with friends, and stay engaged in ways that actually feel relevant.
Teens who register have access to all events, can take on leadership roles through our Teen Board, and receive priority and discounted registration for teen trips.
Kesher is a small, supportive learning environment designed for students who benefit from a more individualized pace and approach. Classes are led by highly trained educators who specialize in working with diverse learners, using strategies that help each child access and engage with Jewish learning in meaningful ways.
Each family partners with a dedicated Kesher coordinator, who works closely with you to understand your child’s learning profile and ensure we are meeting their needs. At the same time, Kesher students are fully integrated into the life of our Religious School community, with opportunities to participate in programs, experiences, and celebrations alongside their peers.
2nd/3rd Grade Kesher meets on Mondays from 4:00-5:30 pm. Once a month, parents are invited to join their children from 5:30-6:00 pm for our Tefillah program.
4th/5th grade Kesher meets on Wednesdays from 4:00-6:00 pm. Once a month, parents are invited to join their children from 5:30-6:00 pm for our Tefillah program.
A flexible hybrid option for students in grades 4-6. Nativ combines weekly small-group online learning with meaningful opportunities to be together in person. Students join us on Mondays or Wednesdays for tefilla from 5:30–6:00pm at least four times per year (more is always encouraged), and are part of our broader Religious School community through family programs, grade-level Shabbat experiences, and social events designed just for them.
The program includes a weekly group session along with individualized 1:1 Hebrew tutoring, allowing students to build skills and confidence with the flexibility families need.
Nativ Schedule options:
(Hebrew tutoring will be scheduled separately based on your child’s availability)
Nativ will run based on enrollment and requires a minimum number of students.
Lights Up! Join our new weekly theater program where students engage in improv and theater games, build confidence on stage, and explore storytelling with a fun Jewish twist. Then we will work together to create our own Purim Shpiel – to be performed at tefilla in March 2027! Open to students in grades 2 and up!
Thursdays 3:30-5:00 pm
Performances: March 8th and March 10th
The Theater Collective is free for students already registered in RS and $950/year for other students.
Enrollment coming soon
Chuggim are a chance for students to learn by doing. These electives bring the curriculum to life through hands-on, creative experiences that tap into students’ interests and strengths.
From drama and music to cooking and art, students explore Jewish ideas in dynamic ways: reenacting Torah stories, writing songs about mitzvot, cooking foods connected to Israel, or creating ritual objects of their own. Chuggim aren’t separate from the curriculum, they deepen and extend it in ways that feel engaging and meaningful.
Chuggim run in three trimesters over the year, giving students time to dive into projects and develop their skills. At the end of each trimester, we celebrate their work with a Chuggim Presentation Day, when families are invited to watch, experience, and enjoy what students have created.
Hebrew learning at Temple Israel begins in Kindergarten and grows with your child each year, building toward confident reading and prayer leadership by the time they reach B’nei Mitzvah. We focus on helping students feel successful and capable, not rushed.
Starting in 2nd grade, students are assessed and placed in small groups based on their level, so they can learn at the pace that’s right for them. As they progress, they move from letter recognition and decoding to reading fluently, engaging with prayer, and even exploring conversational Hebrew.
What this looks like over time:
Tefillah at Temple Israel is joyful, musical, and full of life. It’s about more than prayer—it’s about coming together as a community, finding your voice, and feeling comfortable in the sanctuary. Through singing and shared experiences, students become familiar with the rhythms of the service and gain the confidence to participate and lead.
We gather once a month during Religious School and once a month on Friday nights, creating consistent, spirited opportunities for students to connect, practice, and be part of something bigger.
At Temple Israel, we want our students to see themselves as part of something bigger; to understand that being Jewish means showing up in the world with responsibility and care. Guided by the idea that we may not be able to finish the work, but we’re not free to walk away from it, we weave social action into the fabric of our year. Through hands-on experiences, students learn that even small acts can make a meaningful difference.
Community isn’t just built in the classroom, it happens in all the in-between moments. From PreK through high school, we offer opportunities for students to come together through social experiences both in and out of the Temple.
Our youngest learners build friendships through playful gatherings and grade-level “sleep unders,” while older students connect through field trips, outings, and events designed just for them. It’s where relationships deepen, confidence grows, and being part of Temple Israel feels like something they truly belong to.
Email Sarah Zola, Youth Engagement Manager for more information.