Hebrew Language and Judaic Studies

Hebrew and Judaics learning come to life at JPDS-NC as texts, traditions, culture, skills, and knowledge area integrated within the classroom setting and throughout the overall educational curriculum.

In the lower grades, from pre-K through grade two, Hebrew and Judaic Studies are taught as a single entity. In pre-K and Kindergarten, the children learn using the assessment-based curriculum of the Ma’alah program.  Its main principles include: speaking only in Hebrew when addressing the children, using only authentic sources such as Israeli books, magazines, and videos, and creating units based on the children’s immediate environment, such as home, school, and neighborhood. Through the course of Ma’alah, children make connections to the land, culture, and people of Israel by experiencing Israeli customs, foods, dances, songs and stories, studying units of Torah, observing Jewish holidays, and celebrating birthdays in true Israeli fashion.

The combined study of Hebrew and Judaics continues in first and second grades through the Tal Am curriculum.   This program focuses on acquiring knowledge through a variety of activities using each of the five senses. Students use textbooks, music, games and visual aids to learn the Hebrew language and to develop a keen understanding of Jewish concepts, values, literature, holidays, and practices. Students develop their Hebrew and heritage literacy in a gradual and spiraled process, building new ideas and concepts on an expanding foundation of knowledge.

From third through sixth grade, students are taught in skills-based flexible groupings, with separate classes for Hebrew and Judaics. Hebrew instruction utilizes the Proficiency Approach, an assessment-based system whose goal is to maximize speaking, understanding, reading, and writing of a second language. Its main principles include: objective assessments of each student’s ability with lessons geared to his or her current skills with the aim of advancing the student to the next level; speaking only in Hebrew; using only authentic sources such as Israeli books, magazines, and videos; and creating units based on the children’s immediate environment, such as home, school, and neighborhood. The students learn about Israeli customs and culture and how Jewish holidays are celebrated in Israel. 

In Judaic Studies, third through sixth grade students learn Torah utilizing a program based on the MaToKcurriculum. This program empowers the students to think of themselves as living links in the chain of transmission of the Written and Oral Torah by personally engaging the texts and hypothesizing solutions to textual issues before discovering similar problems and solutions in Midrash (Biblical exegesis), Rashi, and other parshanim (commentators). Hebrew textual study (“learning inside”) is introduced in third grade; Rashi—the man, the script, and the commentary—is introduced in fourth grade. The study of Mishnah is introduced in fifth grade, and the medieval commentators are added in sixth grade. Chagim (holidays) and Shabbat are taught using the same format as Torah study: confronting the texts related to the specific holiday and expanding upon gleaned information through the use of midrashim and medieval and modern commentaries. 

JPDS-NC is committed to integrating curriculum wherever possible.  Fifth grade students learn American Jewish history covering eras paralleling their general studies American history curriculum, and sixth grade students do the same with their study of world Jewish history and ancient civilizations. Art, music, and computer classes also present opportunities to integrate Jewish themes and lessonsthroughout the year.

All students learn tefillah (prayers) using an interactive notebook, and discuss the general concepts of prayers as well as ideas embedded in specific prayers while also learning various tunes and praying together in the morning.  Values and Middot (positive character traits) are integrated throughout the curriculum and daily life of the school, reflecting our commitment to our JPDS-NC core value of Derech Eretz (thoughtful conduct). 

Israel Education is incorporated into every aspect of Jewish life at JPDS-NC. Israeli teenagers called Shinshinim  join our community as student leaders who share informal educational activities across the grades. Mekor Chaim shlichim (emissaries) from the Yeshiva of Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz in Israel also enhance the Hebrew and Judaic studies program.

By making the study of Hebrew and Judaism relevant to the children's everyday lives and by integrating it throughout the day, the program of learning at JPDS enables the students to develop a true appreciation of their heritage and to understand the need for continued, lifelong Jewish study.