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In consonance with the philosophy of the Syracuse Hebrew Day School, the Judaic curriculum is designed to encourage students to develop:

  1. a sense of pride and identification as a Jew
  2. a love of Jewish values and an appreciation of their Jewish heritage
  3. a feeling of kinship with all Jews and with Judaism
  4. a desire to participate in Jewish communal life
  5. a desire to study Judaica, to perform the commandments and to maintain a Jewish home and a Jewish way of life
  6. a love for the State of Israel and an understanding of its importance to all Jewry

The curriculum is divided into five major areas: 

 I. Ivrit/Hebrew

II. T'fillah/Prayer

III. Dinim u Minhagim/Laws and Customs

IV. Chumash/Bible

V. Jewish Social Studies


IVRIT/HEBREW:

The overall goals of the Hebrew language program are to enable students:

1. to achieve comprehension of oral Hebrew in everyday classroom and social situations appropriate to grade level

2. to achieve fluency in oral expression of Hebrew appropriate to grade level

3. to read with comprehension modern Hebrew texts and Biblical and liturgical texts appropriate to grade level.

4. to express themselves correctly in written Hebrew adhering to rules of grammar and spelling.


T'FILLAH/PRAYER:

The goals of the t'fillah program are to enable students to:
1. develop an appreciation of the need for and value of t'fillah

2. possess the knowledge and skills to participate comfortably and with proper fluency in prayer.

3. pray with a sense of kavanah (intention)

4. be familiar with the origin, context and meaning of prayers

5. be familiar with the structure of the Siddur and liturgy including the order of services and prayers for Shabbat, the weekday, holidays and other occasions.

6. know appropriate brachot (blessings) and their use

7. know appropriate synagogue skills (e.g. to be able to serve as hazan/hazanit; to know the proper way to treat a Sefer Torah, to serve as gabbai, etc.)

8. encourage t'fillah in the synagogue and at home


CHUMASH/BIBLE:

The overall goals of the Chumash program are to enable students to:

1. develop an understanding of the Torah and its components

2. understand the values, laws and ways of life established by the Torah and their relevance to our lives today

3. become familiar with the main stories and personalities of the biblical text and their historical context

4. possess the skills necessary for study of Chumash both literally and analytically

5. become familiar with the important classical and modern commentators (biography, historical context, approach) and to use the commentators to help understand the text

6. use the concepts of the Chumash to shape personal behaviors and values

7. possess the necessary background and skills to stimulate further study of the Bible.

DINIM U MINHAGIM/LAWS AND CUSTOMS:

The Dinim program is designed to enable students to:

1. feel a part of all things Jewish and kinship with all Jews

2. be familiar with the laws and customs of Judaism as they relate to the home, the synagogue and the life cycle.

3. be familiar with laws governing relationships and conduct among people

4. be familiar with laws governing prayers, Shabbat and holidays

5. to be familiar with the sources of Jewish ethical law in the Torah and the Talmud, their historic development and the distinction between halacha (law) and minhag (custom)

6. understand the similarities and differences of the branches of Judaism

7. understand the major differences between Judaism and other world religions


JEWISH SOCIAL STUDIES:

The overall goals of the Jewish social studies program are to enable students to:

1. familiarize students with major events and outstanding personalities in Jewish history, including the Holocaust.

2. understand the importance of Israel to the Jewish people and to achieve a positive feeling of identification with the state of Israel as a religious, spiritual, cultural and political entity

3. be familiar with issues facing Israel and the Jewish community today

4. be familiar with the different cultures within the Jewish community

5. be familiar with the history of Jews in America

6. be aware of the history of the local Jewish community and the role of the Jewish community


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