Religious School

B'nai Chaim has an excellent Religious School program that teaches preschoolers to seventh graders about Judaism and their Jewish heritage. Preschool, K-7th grade through Hebrew School, and B'nai Mitzvah classes are held at B’nai Chaim’s new building (C-470 and Quincy area) and follow an academic school year schedule (2007-2008 school calendar in pdf ).

Specifically, the Religious School consists of:

· Preschool meets once a month on Sunday mornings from 9:30 am to 11:30 am. Children share a variety of fun activities, games, songs, stories, and projects together with their parent/s and are introduced to the joys of Judaism.

· K-7th grade classes meet weekly on Sunday mornings, also from 9:30 am to 11:30 am. The school curriculum focuses on six major themes: Bible and History, Jewish Holidays and Symbols, Prayer and God, Jewish Values and Spirituality, Hebrew, and Jewish Customs and Practices.

· Hebrew School meets weekly on Wednesday nights for students in the 5th and 6th grades. Students learn the Hebrew alphabet and develop their skills in reading, writing and speaking Hebrew.

· B'nai Mitzvah students meet weekly on Sunday mornings.

· Religious School Aide Program is an opportunity for 8th graders and beyond who have become a Bar or Bat Mitzvah to help Religious School teachers during classes and to offer tutoring to younger students.

· The B’nai Chaim Gan (week day preschool) provides an excellent opportunity to enhance the uniqueness and creativity of each child within a warm, loving and secure environment. Our program is balanced to encourage physical, intellectual, emotional, and social development while providing a comfortable Jewish identity. Learning at B’nai Chaim Gan is fun, motivating, stimulating and exciting. It is a joyful experience, occurring in a warm, positive, accepting classroom environment. The B’nai Chaim Gan accepts children between the ages of 2 ½ years to 5 years old (prekindergarten). Our program is offered Wednesday and Friday mornings, from 9 am – 12:30 pm. Children younger than 2 ½ years old are encouraged to join our Temple Tots (Mommy or Daddy and Me) program, which meets on Fridays during the B’nai Chaim Gan hours. We spend our mornings learning through developmantally appropriate activies which keep us laughing and smiling. One of the highlights our our week is celebrating Shabbat each Friday morning. We spend the morning baking challah (which we share with our families)saying the blessings, singing songs with Rabbi Joel and so much more. The children love Fridays at our school.

Please contact Kathy Horewitch, our Early Childhood Education Director at preschool@bnaichaim.org for more information.

You may use this Preschool registration form and/or Religious school registration form to register your children for the 2006-2007 academic years.

Adult Education

Adult Beginning Hebrew class: Ziva Schwartzman teaches an adult beginning Hebrew class Wednesday nights from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm during the academic school year. Please contact Ziva or the B'nai Chaim office for more information.