Grades 3-6
CJL youth learning expands to two days a week beginning in third grade (Wednesdays, 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm and Saturdays, 8:45 am -10:45 am). Our educational philosophy is that joyous Jewish learning happens in the context of meaningful relationships, so community and relationship building are at the heart of our 3rd – 6th grade program. Our goal is to create a warm, welcoming environment where children know they matter.
Children explore Torah stories, holidays, Israel, and Jewish values through developmentally appropriate, hands-on learning experiences. Rather than a rigid curriculum and “teaching from the book,” educators are encouraged to be creative in how they meet the literacy goals for each grade.
CJL Literacy Goals
Learners in 3rd-6th grade continue to develop their Hebrew decoding skills, mastering the Hebrew alphabet and vowels and gaining fluency in pronouncing and reading Hebrew in our siddur (prayer book) based Hebrew program. In addition to decoding, children gain prayer literacy, learning to recite and chant blessings and prayers with Cantor Cooperman.
The content-rich experiential learning that happens in our 3rd-6th grade CJL classrooms is supplemented by J-Life family learning experiences. Several times a year, parents are invited to join their child for grade-level learning led by one of CSR’s wonderful clergy team. Families are also invited to see their children perform at our annual Chanukah Zimriyah (song-fest), at our grade-level Shabbat dinners and services, and each Saturday morning at our musical, family friendly Shabbat morning service.
Five years of learning are required to become b'nei mitzvah at Community Synagogue of Rye. Families with children in third grade or higher must affiliate with CSR to continue learning at the Center for Jewish Learning.
For CJL returning students, please click here for an application. For students who are new to the Center for Jewish Learning, please contact Amy Rosenbaum PHD, CJL Director, at 914-967-7598
Children explore Torah stories, holidays, Israel, and Jewish values through developmentally appropriate, hands-on learning experiences. Rather than a rigid curriculum and “teaching from the book,” educators are encouraged to be creative in how they meet the literacy goals for each grade.
CJL Literacy Goals
Learners in 3rd-6th grade continue to develop their Hebrew decoding skills, mastering the Hebrew alphabet and vowels and gaining fluency in pronouncing and reading Hebrew in our siddur (prayer book) based Hebrew program. In addition to decoding, children gain prayer literacy, learning to recite and chant blessings and prayers with Cantor Cooperman.
The content-rich experiential learning that happens in our 3rd-6th grade CJL classrooms is supplemented by J-Life family learning experiences. Several times a year, parents are invited to join their child for grade-level learning led by one of CSR’s wonderful clergy team. Families are also invited to see their children perform at our annual Chanukah Zimriyah (song-fest), at our grade-level Shabbat dinners and services, and each Saturday morning at our musical, family friendly Shabbat morning service.
Five years of learning are required to become b'nei mitzvah at Community Synagogue of Rye. Families with children in third grade or higher must affiliate with CSR to continue learning at the Center for Jewish Learning.
For CJL returning students, please click here for an application. For students who are new to the Center for Jewish Learning, please contact Amy Rosenbaum PHD, CJL Director, at 914-967-7598
Kitah Gimmel: Third Grade
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Third graders are always so excited and eager to learn. Through the lens of the book of Genesis, we will nurture our students with Jewish values that will help them to make good and purposeful decisions from how to welcome the new kid to forgiveness. We are excited by the success of “Hebrew through movement” an interactive way to learn Hebrew that makes it so much easier to acquire Hebrew decoding skills and connects learners to the land and people of Israel. Hebrew decoding skills begin and prayers and blessings are introduced through music. Third graders join together for a school wide youth service each Shabbat. Here they build community and connection by feeling counted in and counted on. Children form meaningful relationships with our clergy who they learn from during the youth service each week. Jewish holidays will come alive for our third graders through food, songs, drama, art and blessings. Parents can join the fun when third grade families meet at our J-Life family learning programs.
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A time I felt God was there is… Art by 3rd grade students (Please flip through the images below to view the art!)
Kitah Dalet: Fourth Grade
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Our fourth grade model of innovative learning, Kesher Keff (Connection Fun) explores the Book of Exodus connecting learners to lessons that are relevant to their lives as fourth graders. Interest in learning is triggered by the use of modern day culture like TV dilemmas from I-Carly and baseball legend cards. Learners continue to sharpen their Hebrew decoding skills by learning and practicing Hebrew blessings and prayers. Hebrew through Movement, an interactive Hebrew conversation model becomes more sophisticated but continues to be fun. Holiday learning incorporates the Hebrew blessings and ritual practices. Families come together for J-Life to learn about and celebrate Jewish holidays. Passover gains greater meaning as learners discover the stories and characters in Exodus. A yearlong calendar project helps learners to lead a life of meaning by creating and recognizing sacred time. Fourth graders attend weekly Shabbat youth services led by our clergy. This gives them an opportunity to practice their prayers as a community, begin to understand synagogue choreography and to bond with and learn from the clergy. Fourth Graders live the mitzvah of esteeming the elderly by going to sing Chanukah songs at a nursing home. This year we will be launching a student driven mitzvah market place in May to raise funds for organizations that support Israel.
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Kitah Hay: Fifth Grade
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The Center for Jewish Learning uses a hands-on approach for engaging 5th graders in learning. Students enjoy the challenge of inventing a Jewish life cycle game, creating a travel promotion for Israel and researching organizations that help fulfill the mitzvah of saving a life. The Righteous Smuggler by Debbie Spring is a popular and age appropriate book fifth graders read that introduces the Holocaust through the lens of a boy who risked his life to save Jews in Holland. Fifth grade learners are introduced to prayer in a way that brings personal meaning to each learner. This year students in fifth grade will be learning prayer in our new Hebrew Pod’s, small group learning model. Prayers are practiced at our youth service with the clergy every Shabbat morning as well. Fifth graders have a lot to say and we want to hear them, so we have created an exciting forum; Pesek Z’man (Timeout), weekly time for kids to explore Jewish values, think, talk, create, and have fun together.
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Kitah Vav: Sixth Grade
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Sixth Graders are very concerned about self-image and their decisions are often motivated by peer pressure to be cool. Shhh, secretly, they like coming to the CJL. Who wouldn’t? Learning is informal and interactive. We use technology based learning like SMART Board to engage learners and we have moved to a project based learning model that allows students to identify a real life problem and to work together to create a solution. Our Pesek Z’man (Timeout ) program allows sixth graders to explore hot topics like friendship, bullying, courage and honesty through the lens of Jewish values. Learning about American Jewish history may find learners on a sweat shop assembly line or trying to get through the immigration process at Ellis Island. Each Shabbat, sixth grade students study the weekly Torah portion to understand that Torah is a living document with lessons relevant to their young lives today. Prayer fluency continues not just for bar/bat mitzvah preparation, but to give our learners the tools to fully participate in Jewish life as adults. Students and parents will participate in a full day retreat to learn more about bar/bat mitzvah and also learn about our history from our own family artifacts, culminating in a Living Museum.
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