Religious School

We at University Synagogue believe that the purpose of Religious School is:

To instill a sense of pride in a child’s Jewish heritage and an appreciation of the beauty of Jewish tradition as guided by the principles of Reform Judaism.  

To teach Judaism and Jewish living for the next generation and develop an understanding of where each individual fits into the community. 

To teach the how and why of Judaism in order to create a positive Jewish identity that makes for a long-lasting and meaningful connection to Judaism.

To acquire Hebrew skills in order to understand and make personal meaning from prayers, to participate in prayer services around the world, and to connect with others in Jewish settings across the globe.

To foster a love of the land and dream of Israel as a Jewish country with democratic ideals.  

To promote a sense of commonality and connection with Jews around the world.

To help students develop their own relationship to Judaism through inquiry, problem solving and discovery. 

Kindergarten – 3rd Grade

Our Kindergarten - 3rd grade classes are immersed in the world of Jewish learning through hands-on and experiential learning. In addition to class time, they participate in enrichment programs such as Israeli dancing, Jewish cooking, Krav Maga, drumming and more! We introduce the Hebrew language starting with our Kindergarten (Gan)– 3rd (Gimmel) grade students with a program called Hebrew Through Movement. Hebrew Through Movement introduces Hebrew in a playful and meaningful way, creating a positive first link between children and Hebrew. It is supported by the latest brain research on learning, providing an aural foundation for Hebrew that opens the door to facile Hebrew decoding and reading.

4^th – 7^th grade

Students in 4^th – 7^th grade attend a block of Judaica and a block of Hebrew during each Religious School day, and participate in additional enrichment such as Israeli dancing, Jewish cooking,  Krav Maga, drumming, gardening as well as other activities. During these years, our students are looking forward to their Bar/Bat Mitzvah- and we take this time to prepare them, while continuing to nurture their sense of community and Jewish Identity. Our 4th (Dalet) – 7th (Mechinah) Hebrew program has been designed around each student’s individual skills and learning needs, as we know all students progress at unique paces on the Hebrew track.