The Syracuse Community Hebrew School Curriculum includes both Hebrew and Prayer. The development of the curriculum was a collaborative effort between Temple Adath Yeshurun, Congregation Beth Sholom-Chevra Shas, and Temple Concord. Please see the summaries below and contact Head of School Ora Jezer at schs.syracuse@gmail.com if you have any questions regarding the curriculum.
Hebrew Curriculum
Students will learn Liturgical Hebrew during their time at the Syracuse Community Hebrew School. The curriculum is designed so that each year, students will increase their skills in decoding, prayer vocabulary, and grammar. Some of the skills that students will acquire are the following:
Identify all Hebrew letters and vowels without hesitation
Strengthen decoding skills through reading practice
Strengthen blending skills and increase fluidity when reading words and phrases
Recite assigned prayers with correct pronunciation, fluidly, and with confidence
Recognize and translate important roots and words in prayers.
Identify and translate prefixes and suffixes correctly
Lead learned prayers
Prayer Curriculum
The prayer curriculum will include common elements and themes of each prayer as well as where those elements and themes diverge in the different religious movements. Students will learn one tune in class but will be exposed to several tunes.
Students will achieve the following goals when learning about a specific prayer:
what it means & the theme
where it appears in the service
key words, root words
tune – teach ONE tune, expose to others
read it proficiently
understanding of difference between synagogues
The following prayers have been assigned to each grade:
Third Grade- Blessings- Daily and Shabbat
Fourth Grade- Morning and Evening Blessings and Concluding Prayers
Fifth Grade-Kabbalat Shabbat prayers
Sixth Grade- Shema and its Blessings
Seventh Grade-Torah Service
*Some prayers are left for the individual synagogues to teach on Sundays such as Haftorah Blessings, Holiday Blessings, and Trope.