SRJC HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM

UNIT 1 - JEWISH HISTORY AND ISRAEL EDUCATION

The unit dedicated to Jewish history and Israel education will focus on the importance of Jewish continuity and the role of Israel in contemporary Jewish identity. In order to ensure that this component is both meaningful and enjoyable, material will be presented in an interactive way rather than relying primarily on a textbook. Students will be intimately exposed to the creation and subsequent history of Israel through biographical anecdotes and first-person accounts of subjects ranging from Zionist pioneering, to the Holocaust and immigration efforts of the 1930s and 40s, to the Six-Day war and its aftermath, to Yemenite and Ethiopian immigration as well as the different faces of Judaism. Numerous guest speakers will be visiting our high school this year. The objective of this unit it to enable students to recognize the vastness of Jewish identity and that our collective story extends far beyond a Hebrew High School Classroom in 2007 - 2008.

UNIT 2 - WHY'S OF JUDAISM

The second unit we will concentrate on is the primary ingredients of Judaism and why they are relevant to teens. If we were to think of Judaism as a book, what would the table of contents consist of? In other words, what are the chapter headings of Judaism? Certain subjects immediately come to minds, such as Shabbat, Tikkun Olam, life-cycle events such as bar mitzvah and chuppah, the holidays, etc. The objective of this unit is to enable students to articulate not only why these chapter headings are a part of Judaism, but why they are relevant and important to their individual lives. Soon these students will be young adults in college and wil inevitably be asked, in some form or another, "why do Jews do "X"?" This unit will challenge students to investigate and, most importantly, discuss why certian values and traditions are a part of Judaism.

UNIT 3 - CHESED

Lastly, Chesed, social action, will be an integral component of the Hebrew High School year. Students will have an opportunity to participate in hands-on projects, and also listen to discussions given by guest speakers regarding the significance of social responsibility. The objective of this segment of the curriculum is to instill a culture of volunteerism into students before they embark on their college experience.