- Overview
- Weekly Gathering
- "Specials"
- News and Connections
- 9th Grade
- 10th Grade
- 11th Grade
- 12th Grade
- Absentee Policy
Students in Grades 9-12 attend Hebrew High one time per week. The students study in classes according to grade level. Usually the students attend two different classes each week. Each class lasts for about 45 minutes. Snack is offered weekly and there is an all school gathering each week at which time Mini Meditation and Hot Topic of the Week is held. While students study different themes during the year each week is its own lesson.
Goals for Hebrew High:
To create an environment where students feel comfortable and safe to be themselves
To demonstrate and ongoing love of Judaism and Jewish community
To provide time to socialize as Jewish teens
To increase communication with students
To foster a sense of community
To communicate the following opportunities with students as they arise:
Jobs
Internships
Summer Programs
To send engage parents through participation in college programs and through email. Occasional discussion questions will be sent to parents to help continue conversations that have been started in class.
To create a forum for discussion of important topics from and Jewish and secular perspective
To plant firm seeds of connection between students and Temple
To offer learning in a way that is enjoyable and fun
Weekly Gathering: The experience of a weekly gathering helps to create a sense of community within Hebrew High. Student in all of the grades are able to socialize together. Mini mediation, hot topic of the week, and snack all take place during the weekly gathering.
Mini Meditation: Mini Meditation lasts anywhere from 3 to 6 minutes each week. The goal of this meditation time is to give students tools to use at home or even at school to help them relax and release some stress when they are feeling anxious or overwhelmed by school work and responsibilities. Our main techniques are breathing and body awareness and each experience/session concludes with a mantra. This year our mantra is to recite the Shema.
Hot Topic of the Week: Each week we spend 5 to 15 minutes discussing the top news story of the day or a topic that is important to us as Jews. This is not meant to be an in depth study of an issue. Preparations must be done on Tuesday afternoons because we want it to be relevant. This is meant to be an overview or a teaser that includes the “Jewish” approach to the issue. We hope that students will seek out more information on the hot topic or at the very least have a good sense of what are the most current issues in the world today.
Mini Meditation: Mini Meditation lasts anywhere from 3 to 6 minutes each week. The goal of this meditation time is to give students tools to use at home or even at school to help them relax and release some stress when they are feeling anxious or overwhelmed by school work and responsibilities. Our main techniques are breathing and body awareness and each experience/session concludes with a mantra. This year our mantra is to recite the Shema.
Hot Topic of the Week: Each week we spend 5 to 15 minutes discussing the top news story of the day or a topic that is important to us as Jews. This is not meant to be an in depth study of an issue. Preparations must be done on Tuesday afternoons because we want it to be relevant. This is meant to be an overview or a teaser that includes the “Jewish” approach to the issue. We hope that students will seek out more information on the hot topic or at the very least have a good sense of what are the most current issues in the world today.
Pizza Parties: Four times during the year STISY (Sharey Tefilo Israel Senior Youth) holds a pizza party during the first half hour to forty-five minutes of Hebrew High. During that time the kids eat Pizza and the STISY Hebrew High Liaison runs a mixer type program. We have found that these pizza parties work well in that STISY members who had not originally registered for Hebrew High often stay after the Pizza Party and attend classes. Several decide to participate in Hebrew High as a result of experiencing a class session. Students who are already enrolled in Hebrew High, but have not become members of STISY learn more about what STISY does and often choose to become STISY members. It allows the students to learn about other opportunities for youth in Temple and fits with our goal of community building.
Meditation: In addition to our Mini Meditation program each grade also gets a full session of meditation. This was a request that came from the teens/students. Again our goal with meditation is to give students the tools to help themselves with stress reduction and anxiety management.
Cooking: Each class gets one session of cooking to learn some basic cooking techniques and to learn how to make classic “Jewish” foods. Occasionally we do put a modern spin on traditional cuisine items. Students often cook foods related to the closest Jewish holiday. We also cook foods related to Israel. As part of cooking the students also get a text based mini lesson about the holiday they are cooking for or a text based mini lesson on Israel.
Elective Night: New this year students will participate in an elective night. They will be able to choose from a wide variety of course options. The student advisory board will help in the planning of this evening. In an effort to do outreach to our 7th and 8th grade students, elective night will be for all 7th-12th graders. Groups will be constructed so there are high school and middle school students in each class and the high school students will be made aware, ahead of time, that part of their role for the night is to promote Hebrew High and be effective role models.
Iris Family Matters Funded Program: Each year students participate in one program that is funded through the generosity of the Iris Family Matters Fund. These programs most often address an issue from a mental health perspective.
Israel Trip and Summer Programs Assembly: Student will attend one short session addressing Jewish summer opportunities. Very often this program will be peer led. Occasionally speakers will be brought in to help students become aware of the vast array of Jewish opportunities.
Mitzvot and Tzedakah: Occasionally students will participate in a hands-on mitzvah project. In previous years students have helped prepare holiday gift bags. The collection of Tzedakah is generally teen driven. When there are world tragedies the students often collect tzedakah at that time. Ideally students will be asked to give some level of tzedakah weekly and will also be encouraged to participate in on going mitzvah work.
Meditation: In addition to our Mini Meditation program each grade also gets a full session of meditation. This was a request that came from the teens/students. Again our goal with meditation is to give students the tools to help themselves with stress reduction and anxiety management.
Cooking: Each class gets one session of cooking to learn some basic cooking techniques and to learn how to make classic “Jewish” foods. Occasionally we do put a modern spin on traditional cuisine items. Students often cook foods related to the closest Jewish holiday. We also cook foods related to Israel. As part of cooking the students also get a text based mini lesson about the holiday they are cooking for or a text based mini lesson on Israel.
Elective Night: New this year students will participate in an elective night. They will be able to choose from a wide variety of course options. The student advisory board will help in the planning of this evening. In an effort to do outreach to our 7th and 8th grade students, elective night will be for all 7th-12th graders. Groups will be constructed so there are high school and middle school students in each class and the high school students will be made aware, ahead of time, that part of their role for the night is to promote Hebrew High and be effective role models.
Iris Family Matters Funded Program: Each year students participate in one program that is funded through the generosity of the Iris Family Matters Fund. These programs most often address an issue from a mental health perspective.
Israel Trip and Summer Programs Assembly: Student will attend one short session addressing Jewish summer opportunities. Very often this program will be peer led. Occasionally speakers will be brought in to help students become aware of the vast array of Jewish opportunities.
Mitzvot and Tzedakah: Occasionally students will participate in a hands-on mitzvah project. In previous years students have helped prepare holiday gift bags. The collection of Tzedakah is generally teen driven. When there are world tragedies the students often collect tzedakah at that time. Ideally students will be asked to give some level of tzedakah weekly and will also be encouraged to participate in on going mitzvah work.
The Hebrew High Bulletin Board: As a way to communicate with students we have established the “Hebrew High Board.” It is located in the main office and features short articles for the kids to read as well as pictures, summer opportunity information, and internship and job postings. From time to time we post a “tell us what you want” page or a “leave us a message” page. As students walk from one class to another they can visit the Hebrew High Board for updated information.
Student Advisory Board: (New) At the request of two students, a student advisory board has been established. Ideally there will be two students from each grade level that meet periodically with Rabbi Miller to help with the planning and design of Hebrew High. Additionally these students will help do outreach to their peers, encouraging attendance. The Student Advisory Board is new this year.
Social Networking: Hebrew High will have its own Facebook page. This will enable the faculty to communicate effectively with students regarding special programming, class cancelations and resource information. We have discovered that many of our students no longer check email frequently but they do check and respond to Facebook.
Student Advisory Board: (New) At the request of two students, a student advisory board has been established. Ideally there will be two students from each grade level that meet periodically with Rabbi Miller to help with the planning and design of Hebrew High. Additionally these students will help do outreach to their peers, encouraging attendance. The Student Advisory Board is new this year.
Social Networking: Hebrew High will have its own Facebook page. This will enable the faculty to communicate effectively with students regarding special programming, class cancelations and resource information. We have discovered that many of our students no longer check email frequently but they do check and respond to Facebook.
Highlights by Grade Level: Each grade level has a part of their programmatic year that is unique to that grade. Our goal is to find activities and programs that will be enriching for our students in addition to the set curriculum.
9th Grade Enrichment- Our 9th graders will explore the roles that music and instrumentation play within our tradition. Spiritual drumming and drum circles are becoming more and more popular and so we have invited a spiritual drumming instructor to lead our students. Each student gets a drum and together the group creates rhythmic patterns that are amazing and powerful. In addition students will have one additional enrichment opportunity to be determined closer to the start of each Religious School year with the help of the student advisory counsel.
9th Grade Enrichment- Our 9th graders will explore the roles that music and instrumentation play within our tradition. Spiritual drumming and drum circles are becoming more and more popular and so we have invited a spiritual drumming instructor to lead our students. Each student gets a drum and together the group creates rhythmic patterns that are amazing and powerful. In addition students will have one additional enrichment opportunity to be determined closer to the start of each Religious School year with the help of the student advisory counsel.
Highlights by Grade Level: Each grade level has a part of their programmatic year that is unique to that grade. Our goal is to find activities and programs that will be enriching for our students in addition to the set curriculum.
10th Grade Enrichment- The 10th grade year is our confirmation year. As part of the learning experience our 10th grade students participate in an overnight retreat. In previous years we have traveled to New York City and Great Wolf Lodge in Pennsylvania. The retreat is not only an intensive two days of learning, but it is also the time when our students get to know each other and form a class bond.
10th Grade Enrichment- The 10th grade year is our confirmation year. As part of the learning experience our 10th grade students participate in an overnight retreat. In previous years we have traveled to New York City and Great Wolf Lodge in Pennsylvania. The retreat is not only an intensive two days of learning, but it is also the time when our students get to know each other and form a class bond.
Highlights by Grade Level: Each grade level has a part of their programmatic year that is unique to that grade. Our goal is to find activities and programs that will be enriching for our students in addition to the set curriculum.
11th Grade Enrichment- During the 11th grade year our students begin our “Preparing for Independence College Program.” During the year students participate in three sessions. The sessions are timed specifically to address the challenges that students are facing as they prepare for the SAT, and as they begin their college search. Parents are invited to attend one of the sessions in which our goal is to assist in opening the door to what we hope will become an on going dialogue between parents and students. Our 11th grade College Program is staffed by Tracy Horwitz and two local therapists, with an occasional appearance by Rabbi Cohen. Our College Program is funded by the Iris Family Matters Fund.
11th Grade Enrichment- During the 11th grade year our students begin our “Preparing for Independence College Program.” During the year students participate in three sessions. The sessions are timed specifically to address the challenges that students are facing as they prepare for the SAT, and as they begin their college search. Parents are invited to attend one of the sessions in which our goal is to assist in opening the door to what we hope will become an on going dialogue between parents and students. Our 11th grade College Program is staffed by Tracy Horwitz and two local therapists, with an occasional appearance by Rabbi Cohen. Our College Program is funded by the Iris Family Matters Fund.
Highlights by Grade Level: Each grade level has a part of their programmatic year that is unique to that grade. Our goal is to find activities and programs that will be enriching for our students in addition to the set curriculum.
12th Grade Enrichment- Our 12th graders continue with our College Program by having a total of 4 sessions. Again our 12th grade College Program is staffed by Tracy Horwitz, two local therapists, as well as Rabbi Cohen and Rabbi Miller. During the 12th grade year parents and students begin to talk about expectations. Our 12th graders will have an opportunity to hear from currently enrolled college students and will hear about issues on safety, when to break the confidence of a friend, places to turn to for help while at school and how to avoid credit card debt. Once again our College Program is made possible thanks to the Iris Family Matters Fund.
Our 12th graders also have the opportunity to hone their leadership skills by creating exciting and educational junior youth group programs for our TSTI 8th graders. The 12th grade students learn to program write and group lead. They learn to navigate through group dynamics and practice public speaking. They exemplify positive role models for our youth while learning that their words and actions have a huge impact on others.
12th Grade Enrichment- Our 12th graders continue with our College Program by having a total of 4 sessions. Again our 12th grade College Program is staffed by Tracy Horwitz, two local therapists, as well as Rabbi Cohen and Rabbi Miller. During the 12th grade year parents and students begin to talk about expectations. Our 12th graders will have an opportunity to hear from currently enrolled college students and will hear about issues on safety, when to break the confidence of a friend, places to turn to for help while at school and how to avoid credit card debt. Once again our College Program is made possible thanks to the Iris Family Matters Fund.
Our 12th graders also have the opportunity to hone their leadership skills by creating exciting and educational junior youth group programs for our TSTI 8th graders. The 12th grade students learn to program write and group lead. They learn to navigate through group dynamics and practice public speaking. They exemplify positive role models for our youth while learning that their words and actions have a huge impact on others.
Classes are designed so that if you miss a week or two you can still jump back into class without feeling lost. We understand that many of our students pursue multiple areas of interest outside of school. Some students take a few weeks off for sports or due to the pressures of homework. We are thrilled that students choose to participate in high school and we want it to be an easy choice. We don’t want our students to look back and say, “Since Hebrew School and fencing were offered on the same night of the week and they overlapped for six weeks, I choose fencing.” We want students to choose Hebrew High and if they need to miss a few times, we want them to know it is okay and they can fit seamlessly back into the program. We also want our students to take responsibilities for their choices. If they are going to be out, we expect that they will email or call to let us know that they will be out and share with us a length of time if they will be out for a sport. On a case-by-case basis it will be decided if we want a student to participate in an independent study project to make up for missed work.