The Religious School at Eitz Chayim offers our students and families a first-class, high quality and innovative congregational religious school for students in Pre-K through High School.

Our mission is to offer our students the knowledge, resources, and connection to a caring and engaging community that will become the cornerstone for their future in the greater Jewish and world communities.

The Lower School at Eitz Chayim

The Lower School at Eitz Chayim is a unique Pre-K through Grade 2 program designed to engage children in Jewish learning through song, craft, study, drama, and excitement! Motivated by the beauty of all that Judaism has to offer and the active engagement of young minds and talent, students and families are launched into an unmatchable and captivating experience.

Engaging children through hands-on activities is a fundamental tenet of our Lower School philosophy. A multi-modal approach, matched with developmental levels, allows children to actively participate in the classroom and learn about our heritage in ways that encourage the development of a positive identity with Judaism and Eitz Chayim.

The Lower School curriculum covers three important and interconnected subjects: Holidays & Traditions, Hebrew, and Torah.

Holidays and Traditions

Through music, art, drama, stories, and special programming we offer our students the tools to develop a sense of the rhythm of Jewish holidays and our ongoing, ever-evolving tradition.

We aspire for our students to appreciate and look forward to the annual return of our holidays by focusing on different aspects of Jewish holidays in each grade level. As our children grow through the Religious School we strive to reconnect them to their past learning while continuing to engage and enlighten them with fresh ideas and activities.

Hebrew

The main goal of our Lower School Hebrew curriculum is to introduce our students to the Hebrew alphabet and vowels so they can enter our Middle School with the background and confidence to begin reading, comprehending, and connecting with Jewish prayer. Through song, movement, art, basic cultural vocabulary, and other innovative techniques our students begin their exploration of and connection to the Hebrew language. By the end of Grade 2, our students own the skills to recognize and sound each of the letters & vowels and to read and identify basic Hebrew terms.

Torah

In the Lower School, our Torah curriculum focuses on introducing the stories and lessons offered in the Five Books of Moses. As with our holiday curriculum, students will find themselves revisiting familiar stories and concepts each year. Every grade builds on previous learning and offers new approaches and activities to offer our students deeper insights and connections year after year.

Social Justice

Permeating our school is the value of social justice. We learn about and act upon the value of Tikkum Olam -- doing our part to repair the world. This year we will be concentrating on doing our part to help end hunger.

The Middle School at Eitz Chayim

The Middle School at Eitz Chayim offers our 3rd through 7th graders the knowledge and experiences they need to take on the responsibilities and joys of becoming an active participant in the Jewish community. Our curriculum offers our students access into the worlds of Jewish texts, prayer, history, culture, and values that will offer them the beginning of a lifetime of Jewish learning. Students in the Middle School meet twice weekly and discover Judaism by exploring different but interconnected areas of study.

Hebrew

The Middle School Hebrew Program focuses primarily on fluency in reading, reciting, comprehending, and connecting to Jewish Liturgy. While we seek to offer our students the skills to participate in communal worship, we also strive to connect students with prayer on personal and spiritual levels.

Jewish Texts

In the Middle School we expand our students' Jewish textual learning by delving deeper into Torah study and including texts found throughout our tradition. We offer our students a taste of the ideas and topics that our tradition offers while inspiring them to find their own voices in our eternal conversation.

Jewish Values

Throughout our school but in a more formal way in middle school, we explore the ethics and values of Judaism and the relevance of these tenets to our everyday lives in this century.

Projects

Our fifth through seventh grade students are given the chance to explore and express their individual interests. Each year, using a successful organizing model, students decide on an area of Judaism that interests and inspires them.

The culmination of their concentrated research is a final project, which takes any creative form that conveys their learning. Students present their final projects at the end of the year.

Student Teachers (Ozrim)

Our teenagers are a vital part of the Eitz Chayim community! We offer our eighth through twelfth grade students the opportunity to be student teachers in our religious school. While earning a small stipend, teenagers are able to gain the skills and practice they need to eventually be teachers themselves. There are also educational and social aspects to this program which keep our teenagers connected to each other and to the larger community.

Enrichment Opportunities

At Eitz Chayim we value all forms of education and encourage our students to continue learning about and experiencing Judaism beyond the walls of our classrooms. As a community, Eitz Chayim offers several great programs and opportunities for our families to enrich their Religious School experience.

Family Education: Holiday Celebrations

Eitz Chayim offers our families inspiring, enchanting, and engaging holiday celebrations year round. We encourage the participation in community and school holiday celebrations to complete our students' educational experience and reinforce their connection to our Eitz Chayim family. These programs are geared toward all ages and serve to greatly enhance our Religious School Program.

Shabbat Evening Services

The Eitz Chayim community is blessed with the weekly opportunity to welcome Shabbat together through Friday evening services. Services begin at 7 p.m. and are followed by a brief Kiddush and delicious Oneg. This is a lovely opportunity for families to deepen their connection to Shabbat, prayer, and community.

Class Schedule

Sundays: Pre-K through High School meet from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Wednesdays: 3rd through 7th grades meet from 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Visiting

Parents who are seeking a religious school for their children are encouraged to visit Eitz Chayim. Their children are invited as well, and may participate in a class while they are here. Please contact our Director of Education, Andrea Silton to arrange for a visit.