Hebrew School
Welcome to the Narberth Havurah’s Hebrew School. Jewish life is a journey of the heart, mind and soul. Our school strives to be instrumental in enabling that journey, with the first step of helping kids develop the foundations of Jewish values, Shabbat and the holidays, Torah and more.
Our school aims to foster positive Jewish identity and a sense of community in each student. We help students gain the skills and knowledge that enable them to feel comfortable and empowered as participating members in the Jewish life of their families, the Narberth Havurah, and the larger community.
We believe that Jewish education, as well as Jewish living, should be intellectual, emotional, spiritual AND fun! We teach and learn through stories, games, cooking, crafts, drama, and so much more.
Our school is a place where students are challenged to live out the universal values of kindness, respect, inclusiveness, and justice for all people, values that have been developed over our long collective history. With many of our students coming from interfaith families, we affirm that Judaism is one of many paths that teach people to live wisely and well.
Curriculum
learning theme
Second to Fourth Graders: Jewish Values From Torah Through Today
Our second through fourth graders will focus on learning about stories and characters from Torah that exemplify contemporary, progressive values and issues of our times. Examples include Abraham arguing with God to save the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, the daughters of Tzelafchad standing up for the rights of women, the abundance of kindness Rebecca displays at the well to take care of a traveling stranger, and the power of shared leadership as seen in Moses appointing others to support him in leading the Israelites. We’ll be learning about both Matriarchs and Patriarchs in Torah, and how their examples have evolved from yesteryear to today.
We will apply these lessons and values to everyday life and how we see them being put to use in our world and in our own lives.
Fifth and Sixth Graders: Bar and Bat Mitzvah Preparation
The older students’ emphasis, in anticipation of their becoming B Mitzvah, will delve into the prayers they’ll be leading; Hebrew reading and learning of the melodies, and focus on what the prayers mean to them.
Both groups will learn about the Holidays including story and history, rituals and ritual objects and food and music.
Two of our class sessions will be on alternate dates with special family engagement.
While school gathers once per week, we also offer Hebrew learning weekly for twenty minute sessions on Zoom. We have found this concentrated time focused on Hebrew learning to be the best way for kids to make good progress. Each child will be paired with another student and a teacher once the new year gets underway!
leadership
We welcome Amy Goldman as Director of Hebrew School this year, and as the teacher of our second to fourth graders. Amy’s love of children and of teaching is infectious, and she is passionate about infusing the learning environment with Jewish values, hands-on learning, creativity, and connection to each other and to our tradition. Amy has nearly two decades of experience teaching in congregational schools throughout the Philadelphia area, experience in curriculum development, and offers individual tutoring.
Amy Blum, a teacher with over two decades of teaching in area synagogues, and camps, and serving as a b’nai mitzvah tutor, will be teaching our fifth and sixth grade students as they begin to prepare for B-Mitzvah.
Rabbi Simcha Zevit will be our visiting rabbi, and serves as an advisor to the school.
Amy Goldman, Hebrew School Co-Director
Schedule + Location
Our school meets weekly on Tuesday afternoons, from 4:30 – 6 pm. Our new location is within the Trinity Lutheran Church in Narberth, at 196 Woodbine.
In addition to the Tuesday in-school time, our students can sign up to have access to some online Hebrew learning, either one-on-one or in small groups, to supplement their learning. These sessions are scheduled separately with each teacher and family for an additional fee.
Calendars for the entire school year are distributed to parents, and our website calendar also indicates any dates off, or schedule changes.
Enrollment
The 2023 – 2024 fee structure for the Narberth Havurah Hebrew School is as follows (per student):
One student: $995 (members) $1,295 (non-members)*
Two students: $950 (members) $1,295 (non-members)*
Three or more: $925 (members) $1,295 (non-members)*
*Zoom Hebrew tutoring is an additional $500 for the year.
Space permitting, non-members of the Narberth Havurah may enroll for a one-year trial at the non-member rate. After the trial period, a Havurah membership will be required to continue enrollment in the Narberth Havurah Hebrew School.
Enrollment forms must be completed and tuition paid in part or full, by September 10th, two days before the start of school on September 12th. Tuition will be added to your Narberth Havurah Membership Registration.
** If you are enrolling as a non-member, please contact our treasurer, David Lipetz (david.lipetz@gmail.com), to make financial arrangements.
Feel free to contact Amy Goldman with questions.
