Curriculum Guides 1994-2008
Date Subject Title Goal of Curriculum Guide Grade Level Setting Author
1994 History First Century Judaism To expose students to the diverse Jewish sects during the first century CE and explain how that diversity connects to today. 9-12 High School Abrams, Richard Scott
1994 Israel/World Jewry Israel: Yemenite & Moroccan Jews To introduce students to the Jews of Yemen and Morocco, in their native lands and in Israel. 5-7 Religious School Bergenfeld, Elisa
1994 Prayer The Shabbat Morning Service as Preparation for Bar/Bat Mitzvah To explore the content and themes of prayers in the Shabbat morning service. 6 Religious School Blonder (Levine), Renee
1994 Bible The Book of Exodus and Its Influence on Jews Today To demonstrate how Jewish identity formed around the story of the exodus. Students will complete text study and apply their knowledge of the Bible to modern Judaism. 8 Religious School Brot (Amend), Ilene
1994 Prayer The Shabbat Morning Service: Making it Relevant for 7th Graders To explore concepts of prayer, including their meaning, theology, and relevance to students’ lives. 7 Religious School Carr, Kenneth Ira
1994 Rabbinic Text Exploring The Midrash: A Response to the Human Dilemma To examine midrashic collections seeing how biblical texts have been interpreted over time. Students will have the opportunity to create personal Midrash. Adult Adult Chapman, Lesley
1994 Bible Five Scrolls: A Guide to Living To study the five megillot/scrolls with a focus on values, relationships, and interaction with God. Adult Adult Cosden (Halpern), Susan Ellen
1994 Life Cycle Jewish Life Cycle in a Reform Context To examine life cycle rituals focused on values, rituals, and a relationship with God and decide on personal observance. 5-7 Religious School Davids-Levin, Aviva
1994 Comparative Judaism The Origins of Hasidut To expose students to the Hasidic history, culture, and belief system. To understand the process of change within a culture. 11-12 High School Gropper (Lustgarten), Tamara
1994 History/Identity This Land is Your Land, This Land Is My Land To grapple with the Jewish struggle to maintain identity and find acceptance in the United States of America. 9-12 High School Jacobs, Jill Suzanne
1994 Rabbinic Text Introduction to the Talmud and Rabbinic Texts To introduce/study Talmud and rabbinic texts providing text skills and personal applications. Adult Adult Langer, Lisa Beth
1994 Reform Judaism Jewish Identity Through Reflection: A Look at the Platforms of Reform Judaism To analyze the history (3 platforms) and present of Reform Judaism, providing opportunities to establish goals for living a Reform Jewish life. 9-12 High School Litwak (Berkowits), Deborah A.
1994 Bible The Book of Genesis To study the stories of our ancestors and formulate a personal theology and system of morals based on the text. 6-8 Religious School Maayan (Stiffman), Cheryl
1994 Rabbinic Text A Study Guide for Adult Learners on Leviticus Rabbah To study portions of Leviticus Rabbah in order to develop personal ethics, relationship with God, and a life of holiness. Adult Adult Missaghieh, Michelle
1994 History The Rabbinic Period To introduce students to the history, sages, values, and texts of the rabbinic period. 6 Religious School Palmer, Andrea
1994 Women/History A Journey Through History: The American Jewish Woman 1820 – present To examine the Jewish female struggle to maintain identity and find acceptance in the United States of America. 9-12 Female High School Pessah (Grossblatt), Amy
1994 Israel Zionism: The Collision of Modernity and Judaism To show how modernity changed the reality of Jewish life and led to the birth of modern Zionism. To examine the changing identity of Jews at the time and then reflect on personal identity. 6 Religious School Schwartz, Katherine
1994 Bible Leaders in the Bible: A Curriculum for Madrichim To identify leadership qualities of biblical figures and establish personal leadership goals. Madrichim in Training Madrichim in Training Segal, Maxine Handelman
1995 Comparative Judaism Hasidic History, Hasidic Story and Creating the Spiritual Community To understand and identify with the history, leaders, spirit, and values of the Hasidic community. Adult Adult Joseph, Linda
1995 Israel Biblical Historiography/ Geography of Israel To study the geography of Israel in order to show the deep historic connection between the land of Israel and Judaism 5-6 Religious School Simon (Weiss), Laura
1996 Mitzvot/Values And Makes Us Holy... An exploration of Mitzvot To see Jewish life as the pursuit of holiness and mitzvoth as steps in that pursuit. To internalize the Reform process of informed choice and choose meaningful mitzvot. 7 Religious School Abraham, Michelle Shapiro
1996 Women Emerging Jewish Women's Rituals To study the development and content of Jewish women’s rituals (traditional and modern) demonstrating their significance. Adult Female Adult Asch (Marx), Jennifer Rebecca
1996 Bible Teaching Genesis Through Story: A Curriculum for Second and Third Grades To empower students by studying the stories and families in Genesis and comparing them to their own families. To explore the concepts of God and morals in Genesis. 2-3 Religious School Flash, Allison B.
1996 Life Cycle Jewish Lifecycle Rituals: Paths To Holiness To study Jewish lifecycle rituals emphasizing connections to God, text, values. Students will compose lifecycle rituals. Adult Adult Gropper, Daniel
1996 History How Did We Get Here: A Look At American Jewish History During the 1880s-1920s To expose students to a variety of the major American Jewish experiences of the 1880s-1920s in order to instill a sense of pride and identity. 8-12 High School Kaufman, Jodi
1996 Bible/Ethics What do These People in the Bible Have to do with Me? To explore the Biblical characters sense of humanity and morality in order to develop personal ethics. 7-10 High School Lippe, Susan Elizabeth
1996 Mitzvot/Values Fostering Klal Yisrael Through Mitzvot Beyn Adam Lchavero To connect mitzvot to our actions. To study and socialize with Jews from other synagogues. 12 High School Lynn, Michelle Joy
1996 Holiday Living Holidays for Jewish Adolescents To explore, question, and understand the importance of Jewish holidays for both traditional and cultural Jews. 5-7 Religious School Ross (Goodman), Felicia
1996 Life Cycle Exploring the Covenant in Jewish Tradition: A Guide for Parents of B'nai Mitzvah Students To explore the concept of covenant in Jewish tradition and create personal connections to it. To develop a community among bnai mitzvah parents. Adult Parents of Bnai Mitzvah Adult Sol, Felicia
1996 Life Cycle The Jewish Lifecycle: How it Reflects Values of Community and Kedushah To form connections to Judaism by understanding and experiencing traditional and modern lifecycle ritual. Emphasis placed on the concepts of kedushah, mitzvoth, and connection to God. 4 Religious School Somers (Lichtman), Stefanie
1996 Bible King David: Some Kind of Hero To engage in text study of Samuel I & II in order to learn about the complexity of King David. 9-12 High School Zweiback, Josh
1997 Teacher Resource Re-Jew-vinate!! Everything You Ever Waned to Know about Judaism To provide an opportunity for teachers to study history, text, life cycle, calendar, and rituals. Teachers Staff Dev. Ben-Naim, Elissa
1997 Prayer The Weekday Morning Service: A Prayer Curriculum for Camps To examine the meanings of prayers in the weekday morning reform liturgy. 5-7 Camp Chizner, Lauren
1997 Identity The Young Jewish Adult To challenge and entice learners to further explore what Jewish learning and living have to offer. Young Adult Shabbat Dinner Conyer (Henteloff), Allison
1997 History A Human Perspective on Judaism To provide a closure to formal Jewish education by studying Jewish history and personalities. 10 High School Conyer, Bryan
1997 History The Golden Moments of Jewish History To study five golden periods in Jewish history and empower students to create their own golden period. 10 High School Hausman-Weiss, Scott
1997 Life Cycle The Jewish Life Cycle Events To study, experience, and feel connected to life cycle events. 8-10 High School Komerofsky (Stern), Rachel
1997 Israel Zionist Thought, Jewish Values, & Jewish Identity To engage students in the various ideas/writings of Zionist thinkers. To develop a personal relationship with Israel and think about the relationship between the USA and Israel. 9-12 High School Kupetz, Jonathan F.
1997 Theology God, Creator, Redeemer, Revealer, & Partner: A Curriculum for 3-4 Week Summer Camp To study the concepts of God as creator, revealer, and redeemer and to begin to struggle with personal theology. 4-6 Camp Lambert (Lebenson), Julie Beth
1997 Identity Exploring Masculinity and Jewish Meaning: A Curriculum and Resource Guide for Male Identity Development To help young men develop a male Jewish identity based on Torah, God and Israel. Adult Male Adult Marantz, Craig
1997 Prayer Finding Prayer: A Curriculum for Meaning in the Prayer Experience To examine and engage in prayer, while establishing a community of adult learners whose kids are bnai mitzvah. Adult Parents of Bnai Mitzvah Adult Sacher (Mechanick), Birgit
1998 Life Cycle A Practical Guide to Living and Understanding Jewish Life Cycle To examine seven life cycle events addressing personal, psychological, and modern needs. 9-12 High School Brockman, Lori
1998 Prayer Tefillah Time: A Prayer Curriculum for Kindergarten and First Grade To introduce students to a prayer service focusing on the concepts of God, community, history, and spirituality. K-1 Religious School Cohn, Lauren Silverstein
1998 Prayer Teaching Tefillah Through the Arts To engage students in prayer and liturgy through the medium of drama, music, dance, and art. 9-12 High School Harris, Vered
1998 Literature Self-Stories: An Adult Study Guide on American Jewish Fiction To read/discuss selections of American Jewish fiction and to struggle with personal identity development through the texts. Adult Adult Hyman (Bramson), Laura
1998 Bible Remember the Going Forth From Egypt: A Curriculum Guide on the Exodus Narrative as our Master Story To explore the "master story" of the Exodus to shed light on subjects like: Mitzvot, Prayer, Shabbat, Pesach, Shavout and Sukkot. Family Ed. Family Ed. Lefkowitz, Ellen
1998 Israel Israel: The Heart of a People To develop a personal relationship with Israel by exploring Jewish historical and religious connections to the land. 10 High School Marantz (Barth), Betsy
1998 Israel Exploring Contemporary Issues Facing Teens in Israel To foster an interest and connection to Israel by studying the issues teens in Israel face. 10 Pre-Trip Massey (Sagan), Debra
1998 Law/Ethics An Adult Study Course in Jewish Civil Law To study Jewish civil law (from Torah-Today) and apply the values to modern life. Topics include: business, property, family, public, and criminal law. Adult Adult Moskovitz, Daniel
1998 Prayer A Jewish Prayer Curriculum for Seventh Graders To examine and experience prayer utilizing different tools. 7 Religious School Rubin, Renee
1999 History Divided We Fall: Life in Judea During the First/Second Centuries CE To introduce students to the second Temple period, Rabbinic Judaism, and early Christianity by studying historical figures, sects, and institutions. To see Rabbinic Judaism as the foundation for today’s diversity.
Copies of this guide are no longer available.
9-12 High School Churgel, Michael S.
1999 Holocaust Searching Out the Answers of Life: Teaching the Shoah from a Theological Perspective To study the Holocaust through the lens of challenging theological questions. 9-12 High School Hessel, Joui
2000 Comparative Judaism A Comparative Survey of Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, & Reconstructionist Judaism To compare and contrast the four major denominations in America. To see how denominations fit into a larger historical canvas. 9-12 High School Appelman (Allee), Amy Nicole
2000 Life Cycle We're Having a Jewish Baby: An Adult Education Curriculum for Those Expecting a Child or Currently in the Adoption Process To provide couples or single women who are either pregnant or in the process of adopting a child with information (ritual, prayer, texts) on Jewish views and traditions on conception, pregnancy, adoption and birth. To establish a safe Jewish community for celebrating births and mourning any losses that might occur. Adult New Parents Adult Brown, Sharon Amster
2000 Life Cycle Death and Dying in the Jewish Tradition: A Curriculum Guide for Parent Education To familiarize learners with traditional Jewish mourning practices and prepare them to carry out the mitzvoth related to death and dying. To explore theology as it relates to death and dying and give parents the ability and confidence to speak about death with their children. Adult Parents Adult Burg (Cotzin), Miriam Lisa
2000 History First Century Judaism To expose students to Jewish history of the first century CE. Students will connect the Jewish diversity of that era with diversity today. 12 High School Buyer (Fogel), Melissa
2000 Holocaust Ethical Dilemmas: An Analysis As Seen Through the Eyes of the Holocaust To struggle with some of the ethical dilemmas faced during the Holocaust and apply these to personal experiences. Adult Adult Delcau (Frishman), Stacey
2000 Bible Family Relationships of the First Jews: A Literary Approach to the Bible To explore Genesis using the literary techniques of Robert Alter. Adult Adult Freidman (Fisher), Shayna
2000 Bible Shir HaShirim- Ancient Love Poetry or the Holy of Holies To unlock the enigma that surrounds Shir HaShirim by concentrating on Shir HaShirim as a universal love poem, as a religious text about Israel's love relationship with God, and as a universal text about relationships. 9-12 Camp Hankin, Philip
2000 Identity Creating a Jewish Community in Canada To examines the forces behind the Canadian Jewish community, enabling students in Canada to better appreciate and understand the past. The curriculum examines how Jews responded to their environment and to the obstacles placed in their path, and how despite these, they built a community. 5-6 Day School in Canada Hronsky, Yuri
2000 Holiday: Shabbat Recipe for Shabbat Shalom To guide families through study about key Shabbat concepts so families can develop their own Shabbat rituals and observance. Family Ed. for Parents with Young Children Family Ed. Hyman, Tali
2000 Identity/History Jewish and American: A Glimpse at the Past, A Glimpse at Ourselves To examine the lives of various American Jews in order to better understand and identify with American Jewish history. Adult Adult Lewald-Fass, Regina
2000 Mitzvot/Values Living Jewish Virtues: An Exploration of Midot To explore Jewish virtues (between people/between people and God) with the understanding that observing virtues leads to a life of holiness. 5-6 Camp Lewis, David J.
2000 History American Jews in the Far West To explore the choices American Jews in the far West made from the gold rush through the early twentieth century. 5 Religious School Phillips, Julia C.
2000 Holocaust The Role of Altruism in the Holocaust To illustrate the value of altruism during the Holocaust and to explore ways to exemplify this value today. 9-10 High School Reiser, Karen
2000 Bible Turn it Again: Biblical Narrative through the Lens of Twelve-Step Recovery To examine biblical narratives about struggle through the lens of recovery from substance abuse or other addictions. Adult Adult Rosenberg, Lisa
2000 Comparative Judaism Understanding Diversity Among Jewish Religious Practices and Customs as a Reflection of Cultural Differences To better understand the multicultural dimension of Jewish religious law, practice, and custom among Sephardic and Ashkenazic Jewry. 10 High School Schechter, Sarah
2000 Prayer Do You See What I See? A Curriculum Guide on Prayer for Parents of B'nai Mitzvah To provide the language and structure for discussion about prayer with the intent of preparing parents for their child’s special day. Adult Parents of Bnai Mitzvah Adult Strok, Karen
2000 Holocaust History of the Holocaust To revisit the facts and functions of the Holocaust through actual documents and personal accounts in order to acquire a more comprehensive and complex understanding of this historical event. 12 High School Vinnecour, Sheri
2000 History Out of Many, We Became One or Not? A Curriculum Guide on the Waves of Immigration to America To study different Jewish immigrant experiences and contributions in the United States to better understand the community around them. 5-6 Religious School Weiss, Leonie
2000 World Religion Christianity: Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Eastern Orthodox To provides high school students with a working vocabulary for use in discussion regarding other religions as well as helping them identify similarities and differences between Judaism and Christianity. 9-12 High School Zimmerman, Rebecca
2001 Literature American Jewish Literature: A Window to the Inner Lives of American Jews To expose students to a variety of American Jewish literature in order to understand issues faced over time. Adult Adult Baron, Beth
2001 Spirituality Kedusha: A Discovery of the Holy To explore textual and modern meanings of kadosh (holy). Adult Adult Citrin (Schram), Karen
2001 Rabbinic Text Turning New Pages: Talmud for Adult Learners To begin the study of Talmudic passages providing opportunities for personal exploration of Jewish identity and practice. Adult Adult Clayman, Jennifer
2001 Life Cycle Reaffirming our Covenants: A Course on Jewish Life Cycle for Mothers and Daughters To reinforce our covenantal relationship with God as well as the relationship between mother and daughter. To learn how life cycle ritual lends structure to times of transition and confusion. To provide mothers and daughters the chance to ask questions and get to know each other as women. Family Ed. Mothers/Daughters Family Ed. Flores (Cooper), Jordana G.
2001 Mitzvot/Values Jewish Bioethics To explore the ethical decisions posed by modern medicine. It addresses different Jewish positions on concerns about the way in which one cares for one's body and the decisions that one is forced to make about the treatment of a loved one. 9 High School Mandell, Avram
2001 Bible Psalms: Pathways to the Eternal To study Psalms in order to expose students to biblical poetry and to provide them with tools for religious expression. Adult Adult Rigler, Stacy Eskovitz
2002 Mitzvot/Values/Bible Camp Values Curriculum: Talmud Torah To teach the Jewish value of Talmud Torah through text study 4-6 Camp Jacques, Amy Idit
2002 Prayer Brachot: The Jewish Way of Finding God in Our Lives and the World Around Us To understand and become comfortable with Brachot as a tool for connecting with God and our world. Adult Adult Werbow, Melissa (Fand)
2002 Identity/History Fully Jewish, Fully American To expose students to American Jewish personalities in order to help them deal with the tension of being both Jewish and American. To develop a positive identity as American Jews. 5-6 Religious School Young, Beth Ellen
2003 Israel Portraits of Jerusalem To explore a variety of Jewish depictions of Jerusalem over time (biblical-modern) in anticipation of a trip to Israel. 9-12 Day School Pre-Trip Bock, Deborah
2003 Hebrew More Than Israel Has Kept Hebrew, Hebrew Has Kept Israel To view Hebrew as a means of deepening religious expression, strengthening a bond to Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael, and identifying as an American Jew. To instill a passion for Hebrew. 9-12 Camp Citrin, Micah
2003 Mitzvot Our Connection and Guide to Jewish Living This curriculum examines the concept of developing a partnership with God through the life-long performance of mitzvot which is sparked by the particpation in and preparation for becoming b’nai mitzvah. 7 Religious School Eshel, David
2003 Reform Judaism Reform Judaism in America: Modern, American, and Jewish To gain foundational knowledge about Reform Jewish ideology and its effect on belief and practice. To gain a sense of pride in being a Reform Jew. 7-8 Religious School Fleekop, Andrea
2003 Comparative Judaism Denominational Judaism in America: A Pluralistic Approach To understand the basic history, ideology and practice of the major denominations. To foster a belief in klal Yisrael. 9-12 High School Kahn, Dena
2003 Life Cycle Jewish Values in Death and Mourning To provide a Jewish lens with which to view death and mourning. To be knowledgeable of Jewish rituals and practices associated with death and mourning. Adult Adult Schaffer, Adam
2004 Prayer T’fillah: A Sixth Grade Journey To help students find personal meaning in liturgy. To understand why prayer is important to Jews. To reflect on relationship with God. 6 Religious School Cotzin, Debra
2004 Bible Dynamic Relationships in the Torah To examine relationships among biblical characters in order to educate Jewish teens about having successful relationships. 9-12 High School DePorte, Stephanie
2004 Mitzvot/Values Mitzvot in Our Lives To learn about, internalize, and practice mitzvoth in order to strengthen Jewish identity and community. 7 Religious School Ettlinger, Kim
2004 Israel The Essence of Israel To maximize an Israel trip by highlighting the uniqueness of Israel and its importance to Jewish self-understanding. To portray the diversity within Israel. 9 Day School Pre-Trip Keller, Rony
2004 Holiday Jewish Home Festivals that Create Jewish Time To discover the religious/symbolic meanings of the holidays through text study. To develop rituals/ observances that incorporate/reflect Jewish values. Adult Adult Parker, Teresa
2004 Social Action Tikkun Olam: Heritage in Action To study the development of tikkun olam from the bible to the present. To construct a personal belief about tikkun olam. To engage in a tikkun olam project. 10 Day School Rosauer, Karen
2004 Mitzvot/Values The Virtues of Being a Jewish Teenager To study relevant Jewish virtues and encourage students to emulate them. To see the concept of b’tzelem elohim as the basis for Jewish virtues. 8 Religious School Rosenzweig, Emily
2004 Theology Reel Theology: Learning About & Developing Your Own Jewish Theology Using Contemporary Film To introduce a variety of theological questions and perspectives in Judaism. To develop a personal theology.
Copies of this guide are no longer available.
Adult Adult Schneider, Jeremy
2004 Theology Why is There Evil if God is Supposed to be Good? Theodicy in Jewish Tradition To understand a variety of Jewish positions on theodicy in their historical context. To deepen a personal understanding of theology and the meaning of evil and suffering. Adult Adult Tornberg, Shoshanah
2004 Mitzvot/Values Turning Secular Choices into Jewish Choices To help college-bound students have a Jewish system for making tough choices. To expose students to Jewish texts. 11-12 High School Werbow, Michael
2005 Identity Slavery, Freedom, Commitment & Identity: Jewish Emerging Adult’s Journey To study selected sacred texts and holidays as a tool to navigate the identity transformation from adolescence to adulthood. High School High School Allenberg, Adam M.
2005 Mitzvot/Values Reform Jewish Practice-Seeking the Sacred To foster the development of a community of learners who will support one another in the search for meaning & Kedusha in Jewish practice. To encourage exploration & performance of mitzvot at home at synagogue. Adult Adult Flanzbaum, Lynn D.
2005 Prayer Experiencing T’fillah: Studying Prayer with our Hearts and Minds To study Jewish liturgy with opportunity to reflect on one’s prayer experience, relationship to God, and identity. Adult Adult Forrest, Alissa
2005 Bible Finding Emotion in Biblical Poetry To analyze and understand Biblical poetry through the lens of emotion. To help students engage in text as a means of connecting to the divine. Adult Adult Hudson, Jocee
2005 Theology Jewish Views on God: Building My Personal Relationship To explore different views on God, engage in conversation, and develop a personal relationship with God. 9 High School Kellner, Rick
2005 Prayer Developing an Understanding of Prayer To understand Judaic concepts of some of the prayers in the Shabbat liturgy 6 Religious School Marshall, Stephanie
2005 Synagogue, Ritual Objects, Clergy Uncovering Meanings: An Exploration of Jewish Objects & Symbols To explore meaning behind ritual objects as a means for examining and enriching their own Jewish beliefs and values. Adult Adult Nichols, Beth
2005 World Jewish Communties Sephardic Culture: Jews from the Ottoman Empire To introduce students to the culture of Sephardic Jewry and raise self-awareness of personal Judaism. 6 Religious School Robbins, Rachael
2006 Life Cycle The Jewish Wedding and Marriage: Reflecting our Values through Jewish Traditions Learners will explore topics such as commitment, renegotiating family relationships, intimacy, community, and more through the lens of Jewish thought, law, customs, and history. Adult Adult Akiva, April Quinn
2006 Identity; Prayer T’filah Talk: A Year Long Course for Teens and Their Parents to Study Tough Issues Through T’filah For high school students and their parents to explore the themes of separation, connection, freedom and limitations as they are found in t’filah and related to their lives. Teens and Adults Family Education; Religious School Goldstein, Beth
2006 Mitzvot/Values Bringing Holiness to Life: “Living Jewishly” at Work, At Home, and in our Relationships To examine Jewish values, traditions, and sacred texts relevant to three important arenas of life: home, work, and relationships. Adult Adult Michaels, Mara
2006 Comparative Judaism How Do We Compare? To obtain an in-depth understanding of the various streams of Judaism, so that students can better understand their own identity as Jews by understanding how their ideas about Judaism are similar to and different from the ideas of other Jews. 9-12 Religious School Pollak, Estee
2006 History The Choices That Shape Us: An American Jewish History Curriculum To examine the choices Jews have made in America from the time of the first Jewish settlers through the central European migration, the processes by which those decisions were made, and their engagement with their identity amidst a pluralistic society. 5 Day School Sjolseth, Sabrina
2006 Israel My Israel: A Non-Traditional Approach to Israel Advocacy This curriculum is designed to enable students to explore Israeli history, culture, politics, and people while equipping them with the resources and information needed in order to speak intelligently about Israel. 12 Religious School Wasserman, Shaina
2007 History Snapshots: A Curriculum for the Integrated Teaching of American Jewish History This is not a full American Jewish history curriculum. Instead, these curricular materials offer “moments,” or mini episodes (all based on primary sources) that may be inserted into a regular 11th grade United States history course. 11 Day School Barkin, Joshua
2007 Mitzvot/Values Bein Adam L'Adamah: Exploring the Relationship Between Humans and the Earth A large portion of this guide relies on memorable moments and reflection impossible to create in a traditional classroom setting. This guide focuses on three intersections of Judaism and the environment; holy land, prayer in nature and the values of dominion and stewardship. 9-10 Camp or retreat; 22 sessions Brown, Josh
2007 Mitzvot/Values Economic Justice in Judaism: Understanding Hunger, Homelessness, Health Care and Worker’s Rights Through the Lens of Jewish Texts Texts focused on economic justice are just one component of a genre of texts which speak to our responsibility to help those in the community who cannot support themselves. As a result, all Jews are bound together by a common practice of rituals, liturgy and social responsibility. This curriculum serves to provide students with a list of uniquely Jewish reasons and support for engaging in economic justice. 11-12 Religious School Frank, Carrie
2007 Identity; Bible From Our Roots to Ourselves: Learning From Biblical Women This text-based curriculum is designed for adolescent girls. It begins by studying women in the Bible, many of whom faced issues similar to those faced by teenagers today. The Bible then serves as a basis to discuss contemporary issues confronting students, such as body image, self esteem, beauty, sex, power, spirituality, relationships, and Jewish identity. Adolescent Girls Religious School Gordon, Arianna
2007 Identity; Values Love, Looks, and Life Teenage girls today need guidance regarding how to ethically use and think about their bodies. We, as educators, have the exciting opportunity to open the pathways of communication about these difficult issues. This curriculum guide will give students the opportunity to use Jewish texts and Jewish values as tools for decision-making about how they use their bodies, and how they approach relationships with others. High School Girls Religious School Elective Isaacson, Rachel
2007 Identity; Values Finding the Kedusha In Kashrut: An Ethical Guide For Jewish Teens This curriculum looks to challenge learners to explore the kedusha (holiness) inherent in biblical kashrut. Having done this, the curriculum then offers opportunities for learners to ask how these “kosher” values might be applied to our shopping practices, our relationships with others, and then finally our treatment and perception of ourselves. 9-10 Camp/Informal Education Lazarow, Gersh
2007 Theology Seeking God During this semester-long curriculum, students will examine various understandings of God in the TaNaCH, liturgy and other Jewish texts, reflect on times they have felt God’s presence, and explore ways they might connect with God in their own lives. As students explore various paths to finding God with the help of sources from Jewish tradition and Jewish thinkers, they will work toward articulating their own beliefs about God. 4-5 Day School or Camp Saliman, Rebecca
2007 Rabbinic Text Two Rabbis: Three Opinions -- An Introduction to Rabbinic Texts for the Day School This curriculum guide invites eighth grade Jewish day school learners to examine rabbinic texts including Midrash, Mishnah, and Talmud in order to develop a deeper understanding of rabbinic thought on ethics and values and the world of the Rabbis. Through interaction with rabbinic texts, learners will increase their own Jewish knowledge base and acquire some of the tools and information to make informed decisions about their own Jewish lives. 8 Day School Sanguinet, Ann
2007 Shabbat Shabbat – A Spiritual Quest This guide is intended for learners who might already have some familiarity with Shabbat liturgy and ritual. They might be looking for a deeper understanding and more nuanced approaches to their current observance or looking to increase their observance. This guide will challenge both instructor and learner to examine current understandings of Shabbat and create new ways of thinking about Shabbat. Adult Adult Education Whinston, Josh
2007 Identity Laughing To Fit In: Jewish American Identity through Jewish Humor This curriculum traces the evolving communal Jewish identity in America throughout the 20th Century. Learners will have the opportunity to examine jokes, written texts, and clips from movies and television for deeper meaning about Jewish stereotypes and the interaction between Jewish and American culture. They will also be given the opportunity to reflect on what these ideas mean for their own identities, both individually and as a group. 9-10 Religious School Witkow, Julia
2008 Reform Judaism Exploring Reform Judaism Through the Lens of Jewish Ritual and Sacred Practices This Curriculum Guide seeks to teach the process of Reform Judaism through the lens of ritual and Jewish sacred practices. The students will have an opportunity to explore some of the tenets of Reform Judaism and then apply those concepts to different ways of sanctifying time, space and themselves. High School Religious School Bluman, Olga
2008 Prayer, Liturgy Seder Kriat HaTorah This curriculum explores three themes within the context of Seder Kriat HaTorah. First is the idea of Seder Kriat HaTorah as a reenactment of the revelation at Sinai. Additionally, each unit explores the relationship between God, Torah and Israel within the text and the balance between keva and kavanah during public prayer. By considering each of these the student will be better prepared to participate meaningfully in the social drama that is Seder Kriat HaTorah. 4-6 Home or Healthcare setting Hall, Eliana
2008 Bible/ Values Let's Go: Bemidbar! A Travel Guide Through the Book of Numbers This curriculum highlights Israel's triumphs, challenges, “roadblocks” and lessons learned on the winding road from Egypt to Eretz Yisrael, encouraging the students to identify their own Jewish values and beliefs that will help them navigate difficult transitional moments throughout their lives. 6 Religious School Katz, Noam
2008 Identity In Our Image: A Look at How Jewish Identity has Changed in America Identity and the way we see ourselves is often influenced by the images we see in the media, and Jewish identity isn’t any different. Students will not only look at these forms of popular media as a mirror, reflecting (or even distorting) our image, but also in the way that it plays a role in how and why our identity is shaped. 12 Religious School Magidson, Jordan
2008 Identity Be a Man, Be a Jewish Man: An Exploration into the Multifaceted Relationship Roles of Men through Jewish and Contemporary Texts This curriculum creates a safe, creative, shared space for young men to explore, develop, and experience their own ideas of how they want to live their values in relationship with others and how they define the Jewish men that they hope to be - space that is lacking in most male teenagers' lives. 10-12 Boys Religious School / Youth Group Margolis, Ari
2008 Bible/Values The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Counselors: A Teen's Guide to Jewish Leadership This curriculum guide outlines habits of effective leaders, as seen in the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. These habits can be found in Biblical leaders, including Joseph, Esther, Moses and God. It is meant to allow for personal growth as well as leadership development, focusing on both the personal aspect of leadership (how one views oneself, chooses one's words and actions, and the behavior one exhibits) and the relationship aspect of leadership (how we interact with others). High School (Counselors in Training) Camp/Retreat; Religious School Mason, Erin Ellis
2008 Life Cycle From Adam and Eve to You and Me: Journeying Towards Jewish Marriage This curriculum guide is intended to be taught by a rabbi, preferably in conjunction with pre-marital counseling for couples. It addresses topics related to building a Jewish life together, and subjects which are often sources of conflict for couples, such as managing money and fighting fair. Each lesson uses Jewish texts to bring traditional perspective and insight to the issues with which modern couples struggle. Adult Adult Education Mason, Sara
2008 Mitzvot Why Mitzvot? A Reform Reexamination of Mitzvot This curriculum guides adult learners through a process of experiencing and studying mitzvot, including their sources, practice, and implications. Each mitzvah is interpreted through a framework called the “Mitzvah Matrix” which includes perspectives, reasons, and/or benefits of observing that mitzvah. Adult Adult Education Medwin, Daniel Bloom
2008 Identity/ Values Ingredients for Revolution: How the Exodus Inspires Social Change This curriculum guide seeks to explain how the Exodus narrative has been influential and transformative in our lives, our Jewish community and our world in the past and present. The guide explores how the Exodus shapes our own Jewish identity by illuminating the importance of social justice, as well as how it has inspired and motivated enslaved groups throughout time to work for their own freedom. High School Religious School, Youth Group Medwin, Lydia Bloom
2008 Theology, Liturgy From Kevah to Kavannah: Explorations of the Siddur This Curriculum Guide seeks to explore some of the prayers found in the siddur - their textual or historical origins as well as their theological and spiritual implications. Students will unpack a number of different prayers and use them as a tool for reflecting on their own beliefs. High School, Adults Day School, Adult Education Metz, Lev
2008 Bible, Life Cycle From Prophecy to Leading Jewishly: A Confirmation Curriculum This curriculum guide explores the messages of the prophets and the way they communicate their ideals to the people. The goal of this curriculum is to help students learn what drives them as a leader and how to communicate to people. Students will study the prophets, the prophetic messages and leadership. They will also reflect on who they are and the type of leader they want to be and can be in the Jewish community. 10 Confirmation Religious School, Camp Polonsky, Rena
2008 Bible Genesis: Rated “T” For Teen This curriculum guide re-introduces the book of Genesis to adolescents as a narrative that is reflective of their own lives and relationships, and subsequently, directly relevant to their own experience. This guide is intended to expand, nuance, and enrich the students' childhood conceptions of the Genesis narratives, to provide students with the tools with which they can study Jewish text in the future, and to present the book of Genesis as a mirror of and a window into the human experience. 11-12 Religious School Zimmerman, Micol