Who is the Beth Chaim Reform Community?
We are a warm, diverse, open, broad-minded, and inclusive community.
We delight in engaging with Judaism and each other joyously. We celebrate together and hold each other up in times of light and dark. We welcome anyone who shares those values to join us to live joyously Jewish as a community.
We value education and intellectual curiosity. Our school reflects that.
We value inclusion and differentiated instruction. Learning is not one size fits all.
Our Sababa curriculum spirals beginning with our youngest students to expand with them as they develop and live being Jewish. Like a tree, we plant the seeds of a love and understanding of learning what it is to be Jewish, live, learn, and celebrate.
We teach our students how to joyfully find their Jewish voice. Our students learn to be proudly and boldly Jewish.
Sababa means “cool” in Hebrew. We think that Jewish learning and doing Jewish are cool.
We want our students to have a solid foundation of Jewish knowledge, and be able to question intelligently. Historically, education used to be more about regurgitating facts. That is NOT our educational experience. We practice experiential education. That is to learn by doing. When you’re doing Jewish in the Sababa School, you are having fun.
In our Sababa School (Kindergarten - 7th grades) and in our Teen Academy (8th-12th grades), we prepare our students to be the next generation of Jewish thinkers. We want our students to have a solid foundation of Jewish learning and prayer literacy. We strive to instill in them an intellectual curiosity to put them on a path to lifelong learning. We help them find their Jewish voices. To think critically. We provide an environment of respect and community building. They learn that the cornerstone of Judaism is Tikkun Olam, Tzedakah, and Hesed. We live those values in our community as we actively teach them to our children.
We learn offsite, in the walls of our synagogue, and out in the community with trips to engage with the larger Jewish community, often doing intergenerational Mitzvot together.
“It is not up to you to finish the work, but neither are free to ignore it.”
Sababa Reform Educational Goals
Learn to express pride in our Jewish heritage.
Become familiar with the rituals and customs associated with Shabbat and the holidays.
Describe perspectives of God and spirituality, as depicted in history.
Develop a comfort and understanding of the structure and contents of the prayer book.
Explain the important values/mitzvot that have guided Jews like Tzedakah, Gemilut Chasadim, the Ten Commandments, justice for all peoples, care for the world, etc.
Understand the place of Hebrew in Jewish tradition.
Become familiar with the origins and meanings of Jewish customs, practices, and life cycle events.
Enthusiastically support and participate in the life of the synagogue, their Jewish community, and their community at large.
See themselves as an important link in the chain of Am Yisrael, the Jewish people, for whom the history of the Jewish people is familiar, meaningful, and central.
Affirm their historic bond to Eretz Yisrael, the Land of Israel, and our people as we work to support our Jewish homeland from afar and look forward to setting foot on Israeli soil ourselves.
Here’s a peek into our curriculum.
Pre-School
It all starts with our littlest learners. PJ Friday and PJ Sunday happen once a month to give our youngest community members a great start with joyous singing, fun creative arts and crafts, movement, and of course, GREAT JEWISH BOOKS. Parents have an opportunity to share and engage together while the children have a great time doing Jewish. Led by our amazing network of parent volunteers. We also partner with the Chester County JKidPhilly Ambassador program in order to expand the Jewish circle of joy.
Gan/Aleph/Bet (Kindergarten/1st/2nd)
Introduce our students to Judaism so they are proud to be Jewish and have a solid foundation of knowledge
Bible stories including who’s who in the Torah
Explore the holidays, especially highlighting Shabbat each week with blessings over challah, food, songs, and stories
Recognizing key ritual objects, prayers, and practices
Learn the Aleph Bet in preparation to read Hebrew
Dedicated Art and song components
Family education: Shabbat boxes, living Jewish in the home, exploring Hebrew names
Gimmel/Dalet (3rd/4th)
Focus on the Friday evening service integrating Shabbat concepts of rest, Shabbat concepts of rest, Shabbat bride, creating a connection to the prayers for our students
Decoding skills begin
See Israel as our Jewish homeland with biblical, spiritual, and modern connections.
Examine holidays through the lens of Israel as well as biblical stories
Study our Pioneers (Halutzim) of Israel for their strength and contributions
Explore the geography of Israel and how each region is unique
Identify what gifts Israel has given the world
View Mitzvot as actions that we are commanded to do, how these acts of kindness make our worlds (family, school, community) better, stronger, and more kind
Explore the concept of Am Yisroel/Klal Yisroel Arevim Zeh B’zeh - we are all responsible for each other and making the world a better place
Hey (5th)
Focus on the Torah service around the theme of sacredness
Focus on key prayers in the Torah service
Hebrew prayer reading is the goal in beginning to prepare for B Mitzvah
Torah as a sacred object of the Jewish people
Torah is the tree of life, how we show respect for Torah and others, how prayer and study go together
Sacredness is essential to the world; sacred places, sacred time, sacred ways of being - what does this mean to us?
Middot is the Hebrew word for values, principles, and behaviors that are essential to our way of being
Explore the value of Kehillah (community) and Hesed (Acts of Loving Kindness). Students will internalize these values through actions in their class lessons.
Vav (6th)
Focus on the Amida as central to the prayer service. Sometimes referred to as The Tefillah/The prayer.
Hebrew prayer reading intensifies as students continue to prepare for B Mitzvah
Explore customs and traditions, connected to Jewish life and life cycle ritual, and how this differs in different communities. Students will explore how secular culture influenced various traditions in life cycle events and major holidays.
Explore and share family traditions and foods. Students will share their own family traditions to create their own rituals and traditions.
Study of Middot/Values curriculum continues with the study of such as Gevurot (power/might), Ometz Lev (Bravery, Sukkat Shalom (Peace in one’s family/community)
Students will explore their own values in order to reflect on what they stand for
Zayin (7th)
Preparation begins for students to assume a leadership role in their school. Madrichim training in order to become student aides in the Sababa School in the Teen Academy, students spend time in the classrooms taking on tasks to assist the teachers in their work while Madrichim receive on-the-job-training.
Focus on Holocaust education including a discussion(s) with a survivor
In-depth study of Israel including its history and Zionism
These students will join the teens for key programs throughout the year in order to create a community that will help them to feel comfortable to continue with their Jewish studies in our teen program
6th/7th B Mitzvah Class
Held twice a month with B Mitzvah tutor, Narda Oz.
Our Pre B Mitzvah students in 6th and 7th grade come together twice a month on Tuesday evenings to learn key prayer, engage with their Parsha and those of their fellow classmates, learn Trope, and grapple with our ancient texts such as Torah and Pirke Avot. This experience includes socializing with warm pizza and cool conversations.
Students all have ample opportunity to get up on the bimah, alone and in pairs in order to become comfortable being up there close to the Torah as they find themselves closer to the day when they are up there to take their place in the adult Beth Chaim community as proud young Jewish adults.
Madrichim = Student Leadership Development
We have a robust Madrichim (student aide) program where our 7th graders learn with their teacher, Teen Educator, Emma Phares-Hurley about the finer points of classroom management, student behavior, and leadership development.
Students receive training during class leading up to working in our actual classrooms observing teacher technique and student behavior while assisting our teachers.
The initial “trial runs” become longer as their skills take hold and their confidence grows.
Teen Academy
Students in 8th - 12th grades will study Jewish texts and topics through the lens of Reform Judaism with Rabbi Pearlman and guest lecturers. There will be opportunities to engage with teens from other local congregations, speakers, and community members, as well as teen trips.
The students are currently engaged in a comprehensive study of Israel and its beginning: from the infancy of Zionism to the establishment of the modern Jewish state. They are learning to find their Jewish voices and how to speak up when confronted with antisemitism and anti-Zionism. These teens are engaging with people on the ground in Israel to share dialogue and gain perspective. Through these experiences, we strive to provide them with a deep connection to our Jewish homeland.
Our older teens in 11th and 12th grade engage in these experiences as well. They also enjoy Brunch with the Rabbi once a month where they engage in conversation as they chew on hot topics on our teen’s minds with Rabbi Pearlman.
Our 7th graders merge with the older teens once a month in the spring to build community as they prepare to take their place in the Teen program the following year.
NEW LEARNING OPPORTUNITY
Intro To Judaism Class
New this year, we have an opportunity for Beth Chaim members who want a refresher course on Judaism or are learning about Judaism for the first time to meet on select Sundays during religious school with Rabbi David Levin. We are grateful to the Dornstreich Family for endowing this learning opportunity. Students in the class are invited to meet for coffee and conversation before class in order to build community and enjoy engaging in the topics discussed in class. We welcome you to join us!
