Religious School

TSRS Programs, 2024-2025

• Kindergarten (B'yachad)

  B’yachad means ‘together’ and is our Family Kindergarten program at TSRS.  Recognizing that children best develop their faith identity before age 7/8 with the family that they live with, our year begins with engaging, memory-making family programming.  We’ll gather every month for a Shabbat morning full of joy, memory making, and fun!   In this special Kindergarten community, we’ll begin to make the temple connections and friendships that will last a lifetime! 

  B’yachad meets Saturdays from 9:30am – 11:30am on 9/28, 10/26, 11/23, 1/25, 2/22, 3/22, and 4/26!  B’yachad students and their families are also encouraged to join us for our Holiday Workshop series, Sunday mornings from 9:30am – 11:00am – 9/29, 10/20, 12/15, 2/9, 4/6, and 6/1

  B’yachad is available to Temple Sinai member and nonmember families.

  • Member tuition:  $800/ family
  • Nonmember tuition:  $1200/ family
• Grade 1 (Bonim)

  Bonim means ‘builders,’ and 1st grade is a special year of building and growing at Temple Sinai Religious School!  During our Bonim year, children attend TSRS on Sundays, from 8:30am – 10:30am or 11:00am – 1:00pm.  Together we build connections to the temple and its leaders, our holidays and traditions, and most important of all…one another!  Bonim also includes our very special blessing of Consecration, an opportunity to celebrate and mark the beginning of your child’s formal Jewish education.

  Bonim is available to Temple Sinai member and nonmember families for full-year enrollment. 

  • Member tuition: $1100/ student
  • Nonmember tuition:  $2800/ student
• Grades 2-3

  Temple Sinai’s Sunday school is a place where Jewish learning, playing, and identity building come together with fun and joy!  With significance, belonging, and fun at the core of our mission, TSRS Sunday school is engaging, social, and playful.  Students attend from 8:30 – 10:30am or 11:00am – 1:00pm.

   

  In 2nd Grade, we explore the experience of the Jewish calendar year!  From understanding our year as a whole, through the essential experiences of our Jewish holidays and ritual celebrations, 2^nd grade is simply ‘out of this world,’ as we follow the lunar cycle!   

  In 3rd  Grade, we turn our attention to the core Jewish values that come from our tradition and we make real in our world.  This year of tikkun middot, or working through our values to be our best selves, has us looking into our Torah and its stories and characters as we understand ourselves in relationship to our ancestors.

  2nd – 3rd Grade is available to Temple Sinai member and nonmember families for full-year enrollment. 

  • Member Tuition:  $1150
  • Non-Member Tuition:  $2800
• Grades 4-5

  In 4th and 5th Grade at TSRS, we continue our Sunday school programming with the curriculum, Our Jewish Community:   Across the Years, Around the World.  During Sunday programming, students explore and inquire about Jewish communities – the people, rituals, celebrations, and experiences of a community.    Looking into our own family and community, our shared stories and folklore, and our history – we make a beautiful connection to the past, present, and future – all over the world.  Students attend on Sundays from 8:30am – 10:30am or 11:00am – 1:00pm.  Our students also begin their formal Hebrew education!

  Chug Ivrit

  Our 4th – 5th Graders learn Hebrew decoding, common Hebrew-at-home vocabulary and ritual vocabulary, and holiday prayers in Chug Ivrit (Hebrew club!).  Students engage in Hebrew language instruction, beginning with decoding letters and vowels, for 50 minutes 1 day/ week Our small group classes are dynamic, engaging, and focused – allowing children to begin to grow their Hebrew superpowers!  We offer these classes both online and in person on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday afternoons.  It is most helpful when students have continuity of instruction with peers and teachers, so try and find a time that will work for your learner for the duration of the academic year.

  • Monday (online only), 4:30 – 5:20pm, 5:30 – 6:20pm
  • Tuesday (in person only), 4-4:50pm, 5-5:50pm, 6-6:50pm
  • Wednesday (online or in person), 4:30 – 5:20pm, 5:30 – 6:20pm

  4th–5th Grade is available to Temple Sinai member and nonmember families for full-year enrollment. 

  • Member Tuition: $1350
  • Non Member Tuition:  $2800
• Grade 6 (Noar)

  In 6th grade, our students continue to learn both Judaics and Hebrew.  Our 6th graders study Becoming a Leader in Your Jewish Community:  Torah, Mitzvot, and Prayer.  This powerful curriculum is a meaningful gateway to our students taking their roles as leaders in our Sinai community as they enter their middle school years.  Our 6^th graders attend our Noar program – where middle schoolers and high schoolers come together in both sophisticated learning and good hangout space.

  • Tuesday 6:30 – 8:00pm (optional pizza dinner 6:00 – 6:30)

  Chug Ivrit

  Our Chug Ivrit program continues through the entire 6th grade year, even as Hebrew tutoring for b’nei mitzvah begins about 9 months prior to the bar/ bat mitzvah date.  Our 6th grade Hebrew program is all online, and is a 1:1 tutoring program.  Students meet with their tutor for 20 minutes each week.  In a 1:1 environment, we can support students in their Hebrew learning as they continue to access their bima prayers, gain ongoing decoding skills, and begin to learn predictable patterns in Torah.  Students will choose a tutoring session in August 2024 for the entire year.

  6th Grade is available to Temple Sinai member families for full-year enrollment.

  • Member Tuition:  $1600
• Grades 7-8 (Noar)

  Middle School is a thrilling time at Temple Sinai; students have completed the Chug Ivrit Curriculum, Sunday school has come to a close – and their learning and Jewish experiences continue with our dynamic and student driven Noar program on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 – 8pm (optional pizza dinner 6:00 – 6:30).

  In order to make a meaningful middle school experience that all students can access we offer:

  • An alternative night of Noar online, Mondays from 7-8pm
  • 3 Trimesters (8 weeks each) of elective courses, allowing students to pursue deep learning in a variety of content areas
  • B’nei mitzvah preparation courses to support b’nei mitzvah requirements at Noar

  Noar meets in trimesters, and each trimester, students are able to choose a new deep-dive course of study.

  7th-8th Grade is available to Temple Sinai member students for full-year enrollment.         

  • Member tuition:  $1500
• Grade 9

  TSRS 9th Graders resume grade-level learning with other 9th grade peers on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 – 8:00pm (optional pizza dinner 6:00 – 6:30).  In 9th grade, as we explore Jewish Identity and Jewish history, students will take a deep dive into both watershed moments in Jewish history, including a special focus on Holocaust, and its impact on Jewish identity development over time.  This special year of learning includes a trip to the Holocaust Museum and to Philadelphia, PA to visit the American Jewish History Museum.

  9th Grade is available for member students at Temple Sinai for full-year enrollment.

  • Member tuition:  $1600
• Grade 10 (Confirmation)

  Confirmation meets on Tuesday evenings from 6:30pm-8:00pm*(optional pizza dinner 6:00 – 6:30).  We will choose a different evening if all participants desire.  As participants attend their final year of our formal education program at Temple Sinai, they dive-in deeper and explore again the topics that are the foundations and cornerstones of Jewish life in preparation to ask “What do I confirm about my Judaism and my Jewish identity at this point in my life?” Weekly classes with our clergy explore topics such as “Being Human: What is a person’s purpose on earth?” and “Revelation: What happened at Sinai and what happens next?” Our students also explore ways to activate their Judaism in their daily life, including traveling together on a weekend retreat.

  10th grade is available for member students at Temple Sinai for full-year enrollment.

  • Member tuition:  $1750
• Alternative Study

  We know that sometimes our schedule and your schedule are not compatible.  We totally understand and are here to help!  If you cannot attend TSRS at your grade assigned day/ time, let us know.  Reach out to Max Miller, our Religious School Program Manager, and set up a time to discuss what’s possible!