BETH ISRAEL HIGH SCHOOL 

8^th Grade will be divided into semesters as students study the Holocaust and World Religions.

HOLOCAUST THROUGH THE EYES OF OUR STUDENTS

Objective:

Students will study the Holocaust through their eyes by looking at art, music and daily life during this period of time. Students will confront the historical circumstances relating to the development of anti-Semitism, Hitler's accession to power, the Third Reich, Nazism, and the "Final Solution".  To this study of history are added the perspective of Jewish values and Jewish experience:  the situation of the Jews in Germany and Eastern Europe before, during, and after the war; ghetto life, revolt and resistance, testimony of survivors, and the questions which confront all humanity after Auschwitz.  Discussion topics include the totalitarian state; "following orders"; the role of international law, kiddush Hashem (martyrdom) and the issue of self?defense; the ransoming of captives; and the role of the community.

Texts:

History of the Holocaust Student Pack – Torah Aura

Teaching the Holocaust (Simone Schweber & Debbie Findling) (Teacher only)

WORLD RELIGIONS – Students study the world’s major religions through a Jewish lens as they recognize differences and similarities to Judaism.  Students will learn more about Judaism in the process and get an insight into how to respond to Christian Missionaries.

TEXT:  Apples and Oranges, Torah Aura

9^h Grade will be divided into semesters.

BIBLE – Students will learn how to navigate the TANACH while they study an overview of the Chumash.  An emphasis will be on the book of Bereshit (Genesis) and the concepts of themes within the Bible.  They will learn to see the Bible as a timeline of the Jewish people.

JEWISH QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS – Students will begin to understand the connection of Jewish texts to their own lives and learn where to go for answers and who to turn to for guidance.  What makes the sources authentic and where does the authority come from?  Modern and relevant topics will be discussed in the context of what Jewish Law says, as students write their own responsa.

TEXT: Responsa and Referendums, URJ

10^th Grade is the year of confirmation.  Students study with the Rabbi and prepare for a service at the end of the year.  The class is focused on our identities as Reform Jews.  Students will study the history and ideology of Reform Judaism.  They will explore prayer and spirituality from a Reform perspective.  They will also spend a lot of time on the topic of the Reform Jewish imperative towards social justice culminating in our trip to Washington, DC to participate in the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism’s L’Taken Social Justice Seminar where we will lobby our members of Congress on the issues that affect us. The year ends with the Confirmation class leading the congregation in worship.

11^th Grade offers a unique opportunity to students as they near the end of their high school experience.  This course is designed to help them feel comfortable with the transitions they will face in their lives as they leave home.  Topics covered will be:  Sex in the Texts; Conflict on Campus; Connecting Jewishly away from home; Jewish Law in our time.

12^TH Grade is divided into 2 semesters.  The first is Philanthropy Leadership Training presented by the San Diego Jewish Community Foundation.  Students will look at charitable giving through a Jewish lens, create their own mission statement, meet and have discussions with community members who are very involved in philanthropic organizations, do a site visit and will decide as a team where to donate the $3,000 the Foundation gives them for this purpose.

The second semester will be spent in discussion with the Rabbi on “Tough Questions Jews Ask” that relate to their lives.  An example of topics:  “Who Believes in God Anymore? “ “Is Anything in the Bible True”, “Why Does Religion Need So Many Rules?”

Electives for 8^th – 12^th Grades

Madrichim Preparation - 8^th Grade - Upon completion of the Madrichim course a teen student will be eligible to become an aide in the classroom, a Hebrew and/or Bar/Bat Mitzvah tutor, a weekend camp counselor, and a library, art, dance, or music assistant.

Topics include: How to become a Jewish leader; How to teach in a Jewish setting

The sessions include lesson planning, teaching songs and games, teaching Hebrew reading and vocabulary and storytelling. In addition students will write and produce a teaching DVD. They will develop a strategy and lesson plan, write and film a DVD to be used in the classroom or in an informal education setting.

The Rabbi’s Study –Teacher, Rabbi Satz

Students will study primary texts at a deeper level. Group will be conducted as a discussion group giving students the opportunity to get answers to questions they’ve always wanted to ask.

Conversational Hebrew –Teacher, Mickey Targum

Have fun, continue your Hebrew and learn some common phrases and basic Hebrew conversation used  by teenagers.

Jewish Art, Teacher, Orna McCann

This will be a very unique and engaging class.  Students will have a brief introduction to Jewish artists.  They will then create their own holiday related project choosing from various mediums, such as, drawing, painting, collage, photography, or illustration.  No artistic talent is required, just an interest.

Getting More Out of  Relationships, Teacher, Katey Pianko

Relationships are very important during the high school years.  Students will take a  look at the relationships in their lives as they search for deeper meaning in their connections with parents,  girl/boy friends, and Torah. They will also do various related craft projects such as friendship bracelets.

Shir Chadash, Teacher, Daniel Brenner (1^st Semester only)

Love to sing Jewish songs? (1^st Semester) Want to learn to play guitar along with them? Is harmonizing second nature to you? Then come to Shir Chadash.  Every week we will learn new music from the biggest Jewish music composers of the day, sing old classics, and have a rocking-rolling good time.  No instrumental experience required.

So You Think You Can Lead? Teacher –Daniel Brenner (2^nd Semester only) – This exciting and new class is designed to make YOU into the leader you want to be.  We will cover public speaking, program writing, mixers, and a plethora of other topics.  Whether you want to take a leadership role in the Synagogue, your school, or your everyday life, this is the class for you.  If you plan to run for the BITY board this class is a required prerequisite.

Adjunct workshops that will be offered throughout the year:

Teen Film Fest and  BITY special program nights