Middle+School-+Jewish+Life,+Judaic+Studies,+Hebrew+Studies

__Jewish Life__

Students at The Davis Academy Middle School navigate a unique and deliberate Jewish environment. As a Reform Jewish Day School we are progressive and liberal in our attitudes towards Jewish practice. For example, //kippot// are encouraged in Judaic and Hebrew Studies but are not required. While our school is Jewish it is also diverse. In addition to a spectrum of Jewish observance among the student body we also have a diverse faculty that enriches school life immeasurably. On Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays the entire school gathers for //tefilah// (“Jewish Prayer”). The Monday prayer service focuses on the traditional weekday liturgy (//shaharit//). On Thursdays we honor students who are becoming //bnei mitzvah// by inviting them to chant Torah at our weekly Torah service (parents and family are invited). On Fridays we conclude our week with “Kabbalat Shabbat”. Kabbalat Shabbat has music at the center but also includes student and faculty performances and speeches, visits from community rabbis, and a host of other activities. We use //Mishkan T’fila,// the prayer book of the Reform Movement. Judaism permeates The Davis Academy Middle School. Jewish art adorns our stairwells, decorative locker boards celebrate the //bnei mitzvah//, Jewish values are present in guidance and counseling lessons, Jewish and Israeli holidays are celebrated at school, we ask our students to be respectful of our Kashrut policy… the list goes on. Students have the chance to explore, deliberate, cultivate, and celebrate their Jewish lives.

__Judaic Studies__

Judaic Studies? Israeli hip-hop, Rashi, archaeology, Jewish cooking, “Who wrote the Bible?”, Adam Sandler, Shalom Aleichem, Medieval theology, weekly headlines, //midrash//, Zionism, Jewish identity… The overarching goal of the Judaic Studies program is to empower students to see themselves as part of the unfolding narrative of the Jewish people. Students are encouraged to ask questions of **relevance** and **meaning** as they explore the depth and breadth of Jewish history, text, and tradition at this critical time in their lives. Judaic Studies classes involve **intensive discussions**, creative assessments, and reflective assignments with a focus on Jewish identity and //relevance//. In Judaic Studies students have the chance to hone their **critical thinking** skills. They learn how to consult Judaism as a body of wisdom that can help them make difficult decisions and choices in their present and future lives. Parents are encouraged to take an active interest in their child’s Judaic education by asking questions, engaging in conversations, and learning alongside their child. Judaic Studies classes meet every day. On alternating Fridays students transform their Judaic Studies classroom into a //beit midrash// (“traditional” house of study). At the bi-monthly Davis Academy Beit Midrash students bring classical and contemporary Jewish texts to life with their //chevruta// (“study partners”) and have the chance to work at their own pace and level of difficulty. Texts studied during the Beit Midrash are collected in a special binder that the student carries through his or her years of study at Davis. Here too parents have the chance to be involved in their child’s Judaic education by asking to study. The Judaic Studies program offers differentiated instruction and utilizes technology to bring Judaism to life. Additionally the Judaic Studies program utilizes the pioneering work __A Whole New Mind__, by Daniel Pink. Pink argues that education must prepare students for a rapidly changing world and that the best way to do so is by cultivating what he calls “The Six New Senses.” These are: empathy, meaning, design, symphony, play, and story. All Judaic assessments and lesson plans are designed with these concepts in mind.

Course Offerings and Major Topics of Study:

6th Grade Judaics— “L’dor V’dor” (“From Generation to Generation”): Ancient Israelite and Early Jewish History; TaNaKH; Jewish Ritual; Jewish Lifecycle

7th Grade Judaics—“Wrestling with God”: TaNaKH Commentary and Interpretation; Tikkun Olam (“Mending the World”); the Shoah (Holocaust), God/ Theology

8th Grade Judaics—“Living the Covenant”: Modern Jewish Thought and Culture, Jewish Choices in Contemporary Society, Israeli History and Culture, The Israel Trip

__Hebrew Studies__

Intensive Hebrew study is a central component of The Davis Academy Middle School education. Countless studies show the cognitive benefit of second language acquisition. Hebrew Studies focus on Modern Israeli Hebrew. Hebrew is a vibrant language that has roots in ancient Semitic languages but continues to develop. It is one of the most dynamic languages spoken in the world today. Hebrew Studies courses utilize the best curricular materials available for Hebrew language instruction: NETA. Used in hundreds of schools around the world, including Israel, NETA seeks to meet students where they are at by teaching language in the context of topics and subjects that students are interested in such as sports and art. **When students celebrate Shabbat in Jerusalem on the first day of the Israel trip many are moved to tears by their ability to speak and understand Hebrew.**

Course Offerings: 6th Grade Hebrew

7th Grade Hebrew

8th Grade Hebrew