Jewish Studies

The following provides a sense of the journey our students will undertake in their Judaic studies at AJA:

Kindergarten

Students connect with the rhythm of the Jewish year, specifically around Jewish Holidays and the weekly Torah portion. They are beginning to recognize Hebrew letters, along with basic vocabulary words and phrases. They are introduced to Tefillah and by the end of the year, they receive their first siddur and practice being prayer leaders.

First Grade

Students work towards mastering Hebrew letters and vowels, and begin their journey of reading and speaking Hebrew. They can confidently lead Tefillah, and they especially focus on being able to read and recite the Shema and V’ahavata, which is one of the foundational prayers of Judaism.

Second Grade 

Students spend the year exploring Shabbat and the story of Noah’s Ark. During their study of Shabbat, they learn about the various artifacts, prayers and blessings, and common practices; they learn to lead many of the Kabbalat Shabbat prayers and blessings throughout the year. Along with their general studies unit on communities, they also study the Kibbutz as a unique type of community in Israel!

Third Grade

Students begin to think critically and ask questions about the stories they are reading, specifically focusing on Abraham’s family and his role as the first person to believe in only one G-d. They focus on the big idea of “What is Torah?” and they receive their own Chumash in a special ceremony surrounded by the Torah and their loved ones.

Fourth Grade 

Students focus on Jewish communities around the world and the rich histories and traditions that have developed over time, including the stories of Jews in Texas. They explore the story of Jacob and his complicated family; they learn about Midrash and even get to write and perform their own Midrashic story. Fourth graders read the graphic novel White Bird and learn about heroes and helpers during the time of the Holocaust.

Fifth Grade

Students explore the story of Joseph and his family, and given their developmental focus on fairness and justice, they will hold several “trials” throughout the year as they grapple with right vs wrong and what it means to take responsibility for their actions. Fifth graders also learn Torah trope and will have the opportunity to read Torah throughout the school year.

Sixth Grade

Students spend the first part of the year participating in an online program called Jewish Court of All Time, where they choose a character from history and interact with other characters played by students at Jewish Day Schools around the country. Sixth graders also explore the book of Exodus, focusing on the journey from slavery to freedom, and the many trials and tribulations the Israelites faced.

Seventh Grade

Students explore the theme of leadership and what it means to create a community. They explore the leadership styles of Moses, judges, prophets, kings, rabbis, and G-d as a leader, as they figure out who they are and how they want to lead. They are introduced to the Mishna and Rabbinic Judaism and are challenged to “think like a rabbi” in how to create long-lasting and meaningful traditions in the face of a changing world.

Eighth Grade

Students study a variety of topics in Jewish studies. Along with an intensive seminar about the Holocaust, eighth graders also study the Talmud, the five Megillot, Israeli history and many other topics throughout their final year at AJA.