CHAI Lesson Overview

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Level 1

Theme: Discovering Myself in the Jewish Story

Torah

Lesson # and Title	Topic/Questions to be Addressed
1. Introduction: What Is Torah?	How is the story of Torah different that other stories I might read, and how is it the same? How is the Book of Genesis like a journey? What do I have in common with the people in the Torah?
2. Adam and Eve	Who was the first person that God created? Why did God create a second person?
3. Noah	How were each of the animals on the ark unique and what were their unique needs? How is understanding how Noah took care of the unique needs of animals similar to our understanding of how to take care of the unique needs of people?
4. Abraham and Sarah	What are the qualities that Abraham and Sarah possess that would make God think they are worthy to be the founders of Judaism? How can I incorporate Abraham and Sarah’s positive qualities in to my own life?
5. Rebekah: Woman of Kindness and Courage	Why did Abraham’s servant pick Rebecca to be a wife for Isaac? What is special about Rebecca? What did Rebecca do that makes us think she is special?
6. Jacob and Esau	What happened between Jacob and Esau that caused trouble in their family? How do Jacob and Esau provide us a model of accepting people in spite of differences and conflicts we may have with them?
7. Joseph (Lesson Alef): Trouble among Brothers	What did Joseph do that made his brothers jealous? Can we behave in a good way, even when we are feeling bad?
8. Joseph (Lesson Bet): Personal Change and Reconciliation	What happens to Joseph in Egypt? How did Joseph and his brothers change in order for them to forgive each other?
9. The Genesis Journey Map	What were the Genesis stories the class studied this year, and what where their main messages?

Avodah

Lesson # and Title	Topic/Questions to be Addressed
1. Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur	What are the special concepts and symbols associated with the High Holy Days? How can I be part of the Jewish story by engaging in the process of t’shuvah?
2. Sukkot	How does Jewish time help us appreciate what God gives us/ our blessings? What actions show God that we appreciate our blessings? Why is hiddur mitzvah important?
3. Simchat Torah	Why is Simchat Torah an important Jewish holiday? How can the Torah make me happy?
4. What is a Blessing?	What is a blessing? When and why do we say blessings?
5. Havdalah	Why is it important to make distinctions or separations in time? What are the ways in which Jews make separations in time?
6. Chanukah	What is the story of Chanukah? What are some of the positive qualities of the Maccabees? How can I be like the Maccabees? How am I a part of the Chanukah story today?
7. Purim	How did Esther and Mordechai’s actions show their Jewish pride? How can I show my Jewish pride like Mordechai and Esther? How can my actions today make me part of the unfolding Jewish story?
8. Pesach	What are some of the important messages of the Exodus story? How can I be a part of the Passover story today?
9. Shehecheyanu	When are appropriate times to say Shehecheyanu? Why is it important to take note of new things/ first times? How does this blessing help connect me to God and the Jewish community?

G’milut Chasadim

Lesson # and Title	Topic/Questions to be Addressed
1. Being a Jewish Hero: An Introduction to G’milut Chasadim and Tzedakah	What are acts of g’milut chasadim and tzedakah? How can I be a Jewish hero by doing these things?
2. Being Kind with Derech Eretz	What are examples of acts of kindness and how can I do them?
3. Do Not Do to Others…	How are taking turns and including others acts of g’milut chasadim? How can I do these things?
4. Repentance: Is Saying Sorry Enough?	Why should we say we’re sorry? When should we say we’re sorry? Why should we forgive others? When should we forgive others?
5. Welcoming Guests: Hachnasat Orchim	Who are some biblical heroes? What can they teach me about welcoming guests?
6. Helping Our Synagogue Community	Who are some of the helpers in our synagogue community? How is what they do a kind of g’milut chasadim?

7. Taking Care of the Earth	Why should we take care of the earth? How can we take care of the earth? Who in the story of the Jewish people took care of the earth?
8. Tzedakah: A Different Way of Helping	What is tzedakah? Why should we give tzedakah? Whom can we help by giving tzedakah?
9. G’milut Chasadim Hero	What are some of the acts of g’milut chasadim that we remember experiencing this year? What is my role in making g’milut chasadim a part of our world?

Family education:

Torah, Me, My Family and My People

A Havdalah Pajama Party

Behaving in Special Ways: A Family Introduction to G’milut Chasadim

Level 2

Theme: I am part of the Jewish people.

Torah

Lesson # and Title	Topic/Questions to be Addressed
1. Introduction to Torah	How does the Torah differ from other books? Why is the Torah so important for the Jewish people?
2. Introduction to the Book of Exodus/Sh?mot	What is the Book of Exodus about? What does it mean to be part of a group? What did the Israelites need in order to become a group?
3. Parashat Sh’mot Part 1: When I was a Slave in Egypt	How can I learn from the story of Israelite slavery in Egypt? What laws do we have in the Torah because we remember what it was like to be a slave?
4. Parashat Sh’mot Part 2: Finding God in Small Places	What do we learn from God appearing to Moses in a bush? What is the value of seemingly lowly things in the world?
5. Parshiyot Va-eira and Bo: The Ten Plagues	What were the Ten Plagues? What do Israelites, to this day, take ten drops of wine out of our Passover wine cups when we say the Ten Plagues? What can I learn form this part of the Exodus story that is important in my life today?
6. Parashat B’shalach: Song at the Sea	How did the Israelites react after crossing the Sea of Reeds? How do I feel when I see a miracle in my own life?
7. Parashat Yitro Part 1: Helping Hands	Why does Moses need help? What are the characteristics of a good helper? How can I be a good helper?
8. Parashat Yitro Part 2: The Ten Commandments	What are the Ten Commandments? How do the Ten Commandments apply to my own life?
9. Parashat Ki Tisa: The Israelites and the Golden Calf	Why did the Israelites make the Golden Calf? Why do God and Moses get angry at the Israelites? What can I learn from this story about my own life today?

Avodah

Lesson # and Title	Topic/Questions to be Addressed
1. Seeing God	How do I know God exists if I can’t see God? How can I see God’s imprint in the world and thereby recognize God’s presence?
2. Praising God, the Creator of Our World	Why praise God? How can I praise God?
3. Asking God for Help	How can God help me? When is it appropriate to ask God for help? How do I ask God for help?
4. Thanking God for Who I Am	What does it mean to be created in God’s image? How do we than God for creating us as we are, rather than how we wish we were? When do Jews traditionally than God during a worship service?
5. Evening Blessings (Lesson Alef): Hashkiveinu	How can I strengthen my connection to God as I prepare for bed? What images are associated with the idea of a sukkat shalom?
6. Evening Blessings (Lesson Bet): Sh’ma	How can I strengthen my connection to God as I prepare for bed? How can the words of the Sh’ma provide comfort and reflective time at night?
7. Morning Blessings	How is each new day a gift from God? How can we say thank you and praise God for this gift?
8. Shabbat: A Time to Connect to God	What can I do to observe Shabbat? How can Shabbat observance benefit me and my family?
9. Connecting to God through Our Behavior	What is God’s presence reflected in my own behavior? What actions can I take to reflect God’s presence in the world?

G’milut Chasadim

Lesson # and Title	Topic/Questions to be Addressed
1. Making A Difference	What is g’milut chasadim? How can one perform acts of g’milut chasadim? How do I change the world when I perform acts of g’milut chasadim?
2. Opportunities Every Day	What kind of g’milut chasadim can I do? When can I do different kinds of g’milut chasadim?
3. Torah Teaches Us	What is g’milut chasadim? How can we learn about g’milut chasadim from the Torah?
4. Being God’s Partner	How can I be God’s partner in fixing the world?
5. Helping Others: The Work of the Jewish Community	What are the different organizations whose supporters perform acts of g’milut chasadim? How do these organizations perform acts of g’milut chasadim and help people in need? How can I perform acts of g’milut chasadim by helping these organizations?
6. Our Community Cares for the Elderly	What can Jewish texts teach me about how to perform different acts of g’milut chasadim? What are the ways that we can perform an act of loving-kindness for the elderly?
7. Our Community Helps the Hungry	What types of organizations and agencies help feed the hungry in our community? How can we as a class and school community help feed the hungry?

8. Our Community Cares for the Homeless	What are the needs of the homeless? How can we help agencies that serve the homeless?
9. Reflecting on Doing	How do we know when we are performing acts of g’milut chasadim and making the world a better place?

Family education:

Eating, Remembering, and Telling: Sharing Jewish Life Together

Level 3

Theme: K’dushah – Holiness

Torah

Lesson # and Title	Topic/Questions to be Addressed
1. Introduction to Vayikra/Leviticus Parashat K'doshim: Holiness	What does k’dushah/ holiness mean? What people, places, actions and things are kadosh/holy?
2. Parashat Vayikra: Sacrifice, Gifts, Drawing Near	What is the connection between an offering to God and drawing close to God? How can I make an offering to God through my actions?
3. Parashat Sh’mini: Kashrut – Holy Eating	What are the laws of kashrut? Why should I study and follow the mitzvah/commandment of kashrut? How might the mitzvah of kashrut add holiness to my life?
4. Parashat K’doshim Session Alef: Stumbling Block	What does it mean to put a stumbling block before the blind? How are we all blind? What does it mean to curse the deaf? How are we all deaf? In what ways do the messages of this verse help us to act in a more kadosh/holy manner toward others?
5. Parashat K’doshim Session Bet: Tochecha (Rebuking Others)	What are the rules/guidelines for practicing tochecha? How does telling someone she or he did something wrong help that person? How can the guidelines for tochecha make me a better friend?
6. Parashat Emor: Shabbat – Holy Time	What is “work,” according to the Hebrew term used in the verse, melacha? Why is not working on Shabbat holy? What makes a day holy? Why is it important for Shabbat to be celebrated by Jews everywhere?
7. Parashat B’har: The Sabbatical Year – Holiness of the Earth	To whom does the land belong, God or people? What do we need to do to take care of the earth? Why does the land need to take a rest, a Shabbat?
8. Parashat K’doshim: Love Your Neighbor	What does it mean to love my fellow human being as myself? How might I do this? How does loving others as I love myself lead to more k’dushah/holiness in my life? What is my definition of k’dushah/holiness? In what ways might more k’dushah/holiness in my life make it better or happier?
9. Parashat B’chukotai: Rules, Laws and Teachings – Passing It On	How has the Torah been passed on? What do I want to pass on, and to whom?

Avodah

Lesson # and Title	Topic/Questions to be Addressed
1. Synagogue Helps Us Make Room for God	How does the synagogue, and its people and objects, help me connect to God? What about the synagogue is kadosh?
2. Road Signs to God	What do I do when I feel distant from God? What does the Torah teach me about my relationship with God? How can we help each other to recognize God in challenging times?
3. How Do We Relate to God?	Using the High Holy Days text, Ki Anu Amecha (We Are Your People), students examine how our relationships with one another help us have a relationship with God and how human relationships can be metaphors for relationships with God.
4. Getting Connected	This lesson focuses on the shehecheyanu blessing as a way of acknowledging God and our connections to each other, God, and God’s creations.
5. Acting Holy	How can I experience moments of connection to God? How is striving for a connection to God, avodah, like work? How can doing the work of avodah make my life, the lives of others, and the world more kadosh/holy?
6. Everything’s B’seder, All Is in Order	Students briefly review the Creation story and read an interpretation of the ma’ariv aravim prayer as they consider how God brings order to the world and how avodah can bring order to their lives.
7. Our Bodies Are a Gift from God	How to reflect the holiness of one’s body by the care we take of it is the topic of this lesson. Students will use text study and art to answer this question.
8. Ordinary Moments Can Be Kadosh	Students are introduced to the section of the morning blessings (Nisim B’chol Yom), which thank God for the miracle of “ordinary” things. They will reconstruct their own morning ritual to include thanks for a regular part of their day that becomes kadosh because of their conscious prayer.
9. Taking God Home	In this concluding lesson, students will review the ideas they have explored about God, about doing the work to connect to God, and about how each person can make the world more kadosh by taking the time to recognize and think about God.

G’milut Chasadim

Lesson # and Title	Topic/Questions to be Addressed
1. Taking Responsibility: Doing G’milut Chasadim	What does it mean to take responsibility to perform g’milut chasadim? Why do we have a responsibility to do g’milut chasadim?
2. K’lal Yisrael: Helping Jews around the World	Students learn about our responsibility for helping Jews around the world and utilizing fact-finding stations, they discover ways to do this.

3. G’milut Chasadim: Helping Others and Helping Ourselves	This lesson raises the question of how to keep a balance between helping ourselves and helping others. Students will use music, text study, and a values clarification activity to accomplish this.
4. Our Actions Make a Difference: Caring is Contagious	Using music, movement, stories and discussion, students will learn how one person can make a difference and how our acts of g’milut chasadim make a difference by influencing others.
5. G’milut Chasadim Every Day	Learning stations and a “palm pilot” activity help students understand how they can consciously incorporate acts of g’milut chasadim into their daily lives.
6. A G’milut Chasadim Road Map	A Jewish Road Map Game helps students “find” the Jewish values described in the Elu D’varim text from the Talmud and found in our prayer book that are of utmost importance.
7. The G’milut Chasadim Holiday Connection – Session Alef	In this lesson, students take a tour of the Jewish holiday cycle, using text study, a card game, and creative skits, to identify the acts of g’milut chasadim connected with holiday celebrations.
8. The G’milut Chasadim Holiday Connection – Session Bet	The focus of this lesson is on how the Jewish holidays give us opportunities to take responsibility for doing g’milut chasadim and how we can make the world more holy/kadosh when we celebrate the Jewish holidays.
9. G’milut Chasadim: Review and Taking Action	How can I do g’milut chasadim in my own community, right away? How does doing g’milut chasadim help me life a Jewish life?

Family education:

The Great God Hunt

Level 4

Theme: Being Part of the Community

Torah

Lesson # and Title	Topic/question(s) to be addressed
1. Am Yisrael, Eretz Yisrael, and the B’rit	What is Am Yisrael? What is Eretz Yisrael? What is the b’rit that connects Am Yisrael, Eretz Yisrael, and God? In addition to exploring these concepts, this lesson introduces the skills necessary to find citations in the Bible.
2. Am Yisrael ─ Session Alef: All Jews are Members of Am Yisrael; I Am a Member of Am Yisrael	Who is a member of Am Yisrael? How do Jews feel connected to Am Yisrael? What is my connection to Am Yisrael?

3. Am Yisrael ─ Session Bet: It Takes Twelve Tribes to Create a People	In the Bible, what were the twelve tribes that made up Am Yisrael? What were their roles and responsibilities to Am Yisrael? How do the various types of people help sustain Am Yisrael? What is my role and responsibility as a member of Am Yisrael?
4. Eretz Yisrael ─ Session Alef: The Physical Land	What are the boundaries of Eretz Yisrael and what are the boundaries of the modern State of Israel? How have the boundaries of Eretz Yisrael changed over time? In what way are the climatic and geographic characteristics of Eretz Yisrael unique? How do maps and descriptions of Eretz Yisrael reflect the value of Eretz Yisrael for Am Yisrael? Using Biblical texts, commentaries and poetry, students will encounter the conceptual aspect of Eretz Yisrael and the notion of Jerusalem as the center of the world for Jews.
5. Eretz Yisrael ─ Session Bet: The Land for Our Souls	What are the characteristics of Eretz Yisrael that have been so attractive to Am Yisrael over time? Why might the student, as a Jew today, be intrigued by or drawn to Eretz Yisrael?
6. B’rit ─ Session Alef: Parashat Sh’lach L’cha: Becoming Like Joshua and Caleb	Lessons 6, 7 and 8 constitute a 3-lesson mini-unit that utilizes Torah text and interactive drama to understand the connection between commitment to a goal and the perception of challenges in achieving it. What is different and similar between the reports of Joshua and Caleb and those of the scouts regarding Eretz Yisrael? Why might the reports be different? What can we learn from the response of the Israelites to the reports about the connection between keeping our part of the b’rit/covenant with God and Eretz Yisrael? What advice would help the Israelites be more like Joshua and Caleb?
7. Brit ─ Session Bet: Parashat Sh’lach L’cha: Becoming Like Joshua and Caleb	See above.
8. Brit ─ Session Gimel: Keeping the B’rit	What does it mean to keep the b’rit/covenant with God? What does keeping the b’rit have to do with being successful in Eretz Yisrael? How does the concept “choose life” relate to the b’rit? What advice might help the Israelites (and all Jews) “choose life”?
9. Wrap-Up: We Are About to Enter the Land…	How are Am Yisrael, Eretz Yisrael, and the b’rit connected? What was it like for Am Yisrael to get to the brink of Eretz Yisrael? In this lesson, the students will consider the relationship between these three concepts and will explore the very last verses of the Torah where Moses dies, leaving the Israelites on the brink of entering the Land.

Avodah

Lesson Title	Topic/question(s) to be addressed
1. Kavanah	In this lesson, students are introduced to the concept of kavanah ─ intention and concentrationin prayer. What actions do I need to take in order to experience kavanah? What would an experience of kavanah feel like for me?
2. Keva: Why We Pray	Why should I pray? How do we feel if we are not prepared for fixed prayer experiences? What is the work (avodah) required to create a successful prayer experience?
3. Siddur Geography: Our Journey through the Prayer Book	This lesson is designed to give students an overview of the major prayer elements of the Friday night and Saturday morning Shabbat synagogue service.
4. The Sh’ma and Its Blessings: Finding Kavanah in Keva (Session Alef: Sh’ma and V’ahavta)	How can a fixed prayer like the Sh’ma/V’ahavta inspire kavanah? How can the themes of the Sh’ma provide meaning, guidance, and comfort in my life?
5. The Sh’ma and Its Blessings: Finding Kavanah in Keva (Session Bet: Creation, Revelation, Redemption)	This lesson explores the themes of creation, revelation and redemption surrounding the Sh’ma and its blessings. How can understanding the themes of prayers or blessings help me understand the prayers or blessing in a personal way? The concept of p’tichah and chatimah as “clue” to meaning is introduced in the lesson.
6. Kiddush: Sanctifying Our Lives Through Fixed Prayer and Personal Feelings of Holiness	How does the Kiddush blessing express the concept of our holy relationship with God? When do I personally experience feelings of holiness? How can I bring kavanah (personal feelings of holiness) to the fixed Kiddush blessing?
7. Communal and Individual Prayers	How is praying in community different than praying individually? How can I experience personal moments of kavanah within a communal worship setting? What is the power of being in community?
8. Blessings of Wonder	How can saying blessings help us recognize moments as holy or awesome? How does saying blessings help me feel a connection to God? What are some of the things we can do every day that provide an opportunity for avodah, making sacred connections?
9. Silent Prayer: Creating a Moment for Ourselves, with Our Own Words	How can I experience kavanah and feel moments of connection to God? How can I feel a sense of sacred connections by using my own words? How does having a fixed time for using my own words help my experience of kavanah throughout the service?

G’milut Chasadim

Lesson Title	Topic/question(s) to be addressed
1. Making Peace Among Friends	Why is peace among friends important? How can you play a role in making peace among friends? What are the risks in being a peacemaker? What are different ways to make peace among friends? How is making peace an act of g’milut chasadim?
2. Sh’lom Bayit: Peace and Harmony at Home	What is sh’lom bayit? Why is sh’lom bayit a Jewish value? What other Jewish values contribute to sh’lom bayit?
3. Accepting Differences: Love Your Neighbor as Yourself (V’ahavta L’rei-acha Kamocha)	What does it mean to be different? How are people different? How can we learn to be accepting of the differences in others? How does it feel to be accepted for who you are? Why do we have a responsibility to accept differences in others?
4. Show Honor with Action: Honor Your Parents (Kibud Av Va-eim)	What can we learn from the Torah about honoring parents? What is the difference between honor and respect? How, when, and why should we honor our parents?
5. Befriending the Lonely	How can I reach out to lonely people? What are the barriers to making friends? What do Jewish texts teach us about reaching out to people who are lonely?
6. The Danger of Gossip: Lashon Hara	What is gossip and why should we avoid it? What does our Jewish tradition teach us about the consequences of gossip?
7. Understanding the Elderly	What are the signs of aging? How can we learn to understand the elderly? What responsibilities do we have toward the elderly in our community? What do Jewish texts teach us about the aging process?
8. Honoring the Elderly (Kibud Z’keinim) Session Alef	This lesson is the first of two parts and prepares the students for a visit to the classroom by elderly guests. Questions to be addressed include: Why should we honor the elderly? How can I show honor to the elderly? How is honoring the elderly a way of revering God? Where in Jewish sources do we learn about honoring the elderly?
9. Honoring the Elderly (Kibud Z’keinim) Session Bet	This lesson follows the previous one and involves inviting elderly guests into the classroom. The students will address these questions: How can I show honor [to the elderly] and act as a gracious host? What can I learn from elderly people? How do I make a difference when I honor the elderly in my community?

Family education:

The Many Faces of My Jewish Family

Level 5

Theme: Reform Judaism

Torah

Lesson Title	Topic/question(s) to be addressed
1. Tanach: Getting to Know You	What is the meaning of the term Tanach? What are the characteristics of the three different sections of the Tanach?
2. Meet the Prophets	How do the prophets see themselves? What is God looking for in a prophet?
3. Joshua: Warrior Prophet	What was special or important about Joshua? What qualities did he have that might have caused God to choose him as a prophet and leader? What aspects of Joshua’s behavior can provide a good model for us today?
4. Deborah: Bringing Light to Her World	Students will study texts and midrashim to learn the difference between a judge and a prophet. They will then compose their own song about Deborah to reflect their learning.
5. Jonah and Jeremiah: The Reluctant Prophets	Why would a prophet be reluctant to hear God’s call? How did Jeremiah and Jonah answer God’s call? How would you react to God’s call?
6. Amos and Isaiah: The Intolerant Prophets	What are some of the problems that God might see in our world today? What problems did God see that God spoke to the Israelites about through Amos and Isaiah? How is the world we live in similar to that of Amos and Isaiah?
7. Elijah: Who Was He? Who Is He?	Who is the prophet Elijah? What are Elijah’s unique characteristics? How and why is Elijah important to us today?
8. Reform Judaism: Response to Prophecy	What values do we still hold from the time of the prophets? What do we as Reform Jews and inheritors of prophetic Judaism need to speak out about?
9. Your Sons and Daughters Shall Prophesy	Students analyze the words of Debbie Friedman’s song based on Joel 3:1, “And the Youth Shall See Visions” to define the role of a prophet in our world today. They will then create a social action project that reflects their feeling about social justice.

Avodah

Lesson Title	Topic/question(s) to be addressed
1. The Prayer-to-Action Connection	How can prayer affect what I do? Students will explore the relationship between prayer and their lives.
2. Introduction to the Amidah	How can understanding the structure of the Amidah help me to better understand prayer as a means of strengthening my relationship with the Divine? How can I understand the themes of the Amidah in order to develop a personal discipline surrounding the recitation of the Amidah? How can I feel a sense of kavanah when praying the Amidah so that my words are “always acceptable on high?” Please note that in each of the following lessons, the specific prayers are included for student study.
3. Amidah Section 1: B’rachot of Praise*	Students will study at stations to learn how understanding the themes of the three blessings of praise can help them feel a greater sense of kavanah in praying the Amidah. They will also explore Reform changes in the Amidah.
4. Amidah Section 2: B’rachot of Petition	In exploring the difference between the things we want and the things we need, students will explore how the communal needs of the Jewish people have changed over time and how their own needs can be addressed in prayer.
5. Amidah Section 3: B’rachot of Thanksgiving	Students will analyze what it means to give thanks to God and why is it important to do so. They will also address the question of how a better understanding of the themes of prayers of thanksgiving help us be more grateful in our lives.
6. The Aleinu Prayer: Choosing God	Students will learn the meaning of the Aleinu prayer and will consider how the concepts of particularism and universalism affect how they think about being Jewish.
7. The Kaddish Prayer: Remembering and Affirming God	The different forms of the Kaddish prayer and their roles in the worship service are explored.
8. Israel in Our Prayers	Students will learn how the historical and ongoing connection between the Jewish people and the Land of Israel has been reflected in our prayers and in other Jewish texts.
9. The Prayer-to-Action Wrap-Up	How does prayer affect us? How can the Amidah, the Aleinu, and the Kaddish prayers, written so long ago, have meaning for us today? In reviewing the prayers they learned in this unit, students will be challenged to interpret them in a way that has meaning for our time.

G’milut Chasadim

Lesson Title	Topic/question(s) to be addressed
1. K’hilah: The Jewish Community	Using the text, “All Israel is responsible for one another” (Shavuot 39a), students will explore the reasons for the existence of the different types of organizations that are a part of the Jewish community.
2. Al Tifrosh Min Hatzibur: Do Not Separate Yourself from the Jewish Community	Why shouldn’t we separate ourselves from the Jewish community? What happens when we separate ourselves from the Jewish community? Who suffers when we separate ourselves from the Jewish community? How does being part of the Jewish community lead to doing acts of g’milut chasadim? What are some ways in which we can strengthen the Jewish community?
3. K’vod HaMet: Showing Honor to the Dead	Students learn what actions Jews take to show honor to the dead, the role of the chevrah kadisha in the Jewish community, and the reason for ethical wills.
4. Conversion: Becoming Part of the Jewish Community	Students will learn about conversation and about what they and their synagogues can do to make Jews-by-Choice and non-Jewish members of the community feel welcome.
5. Keruv: Welcoming Jews-by-Choice into the Jewish Community	This lesson focuses on what is needed to help Jews-by-Choice integrate smoothly into the Jewish community. It includes an activity that can best be done with the participation of a Jew-by-Choice in the congregation.
6. Justice in the Community	Where do we learn about Jewish ideas of justice? What is my role as a Jew in regard to matters of right and wrong? Who or what can guide me in matters of justice? How is pursuing justice an example of g’milut chasadim? How can learning about justice help me become more just?
7. Tzedakah Session 1: How to Choose Where to Give	What can I learn about tzedakahfrom Jewish texts? What makes tzedakah a holy act of g’milut chasadim? How do I choose between many tzedakah opportunities? How are Maimonides’ laws of tzedakah helpful in my decision to contribute tzedakah? How does the work of tzedakah support and sustain the Jewish community?
8. Tzedakah Session 2: Avoiding Embarrassment	In this lesson, students will learn how Jewish texts instruct us to preserve human dignity by avoiding busha (embarrassment of another person). Maimonides’ laws of tzedakah are studied to help students understand how they can contribute tzedakah in a sensitive and caring manner.
9. Speaking Out and Speaking Up	Students study examples of courageous individuals, Biblical and contemporary, who made a difference through strong advocacy. They will also study Jewish texts to learn the forms that advocacy can take.

Family education:

Prayer and Community: Reform Judaism and Change

Level 6

Theme: Revelation

Torah

Lesson Title	Topic/question(s) to be addressed
1. Introduction to K’tuvim/Writings	What is K’tuvim/Writings? What type of literature is found in K’tuvim/Writings? How did God reveal God’s self to our ancestors, and how does God reveal God’s self to us today?
2. M’gillat Rut / The Book of Ruth: Mining the Text for Meaning	How can a deeper reading of a biblical text help me discover meanings or messages that are not readily apparent? How do questions (not necessarily their answers) help me find out more meaning in text? What is my own assessment of the meaning of the Book of Ruth?
3. M’gillat Rut / The Book of Ruth: Finding God in Moab and Canaan	What role does God play in the book of Ruth? What are some different perspectives on the role God plays in the text and in our lives? How do the multiple perspectives on God’s role in the text affect my understanding of our relationship with God?
4. Introduction to Wisdom Literature	What is wisdom, according to Jewish texts? What does God have to do with wisdom? How can ancient Jewish perspectives on wisdom speak to me today?
5. Mishlei / Proverbs: Wise Words for All	This lesson examines how the Book of Proverbs enhances and enriches a person’s understanding of wisdom and, thereby, holds the power to enhance and enrich their life.
6. Kohelet: Wise Man or Cynic?	Why is the book of Kohelet/Ecclesiastes controversial? What wisdom can we learn from the Kohelet? How does the wisdom in the Bible help me in my own life? Students will apply wisdom texts to an issue in their lives and an issue in their world.
7. T’hillim / Psalms Session Alef: Poetry and Liturgy	What are the psalms? What is unique about the psalms? What can I learn about my relationship with God through the psalms?
8. T’hillim / Psalms Session Bet: Images of God	What ideas and themes are found in the psalms? What ideas in the psalms relate to or resonate with me? What do I believe about God and my relationship with God?
9. God: How Are You Revealed in the World and What Is My Relationship with You?	What do I believe about God? What is my relationship with God? How does God reveal God’s self in our world? In this lesson, students will create their own text that describes their relationship with God.

Avodah

Lesson Title	Topic/question(s) to be addressed
1. Standing at Sinai: My Role in Revelation	What is the meaning of Revelation? What meaning does it have in my life? What is my role in Revelation? What does it mean that we stood at Mount Sinai, and what responsibility do I have as a result of having been present at Mount Sinai?
2. The Torah Service as Public Reading	How is public reading of Torah different than reading or studying privately? Why is it important to hear Torah read in community? How do the rituals and prayers associated with the Torah service build community? This lesson includes an optional activity in which students study Reform Movement platforms and reflect on the changing attitudes related to Revelation.
3. The Torah Service and Community Building	This lesson continues to explore the power of the public reading of the Torah and expands on its power to build community. Students will focus on how certain pieces of liturgy such as the Mi Shebeirach and Birkat Hagomeil prayers create opportunities for members of the community to share the joys and accomplishments of their lives.
4. Finding Our Way to Sinai: A Map of the Torah Service	What happens in the Torah service and why is it like a reenactment of Sinai? This lesson is designed to acquaint students with the major elements of the Shabbat morning Torah service.
5. Choreography and Etiquette of the Torah Service	What is my role in the Torah service as a member of the congregation and as a participant in the ritual? How can I find personal meaning within the spectrum of customs and traditions surrounding the Torah service? What is the important, special vocabulary of the Torah service? In this lesson, students create their own Bar/Bat Mitzvah information booklet, demonstrating their understanding of key customs and rituals in the Torah service.
6. The Blessings of Torah	What is the significance of a blessing before and after an action and what are the possible messages in the blessings before and after the Torah reading? What is the blessing of Torah in my life?
7. What is the Haftarah?	What is the haftarah? What is commentary, or interpretation, and how is the haftarah like commentary? What are the differences in traditional and Reform synagogues with regard to the haftarah blessings after the reading?
8. The Role of Sh’liach Tzibur	Why is the role of sh’liach tzibor (a community’s worship leader) important? What do I need to know, do, and understand to serve in the role of sh’liach tzibor?

9. My Communal Role in Revelation: Entering the Covenant as a Jewish Adult

What does it mean that we stood at Sinai as a people, and what responsibility do I have as a result of having been present at Sinai? Am I still a part of the Jewish community even when I don’t feel a connection to Revelation/Torah or to God? In this lesson, students will project a vision of the Jewish community of the future based on their sense of the past, and the present.

G’milut Chasadim

Lesson Title	Topic/question(s) to be addressed
1. Finding God in Our World Through Acts of G’milut Chasadim	What makes something a “world issue?” What world issues are of concern to us? How can we be advocates for world issues?
2. Bal Tashchit: Protecting the Rainforests	What can I learn from Jewish sources about my responsibility for protecting nature and the environment? How can I experience Revelation by working to protect the environment? How can I get involved in environmental issues such as recycling or protecting the rainforests? Why are environmental concerns world issues?
3. Bal Tashchit: Recycling and Conserving Energy	Students continue exploring the concept of bal tashchit, this time focusing on the topic of recycling and conserving energy. Students will investigate the conservation practices of their own synagogue as a way to teach others about the issues relating to the protection of the world.
4. Tzaar Baalei Chayim: Care and Protection of Animals	What does Jewish tradition teach about the care of and responsibility toward animals? How can I experience Revelation by protecting animals? How do I weigh the needs of animals and humans? What does tzaar baalei chayim mean to me? In this lesson, students will be challenged to look at the fate of animals through a global lens.
5. World Health Issues	What are some world health issues? What is the connection between what Judaism teaches about health and healing and our concern for world health issues? How can I experience Revelation by working to combat world health problems?
6. Peace	What can I learn from Jewish texts about war and peace? What can I do to promote peace in the world? Why is it so difficult to bring about peace and eliminate war? How might I experience God when I invoke myself in actions that promote peace around the world?

7. World Hunger	What are the causes of world hunger and what can we do about it? What does Judaism teach us about our responsibility for world hunger? How can I experience Revelation by working against world hunger?
8. Jews and the Struggle for Civil Rights	What is the Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism, and what does it do? What are civil rights? What can I do to support social justice in my country? How can I experience Revelation by fighting for social justice? In this lesson, students will prepare a civil rights campaign for Making a Difference Day that will allow visitors to engage in the work of Tikkun Olam.
9. Hineini: Embracing Our People around the World	Where in the world do we find Reform Synagogues? What responsibilities do we have for Reform Jews in Israel Eastern Europe, and the FSU? What are some ways in which we can build connections with these communities? How can I experience Revelation by helping other Jews?

Family education:

Coincidence, Courage, or the Hand of God? A Family Exploration of the Book of Esther

Level 7

Theme: Hineini –Here I Am

Torah

Lesson Title	Topic/question(s) to be addressed
1. Lech L’cha: The Journeys We Take	What is the journey Abraham is asked to take? Why would Abraham want to take such a journey? What blessings can Abraham expect to receive and what are the things he might be afraid of?
2. Cain and Abel: Family Relationships	What is my relationship with my siblings? Students will discuss what they can learn about family relationships in the Torah and reflect on how they can find themselves in this text.
3. Akeidat Yitzchak / The Binding of Isaac: Honoring, Not Necessarily Obeying, Parents	Using the story of the binding of Isaac, students will explore what it means to honor their parents. Why is it not so easy to honor your parents? Does honoring a parent mean that you have to obey?
4. Rebekah: A Virtuous Woman?	How do Rebekah’s strength and ability to make difficult decisions affect our image of her? What can we learn from Rebekah about our own lives and the difficult decisions we sometimes face? In this lesson, students will learn about Rebekah’s rich and complex character and learn to appreciate the positive qualities of others by creating a blessing for a woman who is important in their lives.

5. Rebekah: Tough Choices	Why is Rebekah chosen to be Isaac’s wife? What can we learn from Rebekah, and the other women of B’reishit/Genesis, about our own lives and the difficult decisions we must face?
6. God and Abraham: A Relationship Like No Other	How might one characterize the relationship between God and Abraham as reflected in the Sodom and Gomorrah story? What can I learn from this relationship about my relationship with God and my relationship with other people? In this lesson, students will study this story through the text itself as well as through the compendium of Torah commentary, Mikraot G’dolot.
7. Jacob and the Ish / Being: Struggling to Change (Lesson Aleph)	What causes a person to change? How can struggle lead to change? Students reflect on their own experience with struggle and change, as well as reflect on the struggles of other people from the book of Breishit/Genesis.
8. Jacob and the Ish / Being: Struggling to Change (Lesson Bet)	Students continue to explore the topic of struggle and change, this time focusing on the struggle that exists when we attempt to be true to who we are at the core, while also knowing that we must learn how to grow and change. Students will discuss what causes a person to change and how struggle might lead to this process.
9. Our Lessons from B’reishit/ Genesis	This lesson acts a summary to the lesson learned from the book of Genesis. Students will take part in a variety of activities that encourage them to think about how they can find personal and modern meaning from the ancient text of the Torah.

Avodah

Lesson Title	Topic/question(s) to be addressed
1. Introduction to the Jewish Life Cycle	What are the events of the Jewish life cycle, and what is their significance? How does acknowledging and participating in Jewish life cycle events affect my Jewish identity? How is participating in Jewish life cycle events a way of saying Hineini?
2. B’nei Mitzvah and Marriage: Responsibility and Relationships	What are the elements of preparation necessary for the Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony? How do these help define me as an adult? Students will create a Personal Preparation Plan that will include their reflections about what is needed in order to become a Bar/Bat Mitzvah in the sense of entering responsible Jewish adulthood.
3. Birth and Death: Teach Us to Number Our Days	What do the Jewish rituals surrounding birth and death teach us about the Jewish view of life? What is my own opinion of the purpose and meaning of life? Students will identify possible Reform Jewish views about the purpose of life and state their own views as Reform Jewish adults.

4.The High Holy Days: Focus on Repentance	What are the unique rituals of the High Holy Days? How do the Kol Nidre prayer and the rituals of the High Holy Days help me better understand myself and my own abilities and limitations? Students will come to understand that Judaism has a tradition of being accepting of our failings and will develop a deeper appreciation for God’s patience with us despite our shortcomings.
5. Pesach – Questions: Then and Now	What do the four children of the Passover seder mean to us? How can we feel like active participants in the Passover story through the asking of questions? What are the ways in which we can be “enslaved” even though we live in freedom here and now?
6. Chanukah and Purim: Do You Believe in Miracles (and Boundaries)? Introduction to the Jewish Identity Unit (Lessons 7, 8, and 9)	What message do the stories of Chanukah and Purim have in common? What is the Al Hanisim prayer and why do we say it on both holidays? Is Jewish survival a miracle because of God’s actions, our actions, or both? How do I play a role in the survival of the Jewish people? Students will identify their own personal boundaries in maintaining their Jewish identity and contributing to the survival of the Jewish people.
7. My Jewish Identity: Eilu D’varim – What Must I Do?	What are the Jewish behaviors, the mitzvot and precepts, that the Talmud text Eilu D’varim asserts to be “priceless,” of infinite value? Are the behaviors described in Eilu D’varim important for me as a Reform Jew to observe today?
8. My Jewish Identity: Sh’ma – What Do I Believe?	How important is belief compared to action, according to the teachings or our tradition? What are the central statements of Jewish faith, and how do I feel about them? Are there things that I should do as a Jewish adult, whether or not I believe or feel like doing them?
9. My Jewish Identity: Hineini	How will I personally choose to say Hineini as an adult? In this lesson, students will complete projects that represent their thinking about questions of their adult Jewish identity.

G’milut Chasadim

Lesson Title	Topic/question(s) to be addressed
1. Time for a Checkup	What are middot? What is the goal of tikkun middot? Students explore our awareness of Jewish ethics or virtues that lead to performing acts of g’milut chasadim.
2. That’s What Friends Are For: Being A Loyal Friend (Dibuk Chaverim)	Where in Jewish sources can I learn about being a loyal friend? What difficulties or challenges might I face in being loyal to my friends? What are my personal responsibilities in being a loyal friend? What do I do when friendship goes bad? How do I evaluate myself as a friend?

3. Truth as an Act of Kindness (Emet)	What can we learn from our sages Hillel and Shammai about the boundaries between truth and falsehood? How does the middah of truthfulness lead to acts of g’milut chasadim? Why do Jewish texts teach us about the importance of truthfulness?
4. Stop the Bullying NOW!: Not Standing Idly By (Lo Ta’amod al Dam Rei-echa)	What is bullying? What Jewish values can help us understand and respond to bullying? How does bullying affect the victim and those witnessing the bullying? As an emerging Jewish adult, what is my responsibility toward bullying? What can we do to stop bullying?
5. Keep Your Cool: Being Slow to Anger (Erech Apayim)	What can we learn from Jewish tradition about the importance of being slow to anger? What are methods of controlling anger that will be useful to students?
6. What’s With the Attitude? Have a Pleasant Demeanor (Seiver Panim Yafot)	Where do I learn about the middah in Jewish sources? Why does my attitude affect those around me? What can I do to not be rude to others and how my does my attitude show respect to others?
7. Courage! (Ometz Lev)	How do I demonstrate moral courage in my life? What steps do I need to prepare myself for the middah of ometz lev (courage)? How do people show courage by behaving ethically? How do heroes demonstrate the concept of “hineini- here I am”? How does the moral courage of others inspire me to act with courage? Students will reflect on ometz lev as an act of g’milut chasadim.
8. Living Generously (N’divut)	What does Jewish tradition teach us about being generous, and what lessons can we take from the tradition to guide our lives as generous people? How does generosity play a role in the mitzvot of tzedakah and g’milut chasadim? Who are role models of generosity whom I want to emulate?
9. Hineini – Here I Am! I Am Ready to Act!	How can we measure how well we’ve succeeded in applying middot to our lives? How can we use what we have learned about middot to guide us in our future actions? In this lesson, students will analyze a current social issue and determine what role they can play to help improve it.

Family education:

Creating Jewish Memory

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