Kindergarten and First Graders come once a week on Sundays. Grades 2-7 come twice a week. This year, Sundays will be in person, Mondays will feature full-length virtual classes, and Thursdays will be “Pod Learning” with 2-4 students learning together as a small group with a teacher on specific topics. 

“Snap Shot” of Mercaz Aliyah Curriculum by Grade

Kindergarten:  Gesher

Teacher: Judi Cohen
Judaics Highlights: Shabbat, Havdalah, Jewish Singing, Jewish Holidays and Values Hebrew Highlights: Israel Geography, Hebrew Aleph-Bet, Hebrew Through Movement
Special Events: Shabbat Ritual Workshop and Shema Pillowcase Workshop with Ben Einsidler, Shabbat Educator 

Grade 1/2:  Kitah Aleph/Bet

Teacher: Rina Holtzman
Judaics Highlights: Shabbat, Havdalah, Jewish Calendar, Jewish Holidays Around the World 
Hebrew Highlights: Hebrew Aleph-Bet, the Hatikvah, Conversational Hebrew Basics and Key Vocabulary
Special Events: Siddur Ceremony with Rabbi Perkins and Cantor Gloth

Grade 3:  Kitah Gimel

Teachers: Elli-Ann Oskar, Wilma Poyser
Judaics Highlights: Shabbat Prayers (Friday Night and Saturday Morning), Bible Stories, Jewish Holidays, Family Roots Project 
Hebrew Highlights: Hebrew Reading, Writing and Conversation, History of Establishment of the State of Israel
Special Events: Siddur Ceremony with Rabbi Perkins and Cantor Gloth, Friday Night Service and Dinner

Grade 4/5:  Kitah Dalet/Hey

Teachers: Wilma Poyser, Elli-Ann Oskar
Judaics Highlights: Friday Night and Saturday Morning Shabbat Services, Bible stories, Jewish American History and Peoplehood, and Jewish Holidays
Hebrew Highlights: Hebrew Reading, Writing and Conversation, the establishment of the State of Israel
Special Events: Friday Night Service and Dinner and Saturday Morning Shabbat Service

Grade 6:  Kitah Vov

Trope/Thresholds Teacher: Cantor Jamie Gloth
Trope Highlights: Students prepare for their B’nei Mitzvahs by learning Trope and becoming familiar with the books of the Torah, Neviim (Prophets) and Ketuvim (Writing)
Threshold Highlights: Life cycle events (birth, bnei mitzvah, conversion, marriage/divorce, death) and Life of a Jew Project
Special Events: Bar and Bat Mitzvah Institute and Shabbat Dinner
Advanced Hebrew Teacher: Rina Holtzman
Advanced Hebrew Highlights: Conversational Hebrew and Israel in the News
Holocaust Teacher: Wilma Poyser
Holocaust Class Highlights: Jewish identity, group hate, and the impact of the Holocaust today 
Mitzvah Class Teacher: Eitan Bloostein
Mitzvah Class Highlights: What is a mitzvah, positive and negative, ritual and ethical mitzvot, and a group Mitzvah project

Grade 7:  Kitah Zayin

Jewish Heroes and Values Teachers: Eitan Bloostein and Julia Spiegel
Jewish Heroes and Values Highlights: Learning about famous Jewish figures 
What is Jewish Prayer Teachers: Eitan Bloostein and Julia Spiegel
Advanced Hebrew Highlights: Conversational Hebrew and Israel in the News
Holocaust Teacher: Wilma Poyser
Holocaust Class Highlights: Jewish identity, group hate, and the impact of the Holocaust today 
Advanced Hebrew Teacher: Rina Holtzman
Advanced Hebrew Highlights: Conversational Hebrew and Israel in the News
Jews Around the World Teacher: Julia Spiegel
Jews Around the World Highlights: Jewish world history, Jews around the world today 
Project: pick another country and study their Jewish culture