Kita Zayin (B'nai Mitzvah Preparation Class)
Ten to 15 minutes of every class is devoted to preparation for leading the Religious School t'filah.
Students will alternate leadership and responsibilities for designing the service.
September/October
Parashat HaShavuah - 20 minute study of weekly Torah portion (Torah talk)
Reading drills
- Perfecting the words
Introduction to Torah trope “the tastes of the reading”
- Peer tutoring
- Preparation for learning to chant together
Journal writing
- Opening prayer/ Finding God’s presence in the world
Prayer review and study
- Selected preliminary prayers
- Sh'ma and its blessings
- Amidah (Avot v’imahot, G'vurot, Kedushah)
- Torah Service
Prayer vocabulary
- Working on our milon - building a Hebrew dictionary
Preliminary discussions - Class Mitzvah project
November
Parashat HaShavua
- Torah talk
- Special Sunday text study with parents
- “Finding meaning in my Torah portion; a guided journey of exegesis”
Reading drills
- Making the words old friends/forwards and backwards
Trope study
- Learning to chant Torah together as a class
- Translating all the way
Journal writing
- Shabbat prayer / Gratitude prayer
- Introduction to Torah
Prayer Study
- Torah Service
- Shabbat prayers (Kadshaynu, V’shamru, Yismechu)
- Hod'aah (prayer of gratitude)
Prayer and text vocabulary
- Working on building our milon
- Vocabulary games
Practicing the leadership role in class
December
Parashat HaShavua
- Torah talk
Trope Study
- Class chants Torah during religious school t’filah
- Presents mini-drash (commentary of verses chanted)
Journal writing
- Shabbat/Gratitude prayer
- Class portion mini-drasha
Prayer Study
- Torah Service
- Shabbat prayers (Kadshaynu, V’shamru, Yismechu)
- Hoda’ah (prayer of gratitude)
Prayer and text vocabulary
Class Mitzvah project
January
Parashat HaShavuah
- Torah talk
- Students practice drashot in class
Trope study
- Learning Haftarah trope, cantillation for the prophets
Journal writing
- Introduction to Haftarah
- Class time provided to work on individual writings
Prayer study
- Practicing leadership role in class and in religious school t’filah
- Review of all prayers learned
- Sim Shalom
- Haftarah blessings
Peer tutoring
Prayer and text vocabulary
Class Mitzvah project
February
Parashat Ha Shavuah
- Torah talk
- “Understanding mitzvot; taking a closer look at all 613 in the Torah”
Trope study
- Class Haftarah text study. Learning a portion together.
Journal writing
- Class time provided to work on individual writings
Prayer Study
- Practicing leadership role in class and in religious school t’filah
- Review of all prayers learned
- Sim Shalom
- Haftarah blessings
Peer and outside tutoring
Post B’nai mitzvah students given opportunity to
- Tutor peers and younger students
Preliminary work on end of year “Celebration service”
Prayer and text vocabulary
March
Parashat HaShavuah
- Torah talk
- Students practice drashot in class
Trope study
- Class Haftarah text study
Celebration Service
- Those that have become Bar/Bat Mitzvah take on leadership role in designing service
Theme is chosen-students work on modern day teaching from text learned. Creation of Storahtelling
Journal writing
- Introduction to Haftarah
- Class time provided to work on individual writings
Prayer Study
- Practicing leadership role in class and in religious school t’filah
- Review of all prayers learned
Peer and outside tutoring
- Post B’nai mitzvah students given opportunity to tutor peers and younger students
Vocabulary
- Games
- Building Milon
April
Parashat HaShavuah
- Torah Talk
Trope Study
- Class Haftarah text study
Celebration Service
- Class works on Service. Combining components of all area of learning from religious
- School experience/Storahtelling writing
Prayer Study
- Practicing leadership role in class and in school t’filah
- Review of all prayers learned
Peer and outside tutoring
- Post B’nai mitzvah students given opportunity to Tutor peers and younger students
Vocabulary
- Games
- Building our milon
May
Parashat HaShavuah
- Torah talk
Celebration service on Erev Shabbat.
- Class practices service they will lead on the bimah
- Class perfects teachings given, prayers led, and haftarah chanted within the service
Review of all prayers learned. Storahtelling practice on bimah
Peer and outside tutoring
- Post B’nai mitzvah students given opportunity to tutor peers and younger students