Kesher at
Temple Emanuel
Kesher means "connection" and that is exactly what we build together at Kesher, Temple Emanuel's Pre-Kindergarten through 12th Grade education program.
We engage in a variety of learning opportunities within the walls of Temple Emanuel, participate in the wider Greensboro community, and offer both national and international travel experiences for our older students.
No matter our location, Kesher instills our students with connections to the Jewish community at home and abroad, in all its diversity, our Jewish text, tradition, and culture, and our global community as engaged, inclusive Jewish citizens of the world.
In Pre-Kindergarten, we begin to form connections with our classmates and Jewish life. Our learning focuses on Shabbat and Temple as our home, as well as Jewish values about mishpacha (family) and chaveirut (friendship).
Our Sixth Grade program dives into the concepts of Teshuvah, Tefilah, Tzedakah: Personal Refinement, Prayer, and Doing Good in the World. These topics are supplemented through engaging with the Jewish holidays, weekly Torah readings, and relevant current events through a Jewish lens. Students apply their Hebrew language learning to B'nai Mitzvah preparation. In addition, our Sixth Grade families attend five B'nai Mitzvah Seminars throughout the year as they begin their preparation for becoming B'nai Mitzvah in earnest.
*Our Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Grade programs take place on both Sundays and Tuesdays.
Our Seventh/Eighth Grade program follows an alternating-year curriculum. One year, we build on our Fourth Grade curriculum by studying Israel in more depth, and we also learn about social justice through a Jewish lens. In the alternating year, we learn about the Holocaust and building interfaith relationships. Each of these curricula includes weekend travel opportunities to build on our learning. Our students support one another by celebrating B'nai Mitzvah together and begin to look forward to joining our High School program.
Our Kindergarteners continue to form connections with our Temple space, including investigating ritual objects related to both prayer and holidays. We also build upon our knowledge of Shabbat by studying other Jewish holidays.
In First Grade, students explore the concept of Jewish identity by connecting their learning about Temple and Jewish holidays. We also learn about Jewish lifecycle moments and rituals, including our own ceremony at Simchat Torah celebrating Consecration.
Second Graders delve into stories found in our holiest Jewish text, the Torah. From Genesis to Deuteronomy, our students will travel along with our spiritual ancestors on the journey from Creation to Egypt to the Promised Land. Together, we investigate Jewish values gleaned from Torah.
Our Third Graders explore different ways to talk about God and begin to form personal relationships with God through studying stories such as Jonah, Elijah, and others found in Prophets and Writings. Students also begin their study of the Hebrew language by learning letters and vowels.
In Fourth Grade, our students learn about the land, people, and State of Israel, studying Israel's unique culture, history, geography, language, and more. We will explore the Jewish people's enduring connection to Israel and build a strong foundation for future study. Students continue to study the Hebrew language, learning to sound out words and practicing basic Hebrew vocabulary.
*Our Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Grade programs take place on both Sundays and Tuesdays.
In Fifth Grade, we expand our understanding of Jewish life to encompass a variety of different Jewish cultures from across the globe. Through our study of Jews around the world, we introduce the concept of Kol Yisrael Aravim Zeh L'Zeh (Jews anywhere are responsible for Jews everywhere), and we explore Jewish Ethics. Students will build on their Hebrew language knowledge, learning more vocabulary and applying their skills to studying Hebrew prayers. Fifth Graders also will experience their first B'nai Mitzvah Seminar.
*Our Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Grade programs take place on both Sundays and Tuesdays.
Our students in Ninth through Twelfth Grade continue to grow and learn through the Kesher program in a variety of new ways. Our high schoolers have the opportunity to serve as Madrichim during Sunday morning Kesher, assisting our teachers and staff and serving as role models for younger students.
Kesher High students who choose to take advantage of this program will earn Jewish Experience Credits, which can be applied toward our high school travel experiences and can also count this time as volunteer hours. We learn together through monthly Kesher High Seminars which focus on a variety of timely and relevant Jewish topics. Together with Jewish teens from around the Greensboro area, we focus on service to our community through Tzedek (justice) projects.
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Interested in registering for Kesher High? Email Brooklyn Flatt at Kesher@tegreensboro.org.