Take a Look at our Jewish Life

Our underlying goals are for children to learn to treat each other, the earth and all its plants and creatures with kindness and respect. We want them to find joy (Simcha in Hebrew) in the things that they do. We integrate these goals with the Jewish values of Tikkun Ha Olam (repairing the world or taking care of the world), Mitzvot (doing blessings or acts of kindness) and Tzedakah (charity) and build them into the everyday classroom life.

At Simcha we say Shalom quite often. This Hebrew word (meaning hello, goodbye and peace) and concept is a large part of our curriculum. We teach children peacemaking skills, through play, stories and songs, to name a few. The teachers are facilitators in this; their role is often to support children's social ideas rather than direct the children's work.

Jewish life is incorporated into the Simcha curriculum through music, cooking, community gathering and celebrations. The Pre-K class and Preschool class make challah bread for communal shabbat each week. The children sing songs with Rabbi Rick and Rabbi Paula, and explore the many wonders of the Temple, such as the Temple library and the sanctuary. We use Jewish holidays in the classroom not only to create the basis for understanding Judaism for both our Jewish and non-Jewish students, but also to celebrate the non-religious aspects of the holidays.

Autumn, Sukkot, and Celebrating the Harvest

The children have a great time each year celebrating Sukkot inside their own classroom sukkah, in the Temple sukkah, and visiting a pumpkin patch.

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