Temple Beth Sholom
Core Classes
The following classes make up the core curriculum for Temple Beth Sholom students. All core classes will be grade based and taught by TBS educators. For questions on the TBS core curriculum, please contact Rabbi Wexler.
7th Grade
Humash: Making the Torah Text Come Alive
Matt Kanoff, John Imhof
This class is intended to provide students in their b’nai mitzvah year with a deep dive into the stories and morals of the Torah. We will review the major stories and events in the Humash and explore the various ways they have been interpreted over the centuries.
8th Grade
Jewish Ethics in the 21st Century
Alex Lapushner
This class will dive into the world of Jewish ethics related to a variety of topics and case studies on issues such as cyberbullying, ethical usage of social media , honesty and more. Students will learn what insight that classical Jewish texts give us about these issues and will be challenged to evaluate their own perspective and connections to the case studies.
9th Grade
Hatred, History & Healing: Exploring the Holocaust and Modern Anti-Semitism
Alex Weinberg
Antisemitism, the prejudice and hatred of Jewish people, is often described as the oldest form of hatred. Yet, we still read about antisemitism in the news every day! (A recent poll found that 75% of American Jews have dealt with an antisemitic incident in the last 12 months) Antisemitism is an issue that will impact our lives in our High Schools, college campuses, sports, and other places. We will explore the history of antisemitism and the Shoah, Holocaust, as well as modern antisemitism and use this information to help us respond to these challenges in our lives.
10th Grade
Confirmation: God, Israel & our Community
Rabbi Wexler
Our Confirmation class focuses on three main topics: theology, Israel, and Jewish belief and practice through the lens of Conservative Judaism. In this class, students will discuss topics of theology and theodicy while developing their own personal beliefs about God. Students will develop a stronger connection with Israel through our two-week Confirmation trip and exploring their connection in class to Israel’s land, history, people, and culture. Finally students will work on defining their personal Jewish identities by learning about the tenants and beliefs of Conservative Judaism.
