Stimulating Jewish Youth
The Talmud Torah is organized into three departments: Y¹sodi (Elementary) from Mekhina-Bet (grades 1-4); Hativat Habaynayim (Middle Grades) from Gimel-Vav (grades 5-8); and Bet Hamidrash (High School) from Zayin-Yod (grades 9-12).
Curriculum Focus
Curriculum is based on three major principles: Torah (study), Avodah (worship), and G¹milut Hasadim (acts of loving kindness).
Torah (study):
Hebrew study focuses on reading and writing skills, language structure and grammar, literature relating to the culture, prayer and conversational Hebrew.
Bible study focuses on understanding and interpreting the text, using storytelling and drama as ways to highlight learning.
Holidays are celebrated through Jewish sources, art, music, cultural customs and more.
Avodah (worship):
Prayer is an activity, not only a course of study. Each day the students in Y¹sodi hold t¹fillot in their classrooms and the Gimel and Dalet classes hold Minha services together each weekday with student hazzanim. Students are also encouraged to develop innovative forms of worship and have used musical instruments and poetry to express prayer.
Gemilut Hasadim (acts of loving kindness):
Hey, Vav (7-8th grade) and Bet Midrash (9-12th grade) classes learn about mitzvot and then set about doing them. In the process, they involve the entire school in some of the projects, such as a huge winter clothes drive where items are donated to S.T.E.P (St. Louis Park Emergency Program), and food drives during Purim and Pesach, honoring the Mitzvah of giving food to the poor.
Family Education
Talmud Torah offers numerous Family Education experiences yearly. This critical program helps parents understand the important issues at each grade level and gives them an opportunity to study together with students. Issues covered include Israel, holidays, life-cycle preparation, Jewish values, teen issues and Jewish answers, Torah and Talmud study, sibling rivalry, and dialogue with teens.
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