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2011/2012 High School Classes Click for PDF version of course descriptions Click for PDF of Class Schedule Grid Hebrew Classes
Talmud Torah offers Hebrew classes through the “College in the Schools” program in partnership with the University of Minnesota. You can earn college credit for every year you attend and fulfill the requirements of a CIS Class.
CIS (College in the Schools) Hebrew Classes CIS is offered at five levels for college credit: 1001, 1002, 3011, 3012 and 3090. Classes meet 3 hours per week for the first four levels and 2 hours per week for 3090. This is a University of Minnesota requirement. CIS 3090 is the most advanced Hebrew level offered through the University. A new curriculum is designed for 3090 each year and students may take the class up to six times. If there are students who have completed CIS classes offered elsewhere and would like to continue to get college credit, you may continue to take CIS classes with us. Students who have taken IB classes offered elsewhere can continue their Hebrew studies with us in the CIS program and earn college credit. Note: If you haven’t yet taken a CIS class at TT, a placement exam is required.
*Denotes classes that include a 5-minute break for classes that run 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Hebrew Ulpan If you like to continue with your Hebrew studies with a focus on conversation and Israeli themes, Hebrew Ulpan is offered 2 hours per week - 1 hour each on Sundays and Wednesdays. 9th and 10th grade and 11th and 12th grade meet together.
Sunday Electives10:10 AM
What it Means to be Jewish Instructor: Rabbi Yosi Gordon Ok, so you’re Jewish. And you’ll probably stay Jewish. But what does that mean? What does it mean to be Jewish? You have a Jewish family (all, most, many). You attend a synagogue (often, sometimes, rarely). You have Jewish values (whatever they are). You like bagels. Hate gefilte fish. But one thing is certain: you have barely begun the process of creating your Jewish self, a lifelong project. Here is where we begin. You are the creator, the decider, the final judge. The product is you.
The World of Our Parents: From the Old Country to Minnesota Instructor: Rabbi Avraham Ettedgui Join us as we take a look at the history of Jewish Minnesota and Minneapolis. We’ll learn how Ashkenazi Jews ended up here from Europe – why they left, what they left behind, and why Minnesota. We’ll also take a look at how they impacted Minnesota and the legacy they have left here.
Hot Topics: The Jewish Perspective Instructor: Rabbi Moshe Weiss Some hot topics, like abortion, euthanasia, the death penalty, have been around for years and are still stirring up controversy. Others, like the state and national budget crisis or the famine in Somalia, come straight from today’s headlines. We’ll talk about our opinions, learn what Judaism has to contribute to the issue, and apply critical thinking skills as we explore these issues.
Darkaynu: Working with Children with Special Needs Instructor: Sha’arim Staff Darkaynu is a Jewish educational and social program for students in K-12 with moderate to severe special needs, which meets at the JCC on Sundays from 10:00 AM until noon. Our students work Sha’arim teachers in the program from 10:10 - 11:00 AM helping with various projects and activities. Please see off site community descriptions for further details. 11:10 AM
God 101: Adonai? I Don’t Know? I Deny? Instructor: Rabbi Yosi Gordon The God we may have believed in as children no longer makes sense. The vacuum leaves us confused, unsure, indifferent, even solidly atheistic. Yet great Jewish thinkers have suggested ideas that may (or not) be helpful. We’ll explore some of those ideas in a place where any question and any opinion is accepted and respected.
12:10 PM Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: Our Shared Heritage Instructor: Rabbi Yosi Gordon Millions and millions of people have found in Christianity or Islam a religion that brings them meaning, value, and truth. While over the centuries both religions have had issues with Jews and Judaism, the truth is that both religions were born from ours. How can we, as Jews, understand and respect these other religions, and what do we have to learn from them?
The Art of the Word Instructor: Saleit Faleschini Join with other students with an interest in creating art, to create a group art project that we can proudly display here at Talmud Torah. We will use a piece of Jewish text which has great meaning, and turn it into a visual wonder!
Adopt a Survivor (for Juniors and Seniors only) Instructor: Denelle Carriger Coordinator: Leslie Orenstein This amazing program allows a Holocaust survivor to share his/her life experiences and personal journey with a teen “adopter.” In addition to this class, where you will learn more about the holocaust and the impact it had on peoples’ lives, students get together with their partner survivor at least once a month outside regular school hours. This is a 2 semester commitment, at the end of which the student creates some kind of presentation based on the survivor’s life. Interested students must be interviewed before being selected for this important program.
The Madrichim Institute: How to be a Great Teacher’s Assistant Coordinator: Debby Litman Zelle Madrichim is Hebrew for “guides” or ”instructors.” In this exciting class, you will learn how to work with young students, how children develop intellectually, and how to help younger students learn and retain material. Those who complete this course will receive a certificate acknowledging their training. This class is perfect for our teens who volunteer at Talmud Torah as teacher aides or at their Synagogues preparing children for their B’nai Mitzvah.
Off-Site Community Programs: These programs take place outside of Talmud Torah.
Seeds of Justice Fellowship We are excited to continue our partnership with Jewish Community Action and the Seeds of Justice Fellowship. Seeds of Justice will be offered to Talmud Torah students, as well as high school students (9-12 grades) from the broader Jewish community. You, as a student will be accepted into Seeds of Justice through an interview and application process. Spaces are limited - On registration day, we will help those interested in setting up an interview and downloading the application from JCA. The fellowship will run from mid-October through mid-April and you will be expected to participate fully. For program details, visit the Jewish Community Action web site: www.jewishcommunityaction.org You many also contact Lauren Bastien, Jewish Community Action staff, at lauren@jewishcommunityaction.org or 651.632.2184, for any further questions.
The Darkaynu Program Darkaynu is a self contained Jewish educational and social program that allows Jewish children K-12 identified with more moderate to severe special needs to participate in a Jewish learning experience each Sunday morning from 10-12 at the Sabes JCC. The students come together for 2 hours of Judaic studies and social/recreational opportunities. Each week they have a chance to meet with congregational Rabbis who come to lead and join in to the Tefillah and Ruach session provided. The students learn about the Jewish holidays, weekly Torah portion, Jewish lifecycle events and participate in various social and recreational activities available at the JCC to enhance and enrich their connection to the Jewish community. This is an opportunity for Talmud Torah students to work alongside the students who are receiving a Jewish education through the self contained Darken program. The program is for 2 hours and for the past 2 years we have had Talmud Torah students join the first hour from 10-11. We pair up the TT student with a Darkaynu student on a 1:1 basis and the TT volunteer student helps the Darkaynu student with the various projects and activities designed for the first hour of the morning
JOLT: Jewish Online Learning for Teens Gratz College is a pioneer in on line Jewish education, and the Jewish Community High School of Gratz is proud to offer a variety of outstanding and challenging courses for teens, grades 8-12, through this innovative platform. Students from anywhere in the world with internet connection are able to enroll!
6:10 PM
Instructor: Shira Schwartz and Gail Boxrud This great course will have you moving in two different but exciting ways. One half of the semester will be spent learning Israeli Dance – and we don’t mean the Hora! Today’s Israeli dancing consists of many high energy routines and steps, and has a variety of influences, including hip hop, line dancing and more. The second half of the semester we will study Krav Maga, a self-defense system born on the battlefields of Israel. It includes a great basic aerobic and anaerobic workout!
Leadership Seminar Instructor: Andrea Lear and Avi Baron It’s pretty obvious that the teens of today are the leaders of tomorrow. But what kind of leaders will they be? If you want to be a good leader, let Talmud Torah help! In this class, we will be learning a wide variety of skills and approaches that can turn a mediocre leader into a great one! Whether you want to lead your youth group, be president of your synagogue, or even president of the U.S., learning these skills will put you ahead of the pack!
The Challenge of Peace: Understanding the Arab-Israeli Conflict Instructor: Sally Abrams The nature of Arab-Israeli relations is complex and has many facets. It is extremely difficult to understand using the media, as they generally have a bias. What are the facts? What is fiction? Moving from ancient events to the modern, students will grapple with the many turning points in this story that is still being written. We will also focus on Israel’s challenges, including politics, integration, and obsessive media attention.
Great Moments in Jewish History Instructor: Missy Lavintman You probably know a great deal about American and world history. But how much do you know about Jewish history? You know about the crusades, but what were the Jews doing at the time, and how did it impact them? You know about the terrible relations between Israel and the Arabs, but did you know that in medieval times they actually loved and respected each other? Understanding our past can help move us into the future.
Jewish Values and Ethics: Our Sages Words and Wisdom for a Good Life Instructor: Rabbi Avraham Ettedgui Living a good life isn’t necessarily easy. In fact, it helps to get a lot of good advice. You may be surprised to know that our Rabbis of old had lots of advice that still holds true today. This course will use Jewish texts such as Pirkei Avot (Ethics of Our Fathers) and Mishlei (Proverbs).
Panim Instructor: Andrea Lear and Avi Baron Students examine activism, advocacy, and Tikkun Olam through the Lens of Jewish values.
8:10 PM Kehilla means “Community,” and our program has three main goals:
Instructor: Barry Gruber and others What does it mean to be in high school? Who am I now? How are the
Tenth Grade (Confirmation) Instructor: Rabbis from Beth Al and Adath Jeshurun This is an important opportunity for you to study with and learn from your own Rabbi, and to discuss topics that have contemporary and/or personal meeting.
Eleventh Grade Instructor: Missy Lavintman The time has come to really begin thinking about college. And while you’ve probably thought some of your academic and social needs through, have you thought about what you want from a college Jewishly? Students will explore what their Jewish needs are and whether or not the colleges they are thinking of are equipped to meet their needs. They will also learn about Jewish campus organizations and more.
Instructor: Susie Chalom Seniors are approaching a major transition in their lives, going from home and high school to the larger world of college and adulthood. This class will help develop your critical thinking skills, as well as help develop your inner spiritual self. It is a safe community during your turbulent senior year. It also helps you recognize the blessings and the gifts that you are taking with you from your family, school, and community as you embark on, the next part of your life’s journey.
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