Lower School: Kindergarten – 2nd Grade
Upper Elementary: 3rd – 5th Grade
Middle School: 6th – 8th Grade
In Tikkun Olam, students will choose a social justice topic to focus on for the year. Throughout the year, they will learn about that topic in depth and also complete service projects related to that topic. The topics last year were: Dismantle White Supremacy, Combat Climate Change, End Hunger, Gun Control Now, Defend Refugees and Immigrants, and Stand Up for the Differently Abled.
In T’filah, students practice the choreography, prayers and skills involved in receiving an aliyah to the Torah and chanting trope.
In Electives, students will get to choose a different elective each trimester to learn about an aspect of Judaism that they are interested in. Electives offered this year included: Jewish Cooking, Jewish Pop Culture, Holocaust Studies (continuation from 6th grade), Jewish Arts & Crafts, Judaism & Sports, Girls’ Group, Boys’ Group, LGBTQ+ Group, Torah Study and Jewish Meditation.
Additionally, throughout the year, students will continue their b’nei mitzvah experience as a community in partnership with parents, teachers and clergy. Over the course of the year, there will be several Moving Traditions classes for the seventh graders including a couple of family sessions where parents/guardians are encouraged to join.
Overall, seventh grade at Yachad is a lot fun and we are so excited to continue your Yachad journey with you during this important year!
Please note that our 8th grade program offers a class trip to Israel. We recognize there are many new factors during and post-pandemic and will make the wisest choices based on governmental guidance.
In 8th grade students explore the many dimensions of modern Israel as modern American Jews through historical, cultural and political lenses. Using first person narratives, music, film, food, primary documents and more students engage in the deep, complex questions that Israel presents. Students travel to Israel together over the February break for a 10-day trip with American and Israeli educators where the get to explore the landscape firsthand and form strong bonds with their class community. Upon return to Brooklyn, students continue their deep dive into learning about Israel and reflecting on their personal relationship with the country as Reform American Jews in the 21st century.
8th grade students also have several add-on programs at their disposal:
Volunteer Madrichim Leadership Program
The 8th grade Volunteer Madrichim Program is open to 8th grade Yachad students who are excited to enhance their knowledge of Judaism and Hebrew, and are enthusiastic about developing meaningful relationships with our students by serving as role models in the classroom. Madrichim (“leaders” in Hebrew) not only aid teachers in the classroom, but act as leaders at CBE. All madrichim receive monthly training in education and leadership development, and are supervised and coached by the Madrichim Program Supervisor, Kate Meltzer. Volunteer Madrichim will receive school community service credit to work in classrooms with Yachad teachers and students.
It is CBE’s policy that madrichim must be enrolled in Yachad; if you have any questions about this, please contact Tehilah Eisenstadt at teisenstadt@cbebk.org. If you are interested in hearing more about the Madrichim Program, please contact Haley Breskin at hbreskin@cbebk.org.
Rosh Chodesh
Rosh Chodesh meets one Sunday a month at CBE. We use Jewish teachings and practices, to give girls a place to feel safe, articulate their deepest concerns, consider the impact of gender on their daily lives, have fun, and be ‘real’ with their peers. Through discussion, arts & crafts, creative ritual, games, and drama, the girls and their leader draw on Jewish values and a gender lens to explore the issues tweens and teens care about most.
Shevet
Shevet groups re-imagine the transition from being a boy to being a young man through a space where male-identifying students can explore what masculinity and being Jewish means to them, asking the hard questions they have, and helping them find voice for the ones they might not know how to ask yet. Through a combination of hanging out, deep inquiry, games and thoughtful questions made fun, boys are able to bring their full selves and personalities to deep discussions of what Judaism has to say about the ethical challenges of their everyday lives. For more information, visit the Moving Traditions website.
Tzelem (Moving Tradition program adapted to the spectrum of LGBTQIA teens)
This group focuses on topics such as healthy relationships, stress, belonging, and identity. Teens explore issues through games, art, discussion, and by drawing on Jewish teachings. Tzelem seeks to enrich teens’ lives with these core outcomes: (1) Develop a strong self-concept and the social emotional skills to navigate through life. (2) Recognize and resist sexism personally and in their communities. (3) Experience Judaism and Jewish community as personally relevant and meaningful.
BESTY Jr. is a teen run organization for 6th-8th grade students at CBE. We run bi-monthly events focused on fun, making friends and connecting to other middle school aged teens.