Jewish Life

Mitzvot and Tzedakah -- Charity
Students and families are actively involved in various tzedakah projects, generously donating time, money and energy to fulfill this important mitzvah. Each Primary classroom has a JNF Blue Box and MDA tzedakah box to which students regularly contribute. The SRC coordinates charity fundraisers, such as Red Nose Day and Bandanna Day.

Emanuel School’s community involvement is in tune with the cycle of the Jewish calendar - a Rosh Hashanah Honey Stall, Mazon bags during the High Holy Days and Bikkurim food donations during Purim and Shavuot. Students also participate in the Goodness and Kindness Project, an interfaith programme encouraging tolerance and dialogue involving the Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities.

T’fillah -- Prayer
On Thursday mornings, Years 3-6 students participate in Torah service which includes traditional prayers, a Torah reading and a discussion on the weekly Parsha. On Friday mornings, Primary School gathers for Kabbalat Shabbat. Shabbat is welcomed with tremendous ruach (spirit) and singing of the traditional Shabbat prayers and Hebrew songs. T’fillah also includes discussions and study, where students are encouraged to contemplate the rituals, prayers and their meanings. In all the weekly prayer services, students are given the opportunity to lead and participate in the service.

At the conclusion of lunch, Primary School unites to recite Birkat Hamazon, the blessing over food. T’fillah services also reflect the cycle of the Jewish calendar to include holiday songs, prayers and blessings.

To mark graduation from Primary School, Year 6 students run a Kabbalat Shabbat service for their families. The students research and write their own commentaries to the prayers, creating their own Siddur.

Chaggim -- Jewish Holidays
Students learn about the chaggim customs and their meanings. In addition, the school community comes together to celebrate and experience the chaggim. Highlights of the year include:

• Model sederim, giving students and parents an opportunity to participate and learn about Pesach. Students also have the opportunity to make matzah.
• Colourful Purim fashion parades, carnival and reading of the Megillah.
• Special Torah service for Shavuot – reading of the Ten Commandments and Year 3 Pathways ceremony, where parents present their child with a Tanakh.
• Yom Ha’aztmaut, Israel’s Independence Day is celebrated with Israeli dancing and the school decorated in blue and white.
• Decorating, studying and eating in the school’s Sukkah and the opportunity to shake the Arbah Minim.
• Sounding of the Shofar during the month of Elul and a whole school Rosh Hashanah picnic and Tashlikh ceremony in Centennial Park.

Years 3-6 Jewish Studies Curriculum
Our Primary School curriculum seeks to educate, challenge and engage the students in diverse areas of Jewish history and practice. Study of the Tanakh forms the foundation and the starting point for learning about Jewish history, identity, ethics and values. Students are encouraged to arrive at their own opinions and interpretations of the Tanakh. In the higher grades, analysis of the Tanakh gains complexity and is enriched with Rabbinic commentaries and traditions.

Various mitzvot (commandments) and middot (ethics) are studied in their original, Biblical context and then critically applied and related to the contemporary world. Contemporary events such as the creation of the State of Israel and the Shoah are also taught. The concept of Brit (Covenant) is explored, as students are challenged to think about the meaning of God and the different approaches to understanding Torah and what it means to be a Jew.