Religious School
About OTRS

Stay informed about all the school events and youth activities at Olam Tikvah. Send your e-mail address to otrs@olamtikvah.org to receive all the e-mail notices.

The school office is open during religious school hours.  If you need to meet with someone specific, please call first.  Materials may always be left with the main office.

Class Hours

Kindergarten and Grade 1: Sunday mornings, 9:00am-12noon.

Grades 2-7: Sunday mornings, 9:00am-12noon, and Tuesday afternoons, 4:15pm-6:15pm. 

Grades 8-10: Sunday evenings, 6:00pm-8:00pm.

Pre-college Grades 11 and 12: Watch for the new schedule.

Curriculum & Texts

Lower School Classes

Kindergarten: Programs focus on holidays and customs, the synagogue, Torah, literature, community, Mitzvot, values, and music. Students are introduced to the Aleph-Bet, and learn to recognize some Hebrew words. Materials include the Let’s Discover series, covering the aleph-bet, the synagogue, and the holidays.

Grade 1: Programs continue the concepts and activities introduced in Kindergarten.  Students are expand their recognition of Hebrew words. Texts include Beginning Jewish Life Red Label series (holidays), and  Journeys Through the Alef Bet: A Hebrew Pre-primer.

Grade 2: Children begin to study Torah, Hebrew phonics and word recognition, and basic brachot (prayers). The emphasis is on Shabbat and Havdallah, and introducing an awareness of Israel.  Second grade texts are My Jewish Year and The Sarah and David Primer (Hebrew).

Grade 3: Students are introduced to the Prophets, and to the people and cities of Israel. In Hebrew, they continue to develop Hebrew and reading and comprehension skills, with a focus on learning the Shema and related blessings.  Grade 3 books are Partners with God, A Child’s Bible - Lessons from the Prophets & Writings, The Great Israel Scavenger Hunt and Hineni 1.

Grade 4: Students study Jewish American history and immigration.  They explore aspects of Jewish lifecycle, including rituals and practices. Their Hebrew studies emphasize learning the Amidah and improving reading fluency. Fourth grade texts are Journey of a Lifetime, Book of Jewish Holidays and Hineni 2.

Grade 5: Students study the Torah service in Hebrew, and provides opportunities for students to advance to learn special prayers such as Anim Z’mirot. Judaics topics include Torah study, focusing on selections from Bereishit (Genesis), and early Jewish history.  Grade 5 sources are History of the Jewish People I and Hineni 3, as well as Siddur Sim Shalom and the Tanakh. 

Grade 6: Students study topics in Jewish living, including friendship, Sifrei Kodesh (sacred texts), kashrut, values and mitzvot, using a variety of different resources.

High School Classes

Grade 8 will study modern Israel for the first hour of class both semesters. Students may choose an Hour 2 elective each semester.

Grade 9 students may choose an Hour 1 and an Hour 2 elective each semester.

Grade 10 students may choose an elective for each hour of class first semester, and for Hour 1 the second semester.  During the second semester, tenth graders will spend the second hour with the rabbis in a special class that includes preparation for Confirmation.

Hour 1 Electives (grades 9-10)

• Courtroom Trials from the Bible:  A study of conflicts in the Torah.

• David Melech Yisrael: Text study of the life of King David.

Hour 2 Electives (grades 8-10)

• Conversational Hebrew.

• Jewish Cooking Around the World.

• Hot Topics in Today's World, and the relevance of Judaism.

Pre-college grades 11-12 address a wide variety of topics relevant to modern Jewish living and current issues that teens commonly face.  To some extent, the curriculum is influenced by the interests of the students and their families and will vary from year to year.

Tzedakah and Community Service

All of our grades collect tzedakah for contribution to worthy charities.  Past charities have included ALYN Pediatric and Adolescent Rehabilitation Center in Israel, Yad Sarah (supporting disabled and elderly in Israel), Pizza IDF, local food banks, and local animal shelters.  Students also have opportunities to learn about ways to give beyond donating money.  At different grade levels, children participate in activities such as preparing casseroles for homeless shelters, food and clothing drives, and preparing cards for Israeli soldiers.

3800 Glenbrook Road · Fairfax, Virginia  22031 · phone 703-425-1880  · fax 703-425-0835  · info@olamtikvah.org

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