Religious School

About Our School

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.

Congregation Olam Tikvah Religious School (OTRS) encourages our children to identify their place in the story of the Jewish people and understand the sacred space of the synagogue and its inhabitants. Based on a strong foundation of core knowledge, we help them develop confidence in their beliefs and become life-long Jewish learners with their time at OTRS signifying only one part of their Jewish journeys. We strive to make Jewish learning accessible and engaging for each student and teach them how to be Jewish at every age and stage of their lives.

Curriculum

Kindergarten: The curriculum is structured around holidays and customs, the synagogue, Torah, literature, community, Mitzvot, values, and music.

Grade 1: Students continue to explore the rituals of Jewish holidays, the synagogue, Torah, literature, community, Mitzvot, values, and music.

Grade 2: The study of Torah deepens, as students become more familiar with the text and the people who inhabit its pages. There is a special emphasis on the prayers and blessings that make up Shabbat and Havdallah.

Grade 3: Students are introduced to the writings of the Prophets, allowing classes to begin wrestling with concepts of ethics and values. Israel also takes center stage, from the most ancient beginnings to modern-day life. Hebrew and Tefillah continue to play an important role, with a focus on the Shema and her blessings.

Grade 4: The focus this year is on the Jewish lifecycle. Hebrew and Tefillah study centers on the Amidah, with an emphasis not only on fluency but also on comprehension. A more formal study of Torah begins this year with a close look at Beresheit.

Grade 5: Torah Trop is introduced, and the focus on Torah continues as students learn the Torah service and begin to study Shemot. Jewish history comes into focus with a look at the Post-Biblical Period up to 1800s.

Grade 6: Students continue their Torah Trop study. Additionally, their Torah study includes Vayikra, Bemidbar, and Devarim. Their exploration of the Siddur changes tones, with a more mature look at many of the prayers that make up Shabbat morning worship. That same maturing eye will also be trained on the Jewish lifecycle, where students will have the opportunity to study what it means to live a Jewish life.

Grade 7:  Students begin welcome the words of the Prophets into their classrooms, as they delve into the Nevi’im. They begin to grapple with the kinds of ethical dilemmas that present themselves in everyday life, using the model of the Bet Din.

High School Classes

OTRS Tichon (8th & 9th Grade) Program, Sundays, 6:00-8:00pm. Registration required. The Tichon Program is designed to engage and challenge students who are interested in continuing down the path of lifelong Jewish education. The first hour of the program will focus on Jewish life around the world. It will include cooking, history, the arts, and media and will allow students to step into the shoes of Jewish teens across the globe. Dan Noble has designed this class to meet the needs of teen learners who are ready to move beyond the textbook and explore modern Jewish life around the world with all of their senses. The second hour will offer electives in a variety of subjects that range from Jewish art to Talmud.

Fall Semester 2011 Electives

Jewish Arts and Artists, taught by Dan Noble--This popular course combines the study of Jewish artists of the past and present with the creation of original art by our students. Our OT artists will express themselves Jewishly using a variety of techniques and mediums.

The Book of Job, taught by Rachael Hammer--One of the reasons that the Book of Job is one of the most celebrated pieces of biblical literature is because it explores some of the most profound questions humans ask about their lives. This text-based course offers students the chance to ask tough questions and search for answers.

Current Events Through A Jewish Lens, taught by Stuart Bender--From the Arab Spring to the current crop of presidential contenders, the last six months have been full of important issues and big questions. This debate-style class offers students the opportunity to look beyond the headlines, through a Jewish lens.

Olam Tikvah’s Confirmation (10th Grade) Program, Sundays, 6:00-8:00pm.  The Confirmation Program is a year-long experience that draws upon students’ years of Jewish study and offers them the opportunity to explore Judasim in deep and rich ways. Throughout the year, participants will work with OT’s rabbis to explore the Jewish lifecycle from a more mature perspective. In addition, they will embark on a study of comparative Judaism that will include site visits to Jewish spaces throughout the DC area. The Confirmation Program will culminate with a celebration where our students will share their experiences with the congregation and receive recognition for their commitment to their Jewish education.

Pre-College (11th & 12th Grade) Program addresses 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. See our Pre-College page.

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

 Affiliated with The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism

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