B’Mitzvah

The program

Roots of Change

By practicing, planning, learning history, and brainstorming, students tackle some of the important social justice questions of our time, from the rise of xenophobic politics to the indigenous struggles against oil pipelines in Canada. By planting trees and re-examining the food cycle, students will connect environmental struggles to the United Jewish People’s Order other five social justice priorities and examine in an intersectional way the disproportionate way climate change affects the planet and its people.

Heritage to Horizon

Our curriculum intersects ancient history, Jewish mythology, culture, art, and social justice. It helps students understand context and make meaning from Jewish practices, and to link Jewish history with contemporary social issues. From the Jewish revolutions by the Maccabees to the 19th century’s Labour movements, students learn about economic justice and freedom of worship. On the theme of Indigeneity and migration, the students examine the Canadian context as well as that of Israel/Palestine. Going back to antiquity, they follow how the Jewish community evolved from the tribe to the nation to the family, and how LGBTQ2S movements continue to push that evolution.

Dynamic Learning

Each class incorporates context from the long history of the Jewish civilization, an experiential learning component, and a discussion period, driven by the socratic method. As educators we foster an environment of engagement and movement, embracing the multifaceted ways learning takes place. We encourage the students to tackle challenges from the past and the present, to put themselves in their ancestors’ shoes, and to find their own paths to what it means to be Jewish.

B’Mitzvah

Our program strives to inspire in its participants a love of Jewish culture, history, wisdom, and ethics, imbuing a strong sense of Jewish identity as well as identification with the struggles and achievements of the Jewish people.

A year-long research project

Driven by the students’ interests, the year is dedicated not only to our curriculum but also to a long-term research project where the student can pursue whatever topic they are interested in, finding its Jewish connections. Previous projects have ranged as widely as the Jewish labour movement of the 19th century; the Jewish history of basketball, hockey, and baseball; and the life and work of Albert Einstein, Emma Goldman, Adam Sandler, Ursula Franklin, and more.

Tikkun Olam

Our curriculum stresses the importance of Tikkun Olam – acts of kindness which “repair the world” through dedicated social action. Students volunteer throughout the year for an organization they feel repairs the world, and reflect on the experience during their graduation ceremony.

The ceremony

The year culminates in a group ceremony celebrating what the students achieve and learn, organized by their parents in coordination with the Shule and driven by the students themselves.

Questions?

Please contact our Education Director with any specific questions about the curriculum, the program, the research, the creative work, or the Tikkun Olam components.