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Wise Religious School encourages deep and engaging Jewish living by offering meaningful, immersive opportunities for students to discover and experience the richness of Jewish life.

Judaism

שִׁמְעוֹן הַצַּדִּיק הָיָה מִשְּׁיָרֵי כְנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה. הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, עַל שְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים הָעוֹלָם עוֹמֵד, עַל הַתּוֹרָה וְעַל הָעֲבוֹדָה וְעַל גְּמִילוּת חֲסָדִים

Simeon the Righteous, the last of the great assembly, said: The world stands upon three things – Torah, service to God, and acts of lovingkindness.
Mishnah Pirkei Avot 1:2.

This teaching from our sages helps guides our curricular philosophy. The study of Jewish text and Jewish history (Torah), informs our relationship with God (service to God) and with one another (acts of lovingkindness). In each grade, students discover how stories and lessons from our people’s past inform the ways in which we approach topics in Jewish life today, including: God, Israel, prayer, peoplehood, festivals, and values. Hebrew is interwoven throughout the course of study, with study of the alphabet and enunciating written Hebrew beginning in Grade 4. (Grade 3 students who choose our Hebrew Head Start option may begin one year early).

Students learn introductory Bible stories, Jewish holidays, and Shabbat.

Students use the lens of Bereishit, the book of Genesis, to examine Jewish identity and the Jewish calendar.

Students use the lens of Shmot, the book of Exodus, to examine their relationship with God and the value of making great happen in the world.

Students read from Vayikra, the book of Leviticus, to better understand how to create holiness through prayer and ritual.

Students study the concept of covenant found within BaMidbar, the Book of Numbers, in order to better understand their relationship with the Jewish community, from their Wise Religious School classroom to Israel and the worldwide Jewish community.

Students study the Prophets and the beginnings of Progressive Judaism in order to better understand their responsibility to create positive change in the world around them. Their study culminates with a tzedakah fair, where Grade 5 students present.

Students study the collection of stories, poems, and wisdom contained in Ketuvim, the Biblical Writings, in order to develop their understanding of how prayer, Jewish education, acts of lovingkindness, and Jewish community can represent meaningful expressions of Jewish life.

Students in Grade 7 begin their day with the Breakfast Club, an opportunity to nosh, socialize and discuss the role Judaism plays in their everyday lives before joining our B’nai Mitzvah tutoring program and leadership workshops. Students end their day with conversations facilitated by Temple and Clergy leadership on subjects of the students’ choice, from modern Israel to gender. Students also participate in tikkun olam field trips designed to broaden their perspective about topics of importance to them.

We couldn’t say goodbye to your children after their last year at Wise Elementary School, so our talented and caring teachers, under the experienced leadership of our new Director of Religious School and Temple Youth, Stephanie Schwartz, have crafted this brand-new, free opportunity for Wise School alumni at Milken to reconnect with one another and their rabbis here where they began their Jewish learning. Once registered, students need only hop on our shuttle on Friday afternoon. Once they disembark, they’ll have the opportunity to prepare for B’nai Mitzvah, participate in fun and engaging leadership and Tikkun Olam activities, or engage in meaningful study with one of their rabbis.

Hebrew

As the language of our People’s history, traditions, and values, Hebrew provides invaluable insights into the significance of Judaism in the modern American life. As such, Hebrew plays an important role at Wise Religious School from Kindergarten on.

All students at Wise participate in Hebrew Through Movement, a cutting-edge approach to Hebrew acquisition that helps students learn language the way we do as children, through movement and speech, before proceeding to writing and reading skills.

Students also further their Hebrew skills through participation in services and music classes, which expose them to the sounds of Hebrew and Jewish tradition!

For alumni of our Early Childhood’s Hebrew Immersion Program, our Hebrew through Hebrew program, grades K-2, enables students to continue learning about Judaism in a Hebrew-only environment.

For students determined to begin learning how to read and enunciate using the Hebrew alphabet, Hebrew Head Start offers them the chance to begin early, just after regularly scheduled Religious School hours.

Following regularly scheduled Religious School hours, students in Grades 4-6 work in small groups to master the Hebrew alphabet and begin enunciating Hebrew words, ultimately leading to prayer fluency. As students progress, they tackle more and more difficult prayers, learning both the techniques and meaning behind our tradition’s liturgy.

Each Tuesday, Hebrew learners are invited to join us, at no cost, from 4:00-5:30 pm for additional Hebrew instruction, helping to solidify the lessons they learn on Sundays.

For students who prefer 1:1 instruction, iLearn offers the opportunity to study one-on-one with our Hebrew Coordinator and master the Hebrew alphabet and enunciation, at additional cost.

Student and Family Life

From class time to summer time and more, Wise Religious School offers countless opportunities for parents and children to embrace the benefits of Jewish living and learning.

Wise Religious School is committed to creating an inclusive, caring, and welcoming environment for students and families from all walks of life. Our code of conduct, derived from our tradition’s teachings, informs all student, faculty, and parent interactions, infusing our interpersonal exchanges with meaning and worth. We also infuse our love of Jewish values, traditions, and history into every aspect of life on campus, from the classroom to recess to prayer to music and more.

Wise Religious School is committed to creating an inclusive, caring, and welcoming environment for students and families from all walks of life. Our code of conduct, derived from our tradition’s teachings, informs all student, faculty, and parent interactions, infusing our interpersonal exchanges with meaning and worth. We also infuse our love of Jewish values, traditions, and history into every aspect of life on campus, from the classroom to recess to prayer to music and more.

At Wise Religious School, we believe strongly that Jewish life is best learned by being lived. As such, we have organized Religious School Shabbatot on select Friday nights throughout the year, as well as family learning experiences designed to promote learning through doing, from our Religious School Family Days to Family Camp. We invite you to bring Judaism to life for yourselves and your children alike by participating in these programs.

We understand that you and your children are busy. In fact, we’re always trying to think about ways to make giving your children the gift of meaningful Jewish education easier on your hectic schedules. However, we also know that children who truly embrace Jewish education have parents who embrace Jewish education. Whether it’s participating in one of our family days or parent learning opportunities, volunteering as a classroom parent or a school committee member, or simply organizing Shabbat dinner with fellow Religious School families, taking ownership of your Wise Religious School community affirms the importance of Jewish education to your children.

We understand that you and your children are busy. In fact, we’re always trying to think about ways to make giving your children the gift of meaningful Jewish education easier on your hectic schedules. However, we also know that children who truly embrace Jewish education have parents who embrace Jewish education. Whether it’s participating in one of our family days or parent learning opportunities, volunteering as a classroom parent or a school committee member, or simply organizing Shabbat dinner with fellow Religious School families, taking ownership of your Wise Religious School community affirms the importance of Jewish education to your children.

We understand that you and your children are busy. In fact, we’re always trying to think about ways to make giving your children the gift of meaningful Jewish education easier on your hectic schedules. However, we also know that children who truly embrace Jewish education have parents who embrace Jewish education. Whether it’s participating in one of our family days or parent learning opportunities, volunteering as a classroom parent or a school committee member, or simply organizing Shabbat dinner with fellow Religious School families, taking ownership of your Wise Religious School community affirms the importance of Jewish education to your children.