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Rooted in Tradition. Designed for Today. Inspired for Tomorrow.
At jLAB, our curriculum is crafted to nurture Jewish identity, inspire spiritual growth, and prepare learners to be engaged members of the Jewish community and the world around them. Through age-appropriate content, hands-on experiences, and relationship-based teaching, our learners grow in knowledge, confidence, and connection.
We believe Jewish learning should be joyful, relevant, and lasting.
Our curriculum reflects a commitment to excellence, inclusion, and connection – ensuring learners not only study Judaism, but live it.
Learners explore the rhythms of the Jewish calendar through experiential learning – singing, cooking, creating, and celebrating. We connect each holiday and milestone with meaning that’s relevant to learners’ lives.
From stories of our ancestors to contemporary ethical dilemmas, learners engage in deep conversations about what it means to live a Jewish life. We emphasize middot (Jewish values), such as kindness, justice, and gratitude, and encourage learners to put them into practice.
Our Hebrew program focuses on decoding, vocabulary, and prayer literacy. Learners gain familiarity with key prayers, their meanings, and their place in Jewish tradition. Weekly Tefillah services help learners build spiritual language and confidence participating in Jewish communal prayer.
We explore the land, history, culture, and modern State of Israel in ways that are age-appropriate and nuanced. Learners also study Jewish communities around the world, fostering a sense of global connection and belonging.
In Grades K–1, our youngest learners begin to experience Judaism as something lived and joyful. The classroom becomes a space of discovery, where learners engage with Jewish life through singing, storytelling, movement, art, and hands-on exploration. Each session is designed to spark curiosity and build a strong sense of belonging, helping children feel at home in all our community spaces, and develop warm relationships with our clergy and staff.
A highlight of each session is a 30-minute Tefillah experience filled with song, movement, and prayer. Learners engage with Hebrew and English melodies and participate in a joyful prayer service.
Learners regularly explore Jewish holidays, Israel, Torah stories, folktales, and core Jewish values. They encounter books, music, video, and other media as avenues to engage with our tradition.
Across Grade K–1 classes, learning builds a strong foundation in Jewish life and identity:
Throughout these formative years, learners grow as confident, joyful humans who are beginning to see themselves as part of a larger Jewish story.
Grades 2 & 3 introduce learners to the foundational stories of the Torah and the enduring values it teaches. Through storytelling, creative drama, discussion, and multimedia experiences, learners encounter the lives of our ancestors and begin to see how their challenges, choices, and questions connect to their own everyday experiences.
Learners are encouraged to think deeply about the decisions made by biblical characters – asking what was right, what was difficult, and what they themselves might do in similar situations. In doing so, they discover that these ancient texts continue to offer meaningful guidance, helping them grow into thoughtful, responsible members of both their Jewish and broader communities. Throughout these years, learners practice sharing ideas, listening respectfully, and engaging in age-appropriate discussions that welcome different perspectives.
Highlights
These two years help learners build a strong foundation in Jewish learning while nurturing curiosity, empathy, and a sense of personal responsibility.
Grades 4–5 invite learners to explore the rich, complex story of the Jewish people across time. Through powerful narratives of courage, creativity, and resilience, learners discover how Jewish identity has been shaped by both challenge and triumph. By engaging with history, they begin to see themselves as part of an ongoing story – one that stretches across generations and around the world.
As learners examine key moments in Jewish history, they learn how Judaism has evolved in response to changing circumstances. They consider how the choices of individuals and communities shaped the Jewish experience we know today, and how those decisions continue to influence modern Jewish life. Along the way, learners are encouraged to reflect on their own role in carrying this story forward.
Highlights
These two years help learners build a strong sense of identity, connection, and pride, while empowering them to see themselves as active participants in the continuing story of the Jewish people.
Our Grade 6–7 Judaic Studies curriculum is grounded in project-based learning, placing learners at the center of an active, hands-on exploration of Jewish identity, history, and values. Through meaningful, inquiry-driven projects, learners reflect on how Jewish experiences can help shape who they are, who they want to become, and how Jewish teachings can guide their everyday choices.
Project-based units have included topics such as Jewish history, the Holocaust, Jews around the world, and Israel. Across these units, learners investigate essential questions, analyze pivotal moments, and explore diverse perspectives, gaining a deeper understanding of the global Jewish experience, past and present.
Each unit invites learners to engage collaboratively and creatively – designing presentations, leading discussions, and building real-world connections between what they learn and how they live. This approach emphasizes critical thinking, personal reflection, and the development of a strong, informed sense of Jewish self.
This project-based approach fosters deep engagement and ownership of learning, helping students experience Judaism as dynamic, personal, and lived.
In Grades 8-9, teens participate in a cohort-based learning experience grounded in the Moving Traditions Kulam curriculum. This program invites teens into honest, relevant, and engaging conversations about identity, relationships, responsibility, and what it means to live Jewishly in today’s world.
Through facilitated discussion, text exploration, and peer dialogue, teens examine topics such as values, ethics, community, leadership, and social pressures, all through a Jewish lens. The Kulam framework encourages teens to bring their whole selves into the learning space while developing the skills to listen deeply, express their perspectives, and engage respectfully with others.
This program is designed to support teens during a formative stage of development, helping them strengthen their sense of self, build meaningful peer connections, and articulate their evolving Jewish identity.
In Grade 10, teens participate in our Confirmation program, a culminating year of Jewish learning and reflection designed to help teens articulate their personal Jewish identity and values. The curriculum is from the American Jewish University Jewish Life Experience program and emphasizes thoughtful engagement with Jewish tradition in conversation with contemporary life.
Throughout the year, teens explore foundational Jewish texts, ethical questions, and modern issues through a lens that encourages inquiry, dialogue, and personal meaning-making. Topics may include Jewish responsibility, spirituality, social justice, Israel, and the evolving nature of Jewish peoplehood.
A central goal of the program is to support teens in reflecting on their own beliefs and commitments as they prepare to affirm their connection to Jewish life and community. The year culminates in a meaningful Confirmation service, in which teens share their learning, growth, and individual Jewish journeys with their families and community.
Our Hebrew program is designed to build confidence, fluency, and comfort with reading Hebrew. We are proud to be an #OnwardHebrew program, which includes the following components:
Hebrew decoding is introduced as an optional opportunity in Grade 4, allowing learners to begin developing foundational skills. In Grades 5–7, Hebrew decoding becomes a core part of the curriculum, ensuring that all learners gain the skills needed to read and engage with Hebrew text with increasing independence and confidence.
For learners who are eager for additional practice or enrichment, we offer an optional Hebrew Club on Thursday afternoons. This add-on experience provides a supportive, engaging environment for learners to strengthen their Hebrew skills, build fluency, and deepen their connection to Hebrew through interactive and collaborative activities.
Together, these offerings create a balanced approach that supports both skill-building and a positive, meaningful relationship with Hebrew learning.
Tefillah (worship) is an integral part of our jLAB experience, helping learners develop both familiarity and comfort with Jewish prayer. Our goal is for learners to engage meaningfully with Reform liturgy – understanding the themes and messages of the prayers while building the skills to participate confidently in a variety of Jewish communal settings.
Learners in Grades K–7 participate in tefillah during each jLAB session, creating a consistent rhythm of practice and reflection. Through guided prayer experiences, music, and discussion, learners deepen their understanding of the structure, language, and meaning of the service.
We warmly welcome parents and family members to join us for tefillah, reinforcing the idea that prayer is a shared, communal experience and an important part of Jewish life. jLAB tefillah is on Saturday mornings from 11:30 am – 12:00 pm; Monday afternoons from 5:30 – 6:00 pm; and Wednesday afternoons from 4:30 – 5:00 pm.