Congregation Beth Torah’s Weiner Religious School’s Keshet program teaches Hebrew reading skills in a dynamic, energetic, and fun environment. The Keshet program focuses on building community, creating enthusiasm for learning Hebrew, and developing strong prayer skills. Through competition and cooperation students are motivated to achieve their personal best, push their classroom team to its best, and see the entire Keshet community succeed.

There are three Keshet classrooms that combine 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students. Every effort is made to divide students equally by age, gender, and ability level. These diverse classrooms are labeled according to different colors from the rainbow. Individually each color is vibrant; collectively the rainbow represents our eternal covenant with God and the earth.

We use the Hebrew words for our Keshet colors and students are encouraged to dress in their Keshet color for the first day of Keshet and special events throughout the year. Each color team has two teachers and two madrichim (teenage aides). The maximum number of students in a Keshet classroom is 24. Students will remain in the same color group throughout their years in the Keshet program, meeting new 4th graders each year and saying goodbye to graduating 6th graders.

Each week from 5:50 p.m. - 6:15 p.m. Keshet students and teachers will reinforce their classroom curriculum by joining for worship in the sanctuary. Experiencing the prayers “in action” and in the context of a real service is an important part of the learning process. Keshet worship also allows us to encourage greater community between the various color groups, and it gives an opportunity for two 6th grade students to transcend their color groups and collaboratively lead worship. Parents are encouraged to attend Keshet worship as often as possible. At the conclusion of Keshet worship we will also make important announcements regarding homework, upcoming special events, and recognition of important milestones for Keshet students.

Students receive Prayer Check books to track their progress in learning the prayers from the morning and evening worship services. Twice during the year volunteers come listen to students read from their Prayer Check booklets and sign off prayers for students who read well. Within each color group students are paired together as partners for motivating each other to get prayers checked off and to read to each other for practice between getting prayers checked off.

Hebrew Read-in on Wednesday, December 14th, from 5:00 to 5:50 p.m. On that afternoon the ulam will be full of volunteers (can YOU help?) listening to our Hebrew students proudly read the prayers they have been learning and practicing in class.  It will also be filled with popcorn, as a special treat for the students and volunteers who listen to them read.  It’s a fun afternoon and a small way to demonstrate to our students that the skill you learned as a Hebrew student is one that they will keep using as they grow into adulthood.  You don’t have to be a parent of a student, just someone who cares about reinforcing the skills we are teaching.  Contact Marcia Rittmaster to volunteer.

Because Hebrew homework is particularly critical for the progression of skills, we use a learning resource called Ha-Siddur Sheli (My Prayerbook) that offers on-line support for the student. You and your child can access the website for Hebrew reinforcement by going to www.barvazpress.com and clicking on the duck (barvaz in Hebrew). This website offers games and activities that go along with our classroom materials, but more importantly students can click on a particular prayer and read along as a voice recites the prayer line-by-line. Whether or not the parent reads Hebrew, you can still listen along with your child and help correct the Hebrew reading you hear. As a parent, if you do not read Hebrew and would like transliteration of the prayers your child is learning (the Hebrew written in English characters), please contact the Educational Administrator.