How Our Program Works
Primary (Grades PreK-2)
Guided by our caring and creative teachers and clergy, our youngest students (PreK-Gr. 2) at Machane TBA experience a broad introduction to Judaism. They explore Jewish holidays, Hebrew, Torah stories, synagogue rituals, tefillah (prayer) and Jewish values such as tzedakah (charitable giving) and tikkun olam (repairing the world).
Classes are held on Sundays from 9:30-11:30 AM.
Optional Primary Enrichment & Kehillah Programs are held on Sundays 11:30 AM -12:30 PM
The Primary Day:
Class Bonding Time (Kehillah)
We strive to create a community with strong interpersonal relationships and utilize kehillah to develop peer to peer and student to teacher relationships.
Jewish Studies (Shiur)
Students become familiar with holiday observances, Jewish values and ethics, and are able to participate in Jewish rituals.
Hebrew (Ivrit)
By the end of 2nd grade, students are successfully able to decode one and two syllable Hebrew words.
Specialty Program (Chugim)
Chugim include Jewish art (omanut), music (shira), prayer services (t’filah) Jewish storytelling, Nature (Teva), cooking, Ask the Rabbi sessions, Tikkun Olam projects and large-scale grade-based programming.
Snack
Challah and juice are offered to partake in a Shabbat-like snack and practice the Shabbat blessings.
Primary Enrichment
Primary Enrichment provides our K-2nd grade students with three high quality, fun, educational 7-week sessions on Sunday mornings after their regular Machane TBA class, from 11:30am-12:30pm. Students are given the opportunity to engage in social activities and meet children from other grades and classes. Programs are led by community professionals that are focused on music, sports, science and art. These programs are optional and have separate registration and fees.
SPACES ARE STILL AVAILABLE in our 2025-26 Primary Enrichment & Kehillah Programs!
Register
Primary Kehillah
Primary Kehillah are stand-alone programs for our K-2nd grade students held on Sunday mornings after their regular Machane TBA class. These are structured social programs with a themed engaging activity. Some examples of Kehillah programs are: Creating crafts to be sold to raise funds for a nonprofit animal sanctuary, baking hamentashen and making mishloach manot gift bags to donate. We have also brought in specialists such as Mad Science and DinoRock Puppet Theatre to lead programs. These programs are optional and have separate registration and fees.
SPACES ARE STILL AVAILABLE in our 2025-26 Primary Enrichment & Kehillah Programs!
Register
Primary Family Programming & Services
Consecration Service
The Consecration Service honors our Kindergarten and new Primary (1st and 2nd grade) students as they begin their Jewish education at Machane TBA, marking an important milestone as they join our community.
Camp Shabbat Services
Inspired by the ruach (spirit) of machane (camp), these services are joyful celebrations of Shabbat, filled with song and dance. Different grade levels are honored at each Camp Shabbat service.
Bet Family Seder
Led by Clergy with the participation of our Bet (2nd grade) students, the Bet Family Seder is a wonderful opportunity for all 2nd grade students and their families to celebrate Passover together.
L’mala/L’mata (Grades 3-6)
In grades 3-6, we offer two complementary learning blocks which are called L’mala (upstairs) and L’mata (downstairs).
L’mala (upstairs) is the classroom-based learning block during which students work on Hebrew reading and decoding, prayer literacy, Shabbat liturgy, Torah, holidays, Israel and history.
L’mata (downstairs) is the experiential learning block during which students in grades 3-6 have a weekly musical t’filah (prayer) session, large-scale interactive programming, Jewish values lessons, and various engaging electives.
The combination of classroom learning and experiential opportunities allows children to experience Judaism in different ways and to find a path to which they can connect.
Classes are held on Sundays from 9:30 AM-12:30 PM
(Snack/break from 10:45-11:15 AM)
For a look at what we have done on each Sunday, check out our 3rd-6th grade blog.
Additional 3rd-6th Grade Programming
Kehillah Events
Held on 4 Sundays after Machane TBA from 12:30-2:00pm. They are planned and led by TBAHigh teens who are Student Council Executive Board and Cabinet members. Students will have a pizza lunch, participate in fun ice breakers to get to know new faces, enjoy a bounce house, arts and crafts, play Gaga, and more. Kehillah events are optional and advanced registration is required.
Overnight Retreats
An immersive camp-style experience that is designed to strengthen the connection between the curriculum, the Machane TBA staff, student peers, and the Temple Beth Ami community. This retreat is held once each year at a camp in the area. This retreat is optional and advance registration is required.
Camp Shabbat
Temple Beth Ami holds a “Camp Shabbat” service on the first Friday of each month. Each grade is honored during one Camp Shabbat Service, and students play a role in the service.
Hebrew Tutoring
Machane TBA is happy to provide complimentary Hebrew support to 3rd- 6th grade students. Foundational Tutoring is designed for 3rd & 4th grade students, but is also open to 5th & 6th grade students who need help with (wording from Sign up genius). This tutoring is in person. Virtual tutoring is available for 5th & 6th grade students, and is designed to review and work on Shabbat morning prayers and higher level hebrew.
The tutors are 2 of our wonderful Machane TBA teachers. Advanced sign up is required:
Sign up for 3rd & 4th Grade (Foundational) Tutoring
Sign up for 5th & 6th Grade Tutoring
TBAHigh (Grades 7-12)
TBAHigh is a multi-faceted and all-encompassing approach to Jewish teen engagement for students in grade 7-12. Our program focuses on Jewish learning, identity and community-building, and it draws on the best practices of successful youth engagement.
Students meet on Tuesday evenings.
Optional pizza dinner from 6 PM – 6:30 PM
Programming from 6:30 PM – 8 PM
TBAHigh runs on a four-week rotation. The following is the schedule:
WEEK 1: Tochnit (Large Scale Programming)
School-wide programming exploring relevant hot topics and holiday celebrations through experiential programs and discussion. Tochnit are designed and planned by the TBAHigh Student Council.
WEEK 2: Grade Level Kehillah/Chugim
(Community & Activity)
Students will rotate by grade to each chug (activity). Grades 7 & 10 have Curriculum nights on this night.
Chugim may include:
Kehillah: Building and strengthening community through fun, engaging grade-level activities.
Art: Exploring creative expression with Jewish mixed-media arts.
Cooking: Hands on culinary classes through a Jewish lens. Students eat the food prepared!
Social Action: Engaging students in hands-on community service projects (onsite & offsite) within the context of Jewish values. Students earn 2 SSL hours per class.
Music: Building community through the power of music.
WEEK 3: Grade Level Curriculum
7th Grade: The 7th grade curriculum is designed around the topic of Jewish Identity. As our 7th grade students approach becoming Bar/Bat Mitzvah, they will explore what it means to be a Jewish adult in our community and in the world around them. In classrooms and/or large group settings and with a variety of programs and speakers, the students will learn about American Jewish life, history, the Holocaust and Israel.
8th Grade: Comparative Judaism: Students explore the intricacies of major Jewish denominations through conversations with different Rabbis.
9th Grade: Comparative Religion: Students learn about Christianity, Islam and eastern religions through an introductory lesson and conversations with various members and leaders from various houses of worship throughout the community.
10th Grade: Confirmation: Students meet with the Rabbis as they evaluate and clarify their beliefs and reaffirm their commitment to Judaism at a Confirmation Service.
11th Grade: Social Justice: Students identify the Jewish values associated with Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) and apply them to current issues in our community. Students learn about philanthropy through different philanthropic opportunities
12th Grade: Graduation: The senior class explores a variety of topics including college preparation, making Jewish choices, budgeting, confronting anti-Semitism and Israel issues on campus, nutrition and creating a Jewish home. Students are honored for their commitment to Jewish education at a celebratory Shabbat service in the spring.
WEEK 4: Leadership Elective
Student participate in one of the following electives on each Leadership Night:
Leadership 101:
Comprehensive study of effective leadership with a focus on teambuilding. You are a leader! This elective is for 8th grade students.
Student Council Programming Committee:
Students meet on leadership nights to help the TBAHigh Programming VP’s plan one of the year’s final large-scale programs. Great way for students to discover if they are interested in having a further role in TBAHigh student council in the coming years.
Student Council Kehillah Committee:
Students meet on leadership nights to help the TBAHigh Kehillah VP’s with planning social events. Great way for students to discover if they are interested in having a further role in TBAHigh student council in the coming years. Students in this committee will plan one event each month. Events are scheduled for outside of Tuesday nights and are a way for TBAHigh students to get to know each other and have some fun!
Student Council Social Action Committee:
Students meet on leadership nights to help the TBAHigh Social Action VP’s with planning social action projects. Great way for students to discover if they are interested in having a further role in TBAHigh student council in the coming years. Students in this committee will plan the Social Action chugs for each grade level. All students in TBAHigh will take part in the Social Action project that this committee works to plan and execute.
Student Council Religious and Cultural Committee:
Students meet on leadership nights to help the TBAHigh Religious and Cultural VP’s with planning creative services, overnights and holiday celebrations. Great way for students to discover if they are interested in having a further role in TBAHigh student council in the coming years. Students in this committee will collaborate on all TBAHigh programming and work to plan the Teen Rosh Hashanah service.