Judaic Department

The secret of the Jewish people's persistence throughout history - through difficult periods of persecution and anti-Semitism, assimilation and survival - is phenomenal. Indeed, it has kept our people from washing away with the sands of time. That secret to the unbroken transmission of our heritage from one generation to the next is the special bond between parent and child-links in a chain from the beginning of time.

The success of Esformes Hebrew Academy is tied directly to our children, teachers and parents. Our teachers are living examples of the lessons they teach. The joy and pride that they exude is infectious. We believe that through a healthy awareness of Jewish history and tradition, a child is opened to a greater sense of self and past. This awareness serves as a lens through which the student learns to make ethical decisions for themselves and their community. By establishing a foundation at an early age, children learn to move confidently through society with a wonderful set of resources at their disposal. For this reason we are not surprised when students are not the only ones asking questions. Parents like to learn as well.

Judaic Instruction
Our teachers teach the essence of Judaism by exemplifying the values inherent in our culture. They demonstrate to our students the value of a culture that has a tradition of social justice in the face or persecution, of innovative thought when faced with constraints and of thriving despite difficult odds.

We liken Jewish culture to a string that pulls us through from the past to the future by linking our students to its inherent values. Our teachers show our students how to balance their personal - and one-day public - lives through the understanding of the warp and weft of our communal past.

We believe this healthy awareness of Jewish history and tradition, opens each student to a greater sense of self and the past. This awareness serves as a prism through which students learn to make ethical decisions for themselves and their community. By establishing this foundation at an early age, our students learn to move confidently through society with a wonderful set of resources at their disposal.

Hebrew Instruction
Effective Hebrew-language instruction is another key component, as that is the key language spoken by Jews throughout the world. The academy's Hebrew instructors carry certification from Israel to teach the language. They teach Hebrew in the context of modern-day conversation so that students can learn how their contemporaries in Israel speak. The structure and vocabulary of the language is part of an immersion-based method, so that students do not memorize by rote but instead learn to converse so that their knowledge is ingrained in their minds.