JEWL

Important Links

JEWL is Jewish Experiential Whole-Person Learning, Temple Israel’s learning community for kindergarten through high school. 

JEWL inspires a love and passion for Judaism grounded in Jewish values and nourished by art, music, and the natural world. As learners connect with Jewish heritage, texts, Hebrew language, and Israel, they see themselves reflected in Judaism and develop a sense of belonging. Exploring the diversity of Jewish traditions and wrestling with ideas about God, community, and spirituality supports our students in making life choices rooted in Jewish wisdom.

JEWL is a home for diverse Jewish backgrounds and experiences, learning styles and needs, abilities and disabilities, and genders and gender expressions; people of color; LGBTQ people; and interfaith families.

Kindergarten through second grade classes meet on Sunday mornings, and details of these program are here.

Third through sixth grade classes meet on Sunday mornings and Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon. The details of these programs are here.

“Middle JEWL” begins with classes on Sunday and also includes special experiences of community to deepen relationships among learners such as our five 6th grade Shabbat experiences, four 7th & 8th grade Shabbat experiences, in addition to leadership skills development as learners prepares to celebrate becoming b’nai mitzvah. The details of these programs are here.

JEWL’s educational philosophy is rooted in these principles:

 

Relational Judaism

JEWL cultivates a culture of kindness so that our learners experience a sense of belonging, form positive memories and develop friendships. We learn with partners, in small groups, and as a class.

Experiential & Project-Based Learning

JEWL encourages exploration, playfulness, and discovery and often encourages learning to work toward a meaningful concrete outcome.

Whole-Person Learning

JEWL addresses and honors the intellectual, physical, social, emotional, ethical, and spiritual aspects of learners' lives within and beyond the classroom. We layer the curriculum to expand the previous year’s content and challenge our learners to go deeper as they grow as members of their families, the wider community, and as global citizens.

For more information

To learn more about JEWL for students in kindergarten through high school, please contact Jeri Saad.