Learners will define the term tolerance and examine their reactions to given social situations that call for tolerance. They will examine the ethical foundations of tolerance from the Torah and understand what it means in both the religious and social context.
Using traditional Jewish texts as a basis, students learn about the concept of Tzedakah (charity), a fundamental concept of Judaism. It engages students not only in learning, but through performing acts of charity.
Learners examine the statistics of voter turnout in the Federal Elections and from these statistics the learners draw some comparative conclusions.
This unit focuses on the texts that deal with the creation of humanity, b’tzelem elohim (in the Divine image) and the commandment to love one’s neighbor as oneself.
We are commanded to care for all the works of Creation. Two traditional texts teach how we are to use our power in the worldthrough the work of two individuals: One offers a model of caring for those over whom we have economic power and the other, a model of caring for the physical environment.
This unit provides learners with a traditional Jewish textual framework as well as a look at some contemporary work in the performance of tikun olam- the repair of the world. It also provides learners with an opportunity to plan a personal mitzvah project/”service plan”.
Students learn about the philanthropy of Madam C.J. Walker, successful African American business woman, who supported many causes with the profits of her business. They examine their talents and interests and suggest how they themselves might take philanthropic action.
In this unit students will learn about the power of writing for creating positive social change by studying writers who use their writing as a means of activism and by using those same tools to become activist writers themselves.
Students learn about different types of energy sources that produce electricity.
Learners identify and explore their own values as well as the values of their family, classroom, school, neighborhood and the community. Learners realize that they are concurrently members of multiple communities that may have competing or conflicting value systems.