Grade 9

Wednesday Evening Classes

Grade 9 students join the entire youth community in the social hall for dinner from 6-6:30 p.m. There is much lively discussion as friends come together and catch up on events from the past week. A hot dinner is served—pizza, Chinese or Italian…and a great time is had by all.

Core Courses

From 6:30-7:10 p.m., students are in class with other 9th graders studying the core curriculum.

Fall: Living the Legacy—Jews and the Civil Rights Movement
This course brings to life the rich and deep history of Jewish Americans' activism through the stories of both women and men.

Spring: Our American Jewish Experience
This course helps students understand our history as Jews in America.

Electives

From 7:15-8 p.m., students in Grades 7-9 study together in an elective class of their choice. The elective choices vary each semester, but here is a sampling of classes that have been offered:

How a Mensch Makes Money!
Today we are living in an environment of unparalleled wealth. In this course experience we will attempt to navigate, with a Jewish compass, the ethical issues associated with money.

Daber Ivrit! Want to speak like an Israeli?
Learn conversational Hebrew, Hebrew slang and how Israelis your age speak and live in Israel. We will learn vocabulary to get you through basic conversations, slang so you don't sound like a tourist and current topics so you know what is going on.

Rock ‘n’ Roll and Your Jewish Identity
Since the turn of the century, Jews have made major contributions to American music. Jews have written lyrics and music to some of the greatest and most innovative songs ever recorded. In this course we will explore the history of American music and its connection to the modern history of Jewish people in American society

Torah Yoga
Experience a classical yoga class through the lens of traditional and mystical Judaism. This class will actively engage your body, breath and mind through meditation. This course is based on Jewish spiritual concepts and traditional yoga poses and is suited for all skill sets.

Youth Group

Grade 9 students are invited to join STIFY, our own Temple Shir Tikva high school youth group, as well as NFTY, the North American Federation of Temple Youth.

STIFTY, our senior youth group, has a board of outstanding teen leaders who oversee and coordinate the various activities for our high school teens. Students take part in social action projects and participate in local social activities. All STIFTY events are listed on the temple master calendar.

NFTY (North American Federation of Temple Youth) is a national youth group that comprises temple youth groups from all over the USA and Canada. STIFTY is part of the northeast region.Members come together at many times during the year for learning, fun, worship, community service and fellowship.

Trip to New York City

This Grade 9 trip focuses on friendship, fun, and identifying as Jews. Students will explore questions about their family backgrounds and where they came from. Activities include:

• Ellis Island
• Lower East Side Tenement Museum Tour
• Broadway Show
• BJ – Bnai Jeshurun—an electrifying musical Shabbat service!

This trip runs in the fall. We depart from the temple on Friday morning, arriving in New York City in time to explore the city and celebrate Shabbat together. The group returns late Saturday night after an evening filled with Broadway music.