Congregation B'nai Tikvah Religious School offers an elementary Jewish education program. It is designed to aid families in instilling in their children a love for Judaism and the Jewish way of life. It also helps its students acquire a foundation in the basic skills, knowledge and attitudes essential for preparing them to become full participants in the Jewish family and community. The school prides itself on offering classes of limited size to provide individual attention to its students.
The Religious School is divided into three departments: Primary Department, Hebrew Department, and Etz Chaim Department.
Primary Department
The Primary Department classes for Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd Grades are intended to help the children acquire a basic familiarity with the many aspects of Judaism and of Jewish life, and to integrate Jewish experiences into the life of the young child. Children will be placed in the Primary Department based on their grade level in Public School. Our Primary Department students participate in various Friday night services which enables them to become familiar with the rituals of Shabbat.
Since Jewish experiences are of crucial importance to the healthy development of the Jewish child, parents are strongly urged to enroll their children in the Primary program at the same time they enter Kindergarten in Public School. The knowledge gained during these initial years provides an essential background for the Hebrew Department.
Hebrew Department
The Hebrew Department consists of a full five-year program culminating in Religious School Graduation. The Hebrew Department is designed to build upon the experiences and knowledge acquired in the Primary Department and to further expand the children's Jewish knowledge.
Please Note: in accordance with the policies of the Conservative Movement and the Community Foundation for Jewish Education, children are expected to enter the Hebrew Department upon entrance into 3rd Grade in Public School. Children who wish to join our school in 4th Grade or above will have to demonstrate knowledge in Hebrew customs, ceremonies, and social studies by passing proficiency exams prior to being admitted to school.
Etz Chaim Department
This program is designed for students in Grades 8 through 12. The curriculum consists of relevant topics that contain teachings of Jewish morals and values, debatable issues and text study. The classes are designed for discussion and are taught by our B’nai Tikvah staff and specialists from the Chicagoland area.
The program focuses on topics such as current events, ethics, politics, and social issues and how they relate to Judaism and Jewish life. The students are able to have input into the curriculum.
As part of the Etz Chaim program in the past, our students have had the unique opportunity to experience two Jewish communities outside the Chicagoland area at the end of Grades 10 and 12.
School Registration Information
If you are interested in enrolling your child(ren) in B'nai TIkvah Religious School, please click on the links below and review the information. Print out one School Registration Form per student, one Emergency Health Card per family, and one Parent Volunteer Sheet per family. Please fill them out and either fax, mail, or bring them into the office at your earliest convenience.
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General Description 09-10
Regis. Form 09-10
Emergency health card 09-10
Parent Volunteer Sheet 09-10
SKIP Flyer 09-10
S.K.I.P. - Send a Kid to Israel Partnership
S.K.I.P. unites families, B’nai Tikvah and the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago to help make a visit to Israel an integral part of the Jewish Education of our children. The S.K.I.P. goal is to send a high school or college student to Israel as a Jewish educational experience. Families choose a program from among many approved programs. Members can participate in this special savings plan, where each family contributes $145 per year per student. B’nai Tikvah contributes $25 per year per student and the Jewish Federation sets aside $85 per year per student. Students in grades 3-6 are eligible to enroll in the program. Annual contributions to the program are made through 9th Grade. There is a full refund of a family’s contribution plus interest in case of termination of the plan.
Click here for SKIP flyer. SKIP Flyer 09-10
