ALIYAH K-6
The warm community of ALIYAH Jewish learning provides engaging, high-level learning opportunities for every student. Our students experience Jewish holidays and traditions, gain strong Hebrew language skills, and grow from the many opportunities for meaningful leadership within the congregational community. Our teachers are dynamic and nurturing, and our kids enjoy their experience of Jewish education. Our highest goal is for our children to feel at home in Judaism, by gaining literacy about our traditions, and experiences that ignite curiosity and connection.
See our value pillars here
Our Innovative Program
We are proud to have the most thorough and innovative supplementary Jewish education program in Portland. Students have many opportunities to “live” their Judaism, whether leading services, celebrating holidays, putting on a Jewish wedding celebration, cooking Jewish foods, and participating in tzedakah projects that support others in our community.
Judaics & Electives
On Sunday mornings, all K-6 children attend an experiential, social, content-rich Judaics program. Each grade has its own curricular topic of exploration, a specific mitzvah or Jewish value to practice, and various chugim (electives) such as music, art, cooking, book-lovers, and super-hero comic-writing. Parents and grandparents are invited to family programs to share in their child’s learning and connect with our community.
Hebrew
Our students learn Hebrew at their own pace with an individual Hebrew tutor, 30 minutes per week, in person or on zoom. Our students participate in setting goals for their own learning, and parents are invited to conferences twice per year to celebrate their child’s progress.
Inclusion
ALIYAH is an inclusive community that welcomes students across the spectrum of learning styles and needs. We work closely with families to create individualized learning plans as necessary and celebrate the achievements of each of our students based on their own abilities. We learn throughout our program that every individual has strengths and challenges and the beauty of a community is that we all gain from supporting each other.
Israeli Families
Israeli families are invited to join ALIYAH through a new, special program called Israeli Pathways (אפיק ישראלי), in which Hebrew-speaking children have a culturally specific, social elective taught in Hebrew. Contact us for more information!
Excellent Teachers & Leaders
Our excellent ALIYAH teachers are dedicated to Jewish life and learning. They care about the success of each student and focus on creating a learning environment that supports every child in their learning as well as in building a strong community of friends. Mel Berwin has led our education programs since 2011, bringing wisdom, warmth, and creativity to her role in our congregation and championing inclusion, educational innovation, and professional development for Jewish educators throughout the Portland area.
