Program Information for Students 5767
Students are expected to acquire sufficient knowledge in the following areas to enable them to function as a responsible Jews at a basic level. They are expected to continue formal education at least until they are married and begin a family and after that to continue learning as time permits. It should go without saying that students are expected to put into practice whatever they learn. Periodic tests and constant observation will determine the level of the student's knowledge and commitment to observance.
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
Life is like a building. The Torah-true Jewish life is a building designed by the Master Architect and Contractor and built with the finest of the carefully-specified materials. The Torah-true Jew is the builder who must precisely follow the Contractor's directions. Deviations from the Plan or substitution of unspecified or inferior materials results in a building which does not resemble the Architect's Plan.
The Ohel Avraham Avinu/Ohel Sarah Imenu curriculum was designed to lay a firm foundation and build a sturdy frame for the building. After their conversion, students are encouraged to continue learning in a yeshivah or seminary. A building with a firm foundation and sturdy walls is only barely ready for habitation.
THE FOUNDATION
Language Skills - General
Language Skills courses are concurrent with all other courses. Lashon Hakodesh, the eternal Hebrew language with which G-d created the world, is the foundation for serious Jewish studies. The Language Skills course equips students with the skills to read, pronounce, and understand the language of the Prayer Book and Chumash. In addition, it introduces the spoken language, enabling the student to enter Ulpan at a higher-than-beginner level, should he or she need to acquire advanced speaking skills.
Language Skills I
Introduction to Prayer Book and Biblical Hebrew
Alphabet (consonants and vowels), functions of letters, special symbols, syllables, parts of speech (nouns, pronouns, adjectives adverbs, objects, verbs); verb roots; reversing and dropping letters; introduction to binyanim; past, present, future tense of the seven binyanim; gender, number, person; simple sentences.
THE BUILDING - THE DWELLING PLACE OF THE SHECHINAH
Halachah - The Law which Governs How a Jew Behaves
Jewish law sanctifies Jewish life and dedicates it to the service of the Creator. It separates the Jew from all other people and brings him closer to HaKodosh Boruch Hu.
Prayer - The Lifeline which Connects the Jew to the Source of life
Jewish prayer is the Jew's lifeline to the Creator. The prayer and siddur courses focus not only on correct pronunciation and understanding of the language of prayer but also on the intent and background of the prayers.
Moadim -The Seasons which Bring Rest and Peace, Joy and Gladness to the Jewish Heart
The Jewish Calendar Course takes the students through the Jewish year, introducing them to its observances and celebrations.
Shabbos - The Day which Guards the Jewish People
The Jew's proper observance of Shabbos is the cornerstone of Jewish faith and is equal to all of the mitzvos of the Torah. For students in Jerusalem, the course on Shabbos includes an excursion to Beis Meir where the students observe first hand the exhibition of the 39 categories of work that are forbidden on Shabbos.
Kashrus - The Diet which Guards the Jewish Soul
Even such a mundane activity as eating, when properly fulfilled, takes on a sacred character and sanctifies the human body which is the home of the Jewish soul. A Jew's failure to practice completely the self-discipline of Torah and kashrus makes him/her vulnerable to alien practices which, G-d forbid, erode the Jewish way of life.
Taharah - The Spiritual Environment which Preserves Jewish Identity
Tznius Sometimes translated as modesty, tznius is that quality which is an all-encompassing demonstration of one's knowledge that (s)he is standing before the Creator of the universe at every moment. Tznius is a refinement that is reflected not only in one's clothing but also in one's speech, one's behavior, and even in one's thoughts.
Taharas HaMishpachah Just as the Jewish home is considered to be a miniature Beis Hamikdash, and the Jewish table, the alter, the Jewish family can be considered a holy of holies. Taharas hamishpachah is the purity of the Jewish family and is taught one-on-one rather than in classes.
Shimiras HaLashon Speech is the expression of a collection of thoughts and words meant to achieve a specific purpose. Guarding this precious gift from misuse and using it as HaShem intended insures that our connection to HaShem grows stronger and stronger with each passing day.
Hashkafah - The Viewpoint that Governs How a Jew Thinks
All courses are presented within the framework of Torah hashkafah - mesorah and emunas chachamim/daas Torah. All questions and issues are addressed in that light.
Mussar - The Guidance that Governs How a Jew Grows
Goal-setting Class
Every kind of significant growth - material, emotional, spiritual - requires setting goals. In the Goal-setting Workshop, the students learn not only how to set goals but also how to achieve them using the techniques of the mussar masters of yesteryear.
Jewish Life Skills
Jews require skills for implementing Torah observance in their daily lives. Achieving the ability to think, act, and respond like a Jew is not an easy undertaking. Often a person encounters personal emotional obstacles which result from traces of past experiences. Ideally, in Torah-observant homes, children grow up with ample opportunities to learn Jewish coping skills by seeing them in action. For any individual who missed these opportunities, the challenges can be formidable. The Jewish Life Skills Class makes accessible the skills for self-development that were used successfully by Torah giants including the Vilna Gaon, Rabbi Yisroel Salanter, and others. They help students identify and eliminate the negative left-overs from their former lifestyles which might inhibit or interfere with their successful realization of their goals.