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OVERVIEW OF THE MIDRASHA PROGRAM
The Midrasha program is grounded in the concept of Informed Choice. Each Reform Jew is free to make his/her own choices when it comes to Jewish ritual, practice, and belief. However, choices cannot be made in a vacuum; rather a Jew must study about a given ritual, practice or belief before making a decision regarding whether or not to enact that ritual, practice or belief.
Students in Midrasha will engage in a wide-ranging curriculum that covers topics most central to teenage Jewish life. Faculty in the Midrasha program will challenge the beliefs, values, and ideas of the students as the students move towards young adulthood and further develop their Jewish identity. Midrasha is about exploration and looking at Judaism through new lenses.
Each class will run for nine or ten weeks, with each student having the opportunity to learn from each faculty member. Details about each class can be found elsewhere in this packet.
In addition to academics, Midrasha also provides time for socialization. Classes run from 6:30-7:20 and 7:40-8:30, with the twenty-minute break serving as a time for students to socialize and grab a snack from our SHAFTY Canteen, which supports Shir Ami’s dynamic youth group.
REQUIREMENTS
Becoming a Jewish adult means the acceptance of greater responsibility for oneself and the Jewish community in which one lives. To that end, students must complete a set of “requirements” in order to graduate from the Midrasha program:
- Students must attend four Shabbat services per school year. Services that count towards the completion of this requirement include: Congregational Friday night and Saturday morning services, Blue Jeans Shabbat Services, and Shabbat morning Chevrat Torah.
Students must complete six hours of communal mitzvah work. Communal mitzvah work must be centered on helping and/or doing for others. Such activities could include follow-up work form a bar/bat mitzvah project, helping a friend complete a bar/bat mitzvah project and/or engaging in Tikkun Olam.
Any questions regarding requirements should be directed to Rabbi Eric Goldberg, Religious School Director, via phone (215-968-3254 x125) and/or e-mail (egoldberg@shiramipa.org).
ATTENDANCE
The Midrasha program is comprised of twenty-nine two-hour sessions. Given that time is limited, and that attendance is a key factor to a successful school year, it is expected that students will attend a minimum of 80% of class sessions. Failure to attend 80% of classes jeopardizes a student’s ability to move onto the next grade.
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