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zUnited Hebrew School
What is UHS?
Begun decades ago, the United Hebrew School brings together students from the Southside’s Conservative synagogues for twice-a-week Hebrew language instruction to prepare them for a lifetime of participation in those Jewish rituals that are read, chanted or sung in Hebrew. UHS receives funding from The United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and seeks private donations to its scholarship fund.
Who may attend?
UHS currently offers enrollment to students from Congregation Beth El, the Kempsville Conservative Synagogue (KBH), Temple Emanuel, and Temple Israel. See Registration page to register.
At what age do students begin?
2nd grader have pre-reading Hebrew instruction on Sundays in the home synagogue with a UHS teacher as part of an extended 3-hour Sunday curriculum.
How does the 2-day-a-week program work?
From 3rd through 6th grades students gather Wednesday afternoons from 4:15-6:15 at the Sandler Family Campus of the Tidewater Jewish Federation. Third graders learn to decode Hebrew and begin developing vocabulary and proficiency at simple prayers. Fourth graders focus on Friday evening prayers and increase their vocabulary and knowledge of grammar. Fifth graders focus on Shabbat morning worship and sixth graders focus on Torah service and concluding prayers while continually adding to their base of Jewish knowledge. Each Sunday, in their home synagogues a UHS teacher reviews their Wednesday’s lessons and extends their knowledge of Hebrew scripture and Siddur
How much does it cost?
UHS charges $100 for 2nd graders' pre-reading class. The charge for students in grades 3 through 6 is $725 a year. UHS bills the student’s synagogue. The synagogue pays UHS a subvention for each child, and bills the family for the remainder of the cost. The ultimate cost to the family is between $475 and $650, depending upon the amount of their synagogue’s subvention.
Are there scholarships available?
Questions of financial aide are best taken to the financial officers of the home synagogue. UHS is starting to develop a scholarship fund as well.
What’s the point of 4+ years of Hebrew?
The richest Jewish values and ideals are alive in the vocabulary of Hebrew. The prayers of our liturgy derive from powerful texts. Crafted together from Bible texts and poetry, our prayers are a collage of images and memories of our people’s past and its millennial dreams of a better world. Learning these in camaraderie with other Jewish children from across the community enriches a youngster’s life and prepares for meaningful participation in Jewish prayers and ceremonies.
What about final preparation for bar or bat mitzvah ceremonies?
We expect our graduates to be familiar with and proficient at reading / chanting / singing the basic liturgy that will be part of the bar or bat mitzvah ceremony. Clergy or tutors from each synagogue will then meet individually with each graduate to help her or him learn the special texts from Torah and Prophets which belong to that youngster’s particular Shabbat.
Parent volunteers are sought.
Questions about anything to do with UHS? Feel free to contact UHS Principal Kathryn Morton, at 489-4550, or (better yet) at KathrynMorton@aol.com.
Visit our Website www.UnitedHebrewSchool.com for calendar, downloadable melodies and info.
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