Metropolitan Synagogue's Hebrew Home Study Program offers small group instruction in students' homes, just one afternoon a week, as well as individual tutoring. All instruction is customized to suit the needs and learning styles of each student. We have had great success with students who have special needs and learning disabilities.
We use an advanced multi-media program to engage your child's interest and help him or her learn at a comfortable pace. Our teaching style utilizes both visual and aural tools to accomodate our students individual strengths.
We serve all neighborhoods in Manhattan. Our students attend a wide variety of public and independent schools including Allen-Stevenson, Dalton, Ethcial Culture, Horace Mann, Lab, PS 6 and Trinity. If you live outside of Manhattan and are interested, we will work with you to come to a satisfactory arrangement. Please contact us at (212) 679-8580 or e-mail Rabbi Goor.
Hebrew Home Study @ Metropolitan Synagogue
Bar and Bat Mitzvah dates are available! Either Morning or Havdalah!
No shared Bar/Bat Mitzvah necessary!
Each child has his or her OWN ceremony!
Please call (212) 679-8580 or e-mail Rabbi Goor to find out how to arrange Hebrew Home Study for your child.
Hard as it is to believe, children come home praising Hebrew Home Study and they look forward to the next session!
Why does this work better than traditional classroom Hebrew instruction?
Because our teachers are dynamic educators who assess each group and can effectively set a customzed curriculum, choosing in each case and effective mix of topics. The small group format allows for more discussin than does a traditional classroom. Children bring their own important questions and issues to each session. As a result, they find the total experience relevant and interesting!
Hebrew Home Study is ideal for:
- Children and Parents Wanting a Personalized Experience
- Late Starters
- Special Needs Students
- "Dropouts" of Traditional Hebrew School
What you should know about a whole new approach to Bar and Bat Mitzvah preparation:
Who sponsors this program?
The program was conceived and is sponsored by the Metropolitan Synagogue of New York, founded in 1959. Our goal is to make possible a spiritually enriching and intellectually challenging Jewish experience. We take pride in our ability to make everyone feel welcome, including interfaith families and "seekers" at every level.
What makes the congregation unique?
Our members are urbanites and we fully recognize the role that flexibility plays in making Judaism accessible to them. Our rcognition that New York City families are overscheduled and in need of "user-friendly" Bar and Bat Mizvah preparation prompted the development of Hebrew Home Study.
Is one study session per week enough?
As in so many aspects of education, the small group setting is an ideal environment for learning. Students find this structure, with one teacher for every four to six students, both comfortable and stimulating. Parents watch their children become engaged by the issues being studied and gaining a strong sense of Jewish identity.
Why does this work better than traditional classroom Hebrew instruction?
Our teachers are dynamic educators who know how to assess each group and can effectively set a "customized curriculum," choosing in each case an effective mix of topics. The small group format allows for more discussion than does a traditional classroom and children bring their own important questions and issues to each session. As a result, they find the total experience relevant and interesting.
Who are the teachers?
To make this unique program work, we attract the very best instructors available. Our teachrs have strong Judaic backgrounds and an openness toward a diversity of beliefs and practices. They are not only good teachers; they are excellent role models, and students and instructors form close bonds.
How has this program been recieved?
Hard as it is to believe, children come home praising Hebrew Home Study and they look forward to the next session. We hear expressions of surprise and delight from parents whose memories of their own experiences are often very, very different. Everyone involved comes away feeling that the program's sucesses are far beyond initial expectations. We find that mastery of Bar and Bat Mitzvah skills can lead to some of the most rewarding and self-esteem-inducing moments a child can experience.
What kind of flexibility can I have in planning for the Bar or Bat Mitzvah ceremony?
At Metropolitan Synagogue of New York we work with you to make sure every aspect of Bar or Bat Mitzvah meaningful -- and enjoyable! We start by asking about a date which you would find desirable. We offer you options like an early Saturday evening Havdalah service. We work with you to decide how you would most like this joyous event to unfold. Most importantly, we celebrate each child as a true individual; we have never conducted a double Bar or Bar Mitzvah service.
At what age should my child join the program?
The program is designed for students who are 8 - 13 years old. We form entering groups of students at the 3rd, 4th and 5th grade levels. Each entering group consists of students in the same grade level. This allows each student to have 3 - 5 years of study prior to becoming a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. We also accept a limited number of transfer students with prior Hebrew instruction. However, if your child is older and has not had such prior instruction, we will work with you to create an appropriate solution!
What happens at the Bar or Bat Mitzvah service?
Your child surprises himself or herself! The rabbi and cantor supervise each child's final preparation personally and the total program results in 100 percent success! You and your family and friends share the exhileration -- excitement not only over your child's accomplishment but also about your child's interest, spirit and enthusiasm for the true meaning of the moment. What once seemed like just one more burden on your family's overpacked schedule is now cherished as an unexpected enrichment!
