For many of our families, Sunday mornings is the best time in the week for their children to study, develop a Jewish Identity, learn Hebrew and be with friends from Alyth.
Sunday Morning Galim runs from 10:00 – 12:45 and is split into Dagim (fish) for Reception to school year 3 and Krishim (sharks) for school years 4 – 6.
Sunday Morning Galim is a nourishing space for young people to build, develop and explore their Jewish identity. Learning is achieved through a dynamic, multi-sensory classroom experience where both the building of knowledge and a solid peer group are equally valued.
Staffing
The morning is run by a team of teachers with each class supported by trained madrichim (leaders). We require all staff to hold a valid DBS and to attend regular training programmes during the course of the year. They receive regular feedback and are supported by the professional Galim Team. Our 14-18 year old madrichim are trained on Alyth’s Hadracha (leadership) programme with the majority of them undertaking further training with RSY-Nezter during years 11 and 12.
Dagim (Reception – Year 3)
Dagim focuses on foundational learning. At this stage the participants are introduced to key parts of the Jewish narrative and given opportunities to experience and interact with a variety of festivals and rituals. Students are encouraged to ask ‘what’ questions as they discover new and exciting areas of Judaism. Topics include: Shabbat, Israel, Stories from the Tanakh (How we treat the world), A Jewish home, Life cycle and Klal Yisrael, How we treat each other, Jewish history and clothing, Tefillah (Prayer) and the Jewish calendar, How we treat the vulnerable in society.
Krishim (Years 4 – 6)
Krishim goes deeper. At this stage the participants further their understanding of Jewish values and practices as we encourage them to ask ‘why’ and ‘how’ questions. The curriculum for Krishim creates key experiences around which deeper lasting knowledge can be imparted.
Each class will study one Jewish studies topic over the course of a half term. Topics are usually made up of four lessonsand include:The Jewish Home: Shalom Bayit; Tanakh Tales; Jewish Clothing; God; Ethics: How we treat each other; Similarities and differences within Jewish denominations.
Hebrew
A key element of creating a strong and confident Jewish identity is familiarity and comfort with the Hebrew language. Our goal is to introduce students to Hebrew, and to provide them with reading skills as well as some basic comprehension.
To encourage learning we use Hebrew throughout the morning by teaching Hebrew songs, prayers and relevant words.
As with the learning of any new language, regular practice is essential . To achieve a confident reading level, students will need to undertake additional revision outside of the Sunday morning programme. We will offer support and guidance on how you can best support this learning at home.
Ji Alef Bet
Jewish Interactive have a new cartoon series which has a story and puzzle for each letter to teach initial Hebrew reading at home on a computer. By the end of the course, young children should be able to recognise each Hebrew letter, name, formation and sound. To access the videos you will need to create your own login.
Click here to go to their website.
Parents as Partners
As parents are the first and most enduring educators, we seek to work in close partnership with parents to deliver the best programme possible. We send a Weekly Update via email that lets you know what your child is learning as well as to inform you of special mornings or trips. We also have a number of mornings throughout the year where parents are invited to meet with the Sunday Morning Galim Team.
Our Parent’s Group comprises parents from each class, from Reception through to Year 7. Representatives act as a link between teachers, Galim staff and other parents within the year group. You will find out more information about the parents group on the first day of term.