Tzohar is open to all students in 8th to 12th grades. All students are encouraged to register, without regard to Ohr Kodesh membership status.

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Period 1​: Core Texts

Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Ancestors) 6:6 indicates that “Torah is acquired in forty-eight ways.” Among the items listed in that text are the approaches we will hold at the core of each stage of our text learning. The curriculum will include biblical, talmudic, medieval and modern text learning.

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• שׁוֹאֵל וּמֵשִׁיב, שׁוֹמֵעַ וּמוֹסִיף - Asks and answers, Listens and adds
  In 8th and 9th grades, we’ll focus on the art of studying Jewish Bible in a “text from the text” approach, encountering both the text in and of itself, and using a classical PARDES approach to read commentaries from surface-level translation to deep dives.
   

• הַלּוֹמֵד עַל מְנָת לְלַמֵּד - Learning with Intent to Teach
  In 10th and 11th grades, text learning will be centered around methods of teaching. By the end of 11th grade, all students will be able to research and lead a learning session, develop a D’var Torah, and deliver an oral presentation. Emphasis will be placed on 21st-century skills like use of Sefaria, Hebrewbooks.org, and questions of Jewish internet literacy.

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• Senior Seminar: הַלּוֹמֵד עַל מְנָת לְלַמֵּד - Learning with Intent to Do
  Senior Seminar is our opportunity to prepare seniors for life after high school! Students will get voice and choice throughout the year, and will suggest topics within three overarching themes:

1. Jewish Biomedical Ethics

2. Israeli Politics & Current Events

   • Anti-Semitism and BDS on College Campuses

3. Senior Project

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Period 2: Bechirot

Bechirot will offer a variety of options, and will be presented as mixed-age classes. These will be varied more in approach than subject; we will craft a five-year spiral curriculum around subjects of Jewish living, history, and philosophy. There will be three options per trimester (more, if our student body reaches critical mass). 

In addition, MoEd will offer a Hebrew-based option to any subject that is our focus.

 

Period 3: Supplemental Period

We will have two offerings in the third period:

1. Hadar DC will provide an opportunity for our students to participate in Hadar’s Moot Beit Din, a halakhic debate club. Currently, this program is only provided through day schools, and each of Berman and CESJDS have teams. We will be the first supplemental school in our area to offer it.

2. MoEd Community Afterschool will offer a Hebrew program in Hour 3. Students who sign up for this program will receive a Hebrew assessment before the school year so we can ensure we are teaching at the level which is most appropriate for each student, or decide if we need additional teachers to cater to multiple levels.