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Note: There is an
additional course
Fall Semester Courses 6:30-7:25 Grade 8
8th Grade Seminar (8) Come get into the groove of Mercaz through 8th Grade seminar. You'll meet other eighth graders and spend time getting to know each other in depth! Together we'll talk about what it means to be a Jew and how to keep your Jewish identity strong, even in public schools. We’ll be playing lots of games, so be prepared for some serious fun. Judaism is relevant in your life; it defines your identity. Through imaginative, cooperative and thought provoking learning, be involved in a process where knowledge comes to life. We want to hear your thoughts and what you have to say, so come ready to talk!
**This is a required course for all
8th graders** Grades 9-11
Connections (9-11)
The Jewish Life Cycle (9-11) It is human nature to ritualize certain regular activities. As children, we learn to prepare for bed by washing up and brushing our teeth, reading a special story, and saying our prayers. People like to mark special occasions with special rituals. Birthday parties, kindergarten and junior high “graduations”, turning 21; all involve some kind of customary way to recognize a particular momentous occasion. In Judaism, we ritualize all of the above and pay particular attention to the four stages of one’s life: birth, adolescence, adulthood, and death. Come and explore the Jewish life cycle in this special fall semester course that will study the various rituals connected with these four key times in one’s life.
Mythbusters (9-11) Turn on your television, open a magazine, pick up a newspaper, or see firsthand on college campus’ to witness one of the many tabling efforts to recruit Palestine Liberators. The coverage of Israel can be biased, skewed, and often historically inaccurate. The myths about Israel are perpetuated through a variety of outlets. This class will take a deeper look at those myths that mainstream media perpetuate and debunk the most popular. By the end of the Semester you will have the tools and knowledge necessary to discuss and debunk the myths in a variety of situations. Grades 10-12
Bet Din: Mishnah for Lawyers (10-12)
Bet Din – The Jewish People’s Court.
Court is in session! Calling all aspiring lawyers and anyone who just loves to
get into a good debate... Alongside Jewish ritual law, there is a large body of
Jewish civil and criminal law, which was historically applied by Batei Din,
Jewish law courts. In this course, we’ll see how the legal and ethical
principles used by Batei Din could apply to situations in today’s life.
Conservative Judaism (10-12) Most, if not all of us at Mercaz are by affiliation Conservative Jews. Just what does this mean? In this class we will look at how Conservative Judaism began over 150 years ago in Germany and what it is today. What are the standards and guidelines of Conservative Judaism? What distinguishes Conservative Judaism in terms of its theology, philosophy, halakhah (rabbinic law), ethics, practices, prayers and rituals? What makes our synagogues unique? We will also study some of the urgent issues of today that our movement is responding to including homosexuality, Darfur, the Iraqi war and peace initiatives in Israel. We will be using Rabbi Neil Gillman’s book, “Conservative Judaism” as a resource for this course.
Jewish Artists
in the Twentieth Century: Creation and Evolution (10-12) Designed for both the art lover and the simply curious, this class will turn you on to some of the greatest Jewish artists. Meet four Jewish artists whose works were both an evolution and revolution in the art world. Did being Jewish influence their work? How did they influence art as we know it? Can an artist change the way you look at the world or at yourself? We will study their work and discuss both the artist’s motivations and your interpretations on their art. Try your hand at creating a piece of your own in the style of each artist we study. Spend one week learning about each artist and two weeks creating your own piece. Grades 9-12
Conversational Hebrew (9-12) Come to learn and improve your Hebrew speaking skills with a native speaker of the language. Learn everyday terms and phrases that will help you carry on a conversation in Hebrew. This class will immerse you in Hebrew related games and activities. It will improve your vocabulary and conversational skills. So come and experience the Hebrew language beyond the prayer book! This class will be a multi-level class.
Echoes and Reflections (9-12) Together we will learn more about the Holocaust and how such a terrible thing could have possibly taken place. We will see what can happen when prejudice and discrimination are allowed to flourish and when individuals and governments fail to take a stand against injustice. We will delve into everything from the resistance, to what non-Jews did to help, to understanding the effects on the children of the holocaust. This course will help us to define our own roles as responsible citizens of the world. Come ready to participate in this multi-media approach to leaning about the Holocaust. 7:35-8:30 Grades 8-9
Hands on Judaism (8-10) Bring Judaism alive through a class that will allow you to experience first hand the different aspects of Judaism. We still study many of the ritual items we use in celebrating holidays and then create our own. At the end of this course you will leave with an enhanced collection that you have made yourself! Come ready to create and experiment as you take part in this hands-on course! Join us and experience the beauty of ritual items by making them yourself. **There will be a $10 materials fee for this class** Who am I and
where did I come from: A Family History Project (8-10) Who are your ancestors? Do you have any great characters on your family tree? What are the stories they tell about the people who came before you? Where in the world has your family lived? How far back can you go? FULL DISCLOSURE: You are going to have to do some digging and exploring between classes. We will take what you come up with and let our creative juices flow as we scrapbook and create the book of a lifetime!
Shmooze and Newz
(8-10)
Raise your awareness of people and events impacting your society, Jewish communities around the world, and your daily lives by looking closely at the week’s news. We will also look into and offer insight on media bias in journalism by exploring a variety of sources. Then we will use what we have learned to write our own articles for an issue of Mercazine, the Mercaz newsletter. You are the journalist in charge so you can write about what interests you, from current events affecting Israel or the local Jewish community, to movie and music reviews, and more, you decide! Grades 9-11
How do we know God? (9-11) How do we know God? Is God forgiving? Is He involved or removed? Does God make mistakes? This course will explore the historical views of God through the modern manipulations of God. We will study God through various religious lenses. This class will urge you to question your own beliefs and relationship with God. Through in-class readings, discussions, and activities we will explore the evolution of God.
The Jewish Lens (9-11) Have you ever stopped to think about what one snapshot in time says about the people or the event being photographed? Have you ever wondered what Jews in other parts of the world look and act like? If so, this is the class for you. We will use photographs of Jewish people from around the world to explore the similarities that connect our values to theirs, as well as the differences that distinguish us. In this pilot class, we will use the work of contemporary photographer Zion Ozeri to discover the art of photography and how it connects us to our history. We will also take our own photos and have a showing at the end of the year at the graduation celebration. Please bring a digital camera to class each week.
The Multifaceted Jewish female:
Interpretations of Jewish women in Jewish literature (9-11) Have you ever wondered if Jewish women ever played a central role in Jewish literature? They do!!! In fact, the representation of the Jewish female has changed drastically over the past 100 years. Originally, in Eastern European Yiddish literature Jewish woman were presented as individuals searching for their own Jewish identities and places within the religious sphere. Yet over the course of 100 years, and immigration to the United States, and a variety of human rights movements the Jewish women has taken the form of an individual ready to pursue any challenge both religious and secular. For this class we will discuss how we as Jewish women identify with these characters and how we think this representation will change in the future. For this classes we will look at excerpts from the real Yentl, Marjorie Morningstar, and many more. Grades 8-11
Genocide (8-11) The Holocaust, the genocides in Turkey and Cambodia, the disappearances in Argentina, the crisis in Darfur, the killing of the Tutsi in Rwanda, and the list goes on. Violence, torture, the mistreatment of human beings . . . . This course examines the psychological, cultural, and societal roots of human cruelty, violence, and genocide. We examine the questions of what enables individuals collectively and individually to perpetrate evil/genocide and examine the impact of apathetic bystanders on human violence. We will also look at what can be done to stop this from happening now and in the future.
Questions, Questions, Questions
(8-11) What do you do when the person in front of you notices you’re wearing a Jewish star, turns to you and asks, “You’re Jewish, right? I’ve always wanted to know why Jews…?” Do you believe that you know a lot about your religion? If you don’t, or even if you do, this is the class for you. Are there things you have wanted to know but haven’t had the chance to ask – well this is your opportunity. Come and find out more about yourself and your religion. We will discover a deeper understanding and the biblical sources for the Mitzvoth, Holidays and more. This course will give you an opportunity to have your questions answered as well as discussing what makes us a special and unique people. The majority of the questions will come from you! Grade 12
Senior Seminar (12) Look back, look forward, move on…Your final Mercaz challenge! You’ve made it this far—it’s time for the final round! In this class, you and your classmates will reflect on your experiences of these past 4 years and how they will impact your future. It is here that we will help to prepare you for the next stage in life as you leave your homes and congregations. Push yourself to your Jewish limits—think critically and listen carefully to each other and to guest speakers on topics that affect you as you move forward in life. We will focus on the real decisions you will address in college from issues around dating, diversity, self-expression, confronting anti-Semitism and more. You will gain the skills to continue your Jewish journey in understanding who you are as Jewish individuals and how that fits into the greater Jewish world. Your class will plan and execute a senior project of their choosing and plan the graduation ceremony together during the course of the year. This class will meet for both semesters.
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