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Spring Semester Courses
6:30-8:30
Documentary Film
Making 9-11 This course is the first of our “Experiencing Jewish Education through the Arts” initiative. Guided by Filmmaking experts you’ll explore your faith through the lens of a camera! This class will begin with an introduction to the development and production of documentary videos. We will examine the concepts, structure and styles of documentaries. Story structure, interview techniques and editing styles will be developed through hands-on exercises and assignments. You will learn how to set your lighting and sound to be able to get a strong video. Then we use the cameras and editing programs that the professionals use to film, edit, mix and produce your film! Be ready to actively participate in class!
6:30-7:30
Raiders of the
Lost Ark..... Indiana Jones and the 3rd Temple 8-10 Your quest for the lost ark starts at Mercaz! What clues can you find in the Torah about the real Ark of the Covenant? What do you know about the prophesies of the 3rd Temple and the coming of the messianic age? Did you know there is a real life Indiana Jones, Tudor Parfitt, a professor of Jewish Studies in London, who went on a 20 year quest to find the ark? In this class, we will use Torah and other biblical texts to search for deeper meaning as we explore the mysteries surrounding the ark. What does the text tell us Jews are required to do before a 3rd temple and a redeemed world can become a reality? Is there anything we can do right here at Mercaz that will help? Let the adventure begin this semester!
Grades 8-11
Madrichim
Workshop: Teaching Assistant Program 8-11 So the principal has asked if you would “help out”, ”be a teacher’s aide”, or ”be a madrich”. You have lots of questions including “just what does this involve?”. Madrichim are leaders, and this is your opportunity to prepare to be a leader in the classroom. Madrichim learn to see education from a teacher’s perspective and can choose to follow it up with a position as a teaching assistant in a Sunday School or Hebrew School classroom. In the Madrichim Workshop, you will gain a clear understanding of the role, responsibilities, and satisfactions that come with being a Madrich. Participants can look forward to an exciting, interactive course which includes such hands-on activities as playing “quickie” learning games, making file folder games for learning centers, and creating artwork as book follow-up projects. Working as a teaching assistant provides you with an excellent first-job experience and references while you make an important community service contribution. Explore what it means to be an effective Jewish educator by taking this exciting, interactive course!
The Holocaust 8-11 There is no easy way for a Jew to explore the history of Nazi-occupied Europe between 1933 and 1945. What took place is, quite simply, mind-boggling. Among our challenges is to understand the mind-set which permitted the systematic slaughter of six million Jews and to realize that our mandate is to be ever-vigilant so that such a mind-set is never again acceptable anywhere. We will utilize a variety of media and resources to help comprehend what took place and the implications for us in the 21st century. Join us to examine the Holocaust in a different way than you have done before. Grades 8-12
Bet Din: Mishnah
for Lawyers 8-12 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. We will use a variety of resources including you tube to build our cases!
Advanced Hebrew
Course for College Credit – Beit Midrash Rabbah 8-12 Continue learning the Hebrew language and earn college credit at the same time! This class will reinforce and strengthen your Hebrew skills beyond what you learned at religious school or Rockwern Academy. This is your opportunity to make sure you retain what you learned and continue to move forward. The course will focus on expanding your vocabulary, grammar and conversational skills! There will be some additional work outside of class-time. There will be an extra fee associated with this class of $125 – this includes the textbook and the fee for 1 college credit through UC.
Grades 10-12
Creating an
illuminated prayer book for all occasions 10-12 The art of illuminating manuscripts is ancient and found in various corners of the world. An artist would dress the manuscript with gold and other precious metals, decorating the pages in different styles, sometimes depicting scenes that related to the content of the text. It seems that there was a merging of the two very serious enterprises. First, the writing of the text itself in the days that preceded printing, an effort done by an expert and usually producing a work of great importance. Second, the artist who enhances the importance of the text, with added content and seriousness. Illumination represents the joint effort of the scribe and the artist to convey the message embedded in the text. We will explore our prayer book to search for prayers that are personally meaningful. In partners we will study and interpret a prayer together. Next we will each illuminate that prayer and create an illustration that represents our understanding of the prayer. Then each student will write, illuminate and illustrate their own prayer. We will assemble our work into one prayer book, print one copy for each student and one copy for each congregation represented by our student body.
Hot topics through
a Conservative Jewish lens! 10-12 Join us in lively discussions on a variety of topics that you may face being a Jewish teen today! We will do some initial review of the history of Conservative Judaism and then delve into more specific issues, challenges and decisions that our Conservative movement has wrestled with and taken positions on. You will have a chance to discuss these issues with a Rabbi. We will talk about many topics, some controversial, such as riding on Shabbat, the inclusion of women, environmentalism, tattoos, piercing, sexuality and much more. We will also talk about your ideas as to possible future issues our movement may deal with in the future. Challenge your beliefs, clarify your values and become more informed as you make decisions in your life using your Jewish values as a guide.
7:35-8:30
8th Grade Seminar
(8)
Join us as you
start your experience at Mercaz with your 8th grade class. This course promises
to be highly interactive with a lot of hands-on activities throughout the
semester. You'll meet other eighth graders and spend a lot of time getting to
know each other and developing friendships that will follow you through your
years at Mercaz. Judaism is relevant in your life; it defines your identity.
Through imaginative, cooperative and hands-on learning you will be involved in a
process where knowledge comes to life. You will have a say in many of the
topics that you cover in this class! 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 is a full year course for all seniors. Grades 9-11
Art and Jewish
Ethics (9-11) Designed for the Art lover and the inquisitive mind. Art makes a statement, be a part of this class where we will investigate what that statement is and what it means to us as Jews today. We will examine works by Jewish artists that make a statement on ethical issue. Together we will be exploring the artists motivation and the Jewish viewpoint on that issue. Then try your hand at creating your own pieces of art, declaring your own testimony to the ethical issues we study.
Beginner
Conversational Hebrew (9-11) Come and 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 see what Hebrew you can discover beyond the prayer book!
Why should I
celebrate? The Holidays — we all learned about them in religious school, we all know them as wonderful occasions for family gatherings. But is there more? Jewish mystical thought tells us that the same spiritual forces that enabled our exodus from Egypt, our defeat of the Syrian Greeks or any of the other events we remember through our holidays, resurface the same time each year even today. By tapping into these forces, the holidays can accomplish for us what they did for our ancestors, namely serve as catalysts for enabling us to be happier and better people. In addition to broadening our understanding of the practices, prayers and customs of the holidays, we will explore the deeper, mystical essence of each of the Jewish festivals, always with the goal of answering that legitimate and vital question “Why should l celebrate?”
Israel up Close Most news reported about Israel, by the foreign press and the news agencies, focuses on the Arab/Israeli conflict and politics, while ignoring other aspects of the country. We will view and explore reports on daily life in Israel, its people and their achievements. These reports are broadcast on National Television in Israel and are relayed by satellite to other parts of the world. These stories represent the positive side of the only democracy in the Middle East.
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