Grades 6-10

6th Grade

As students continue to develop intellectually and spiritually, and as they prepare for their bnei mitzvah, they will delve deeply into Jewish sources to critically examine the Torah. Every week, 6th grade students will study either one or multiple Torah portions so that they can identify and interact with the five main themes in the Torah: Family Relations, Leadership, Miracles and Revelation, Mitzvot Between People, and Mitzvot Between People and God. 

7th Grade

7th graders at CBI will go through an in-depth exploration of the Prophets, Judges and Writings, helping them to visualize their role in the greater community. They will study the close connection between prayer and service, and map out how they as individuals want to be involved in the values of learning and service that are emphasized in the 7th grade curriculum. Students will participate in a volunteer opportunity once a month in the spring, on or off-site, to connect to their learning in a tangible way.

8th Grade

8th graders at CBI focus on three main topics: modern Jewish history, the Holocaust, and Israel education. An understanding of these three topics is crucial as students become knowledgeable Jewish adults. Since we in the United States are a Diaspora Jewish community, understanding what Jewish peoplehood means to a group spread all around the world is important. Because the Holocaust played a pivotal and devastating role in our collective history, engaging with it is similarly crucial. Finally, because Israel is the only Jewish state in the entire world, a comprehension of its history, politics, and culture is essential. 

9th Grade 
with   Clergy Team

The main topic of study for 9th graders is Comparative Judaism and Religions. This is an exciting class with occasional guest speakers and/or field trips! 

10th Grade (Confirmation) 
with Clergy Team

Students learn about so many interesting things in Confirmation: ideas about God, Jewish teachings about life after death, what it’s like to be part of a minority group in a majority Christian culture, how Jewish practice can help us stay grounded and in touch with our own hearts and souls in a crazy world that moves too quickly… not to mention all the wonderful, unexpected tangents that we explore as they come up! Towards the end of the year, students work with clergy to craft their own Shabbat morning service to celebrate all that they have learned and their own personal connections with Judaism.