Core Curriculum

The academic core curriculum at New Community Jewish High School is comprised of English, History, Mathematics, Science, Hebrew, Jewish Studies, and Jewish Civilization. Within each department, there are multiple offerings at each level, including regular college preparatory classes, honors classes, and Advanced Placement classes. The Jewish Civilization course of study begins in ninth grade with an arts rotation—6 courses that embrace Judaic themes, followed by year or semester electives in the final three years of high school. (Please see links at menu bar to the left for additional information.)

JEWISH STUDIES

The instructional core of the Jewish Studies program reaches all New Community Jewish High School students throughout their four years of high school. Students are challenged on a wide range of issues through the study of our foundational texts, Biblical, rabbinic and modern writings.  Students analyze, confront, and most importantly, interpret the sacred texts of our tradition. Both the texts' place in history and their meanings and relevancies for the present day are explored. Through interpreting Judaism's core textual legacy, our students become participants in the interpretive tradition.

We ground our discussions in classical Jewish Text–primarily the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), Mishnah, and Talmud. The text comes alive as we teach our students to look at them from many different angles, just as one captures the radiance of a diamond by looking at its many angles. Students learn a methodology; that is, how to apply a multi-varied analysis of situations in and out of a religious context. Seeing a text or an issue from many perspectives, makes for great students, great lawyers, great connectors, and great leaders in every field and endeavor – people able to speak to both sides of a conflict, and bring resolution because they truly understand the many perspectives involved.

We offer both survey courses and depth courses (Intensive Text Studies). While survey courses enable students to gain a broader understanding of several themes using several texts, depth courses give students opportunities to study text intensively, such as Talmud, Gemara, and Chumash. Both types of courses teach students to view the world through an ethical and moral lens that our Jewish text and tradition puts forth with extraordinary acumen. Our tradition suggests that every Jewish soul, past, present and future, including Jews by choice, were all present at the giving of the Torah.  So, unlike any other department, Jewish Studies faculty see their task less as teachers, than as guides in Holy Remembering. 

Additionally, we understand from that moment at Sinai that the Torah was heard by each in a voice specific to him or her. The myriad of voices of the Torah finds expression in our community school’s commitment to providing a truly pluralistic learning environment.

ACADEMIC ELECTIVES

Each year, a student may choose electives, depending on the level of challenge in the student’s core program. Some electives are rigorous academic courses; others are less demanding in terms of out-of-class preparation; some need permission from the instructor prior to enrollment. Electives may be chosen from the following departmental listings:

• Computer Science and Information Technology
• Jewish Civilization  ~ Visual & Performing Arts courses, Seminars & Special Programs
• Science 
• World Languages 

Additional courses may be added every year.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

The New Community Jewish High School Physical Education requirement may be satisfied using any one of three options:

• Four sections of team sports
• Six sections of physical education classes (fall-winter-spring seasons each year)
• Six seasons of any combination of physical education classes and team sports
• Must be completed by the end of Junior year

CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAM

Co-curricular offerings give students opportunities for intensive involvement in projects that produce end products like a yearbook, musical or literary magazine.  These projects require creativity, expression of talent, adherence to deadlines, time management, team work, community building, and leadership development.  Most are time-limited and meet certain times of the year.  Students work under the guidance of faculty advisors and often other community professionals to give them a comprehensive experience.

Current co-curricular offerings include:

• Drama Production
• Literary Magazine
• Musical Theatre
• Newspaper
• Yearbook