Torah School

Interactive.  Fun.  Engaging.  Progressive.  

According to Rabbi Margaret Frisch-Klein, "We strive to make learning about Judaism and its traditions, history, and observances as fun and meaningful as possible at every grade level.”

Congregation Kneseth Israel offers Jewish learning from preschool through high school in a coordinated, integrated curriculum including topics such as holidays, Torah stories, Jewish values, ancient and modern Jewish history, life cycle events, the Holocaust, Israel, and more.

We aim to keep our kids engaged in fun, interactive learning that keeps them connected to their heritage, history, and religion among a fantastic and involved local community of Jewish children and families.  At CKI Torah School you will find:
  • Project-based learning that allows our kids to be immersed in an interactive learning experience in individual classes, as well as together
  • Our Bagels & Blocks program once a month for parents with children aged 2-4
  • Our award-winning “Judaism Rocks!” program 4 times a year
  • Our new, ground-breaking pilot program for One-on-One Hebrew Coaching
  • Weekly parent communication on what your child is learning in Torah school including at-home extension opportunities to reinforce what your child is learning each week (and you can learn along with them!)
  • Opportunities to play, socialize, and have fun with other Jewish children with GARK (Gaga Ball, Arts, Ruach, & Kiddush)
Enhance your child’s Jewish education by joining us for our GARK Program (Gaga Ball, Art, Ruach & Kiddish), which offers an opportunity for your kids to build community and bond through play with other Jewish children a half-hour before class starts on select days. Your child can choose to play a round of Gaga Ball or do a small Jewish-themed art/craft project followed by time with Rabbi Margaret in the Sanctuary, and ending with Kiddush with challah, juice, and prayers before we break into our separate learning groups for the morning.

Join us and be a part of an amazing community of Jewish families growing and learning together! For more information, contact Heather Weiser, Director of Education at 847-741-5656 or [email protected].

Bagels & Blocks
Enjoy Jewish community through playtime for kids ages 2 through 4, one Sunday a month.  Nosh on bagels together while you join your kids in music, crafts, and play time with a Jewish learning theme.

Judaism ROCKS!
CKI runs a school-wide family program called "Judaism Rocks” that incorporates music, art, food, and fun for everyone 4 times a year.  These are interactive events which incorporate music, art, food, and community service provide opportunities for parents to participate with their children in a Jewish learning event!  Previous Judaism ROCKS! Events saw students creating their own Torah, taking a "trip" to Israel, planting a community garden as part of a “kibbutz”, placing prayers in the “Western Wall”, and creating tiles and mosaics to represent Jerusalem stone. 

  1. October 16, 2019 – Judaism ROCKS!  Pizza in the Hut – Pizza in the CKI Sukkah
  2. December 15, 2019 – Judaism ROCKS!  Hannukah Celebration
  3. February 9, 2020 – Judaism ROCKS!  Tu B’Shevat Festival of Trees
  4. April 5, 2020 – Judaism ROCKS!  Passover Party

Our "Judaism ROCKS!" Events also serve as an open-house for prospective Torah School and CKI families.  If you are looking for an opportunity to meet new families at CKI to consider membership and Torah School, please RSVP at least 2 days in advance to [email protected].  

One-On-One Hebrew Coaching
Beginning with the 2019-2020 Torah School year, CKI began piloting a ground-breaking program that eliminates the typical group-setting/classroom-style of teaching Hebrew for kids preparing for the bat or bar mitzvah.  CKI’s program involves understanding the expectations of each family for their child’s bar/bat mitzvah, goal-setting, and developing a custom curriculum of learning for your child.  We take this knowledge and pair your child up with a CKI Hebrew Coach that will meet with them one-on-one to teach them what they need to know based upon the individual family plan drawn up between parents, Rabbi Margaret, and our Director of Education, Heather Weiser.  This new program allows:
  • 30-minute coaching sessions make learning direct, needs-specific, and brief
  • Flexible scheduling on a day and time that works for your family
  • Individualized learning plans based upon your family’s bar/bat mitzvah goals & expectations
  • Hebrew Coaches to tailor how and what they teach with your child’s learning style in mind so they get the most out of their weekly sessions
Rabbi Margaret sums up the benefits of this new program up best. “We know that students learn in different ways and at different speeds.  Moving to a one-on-one Hebrew coaching model helps us meet every student where they are at, allows us to teach each student in a way that works best for their individual learning style, and helps accommodate busy schedules by having flexible scheduling.  As we moved forward in this program, we will be testing live video-conference learning to further accommodate issues like winter weather or more restrictive schedules by eliminating the need to leave home in order to learn Hebrew.”
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Torah School Hours
  • Bagels & Blocks (Ages 2 – 4) meets one Sunday each month from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM
  • Torah School (Grades K – 7) meets Sundays from 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
  • Hebrew Studies (Grades 4-7) meet on an individual basis with a CKI Hebrew Coach on a day and time that works for each family
One Saturday each month during the school year a special Junior Congregation Shabbat morning service is conducted, specifically geared towards all 4th through 7th grade students.
​Join us and be a part of an amazing community of Jewish families growing and learning together! For more information, contact Heather Weiser, Director of Education at 847-741-5656 or [email protected].

Join us and be a part of an amazing community of Jewish families growing and learning together!

For more information, contact Heather Weiser, Director of Education, at
​847-741-5656 or [email protected].

Torah School Students in Action!

TORAH SCHOOL IN ACTION!

If your child will be absent from school, please call the office at 847.741.5656 or email [email protected]