LEARNING AT BCHSJS
BCHSJS is committed to giving students a meaningful Jewish education. Teens have fun selecting their own classes, from history, current events, art and music to social justice, Bible studies, popular culture and more – all of which they experience through a Jewish lens. Unlike “old school” Hebrew school, BCHSJS offers a personalized path to learning through interactive discussion and topic analysis instead of rote memorization and with rare homework assignments. We know that teens often challenge convention and are looking to be challenged, and our curriculum offers a wide range of courses to stimulate learning at all levels. At BCHSJS, teens find their voices as young Jewish people and learn about their religion and culture in stimulating, challenging and creative ways.
Passionate teachers bring the fundamentals of BCHSJS to life and serve as mentors and role models. They are open-minded and care deeply about their students. Teens can relate to them, as the teachers openly share their personal experiences about how they developed their own Jewish identity. They understand what the students are going through and provide encouragement, guidance and new perspectives. A guidance counselor helps students with special needs advance through the program. And our Senior Session for all our twelfth graders, taught by an experienced college counselor, helps to prepare them for life as a Jewish student on the college campus.
Click here to see our wide range of classes:
YOUNG LEADERSHIP COURSE
The Young Leadership course is a Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey-funded program taught at BCHSJS. The course offers Jewish high school sophomores and juniors the opportunity to establish relationships with Israeli students via Skype and participate in educational discussions. BCHSJS students discover what it would be like to live in Israel, just as the Israeli students get a glimpse of life in America. They also have the opportunity to meet prominent Israeli and American leaders and engage in discussions on real world issues and challenges. There is a focus on developing leadership skills throughout the class, and each graduate earns a Leadership Certificate at the end of the year. BCHSJS students host their Israeli counterparts when they visit the U.S. for an educational, social and cultural exchange. Highlights include visiting iconic New York City sites, participating in “real world” seminars and simply relaxing with each other.
Some students may also participate in what can be a life-changing experience: a trip to Israel. This experience gives them a real world understanding of what Israel is like and a personal connection to the Homeland of the Jewish people.
Course participation is by application only and an interview is required.
Link to program info on Federation site..