Learning
Jewish Studies
Our students are steeped in Torah learning and its values from day one.
Through a wealth of formal and experiential Jewish Learning, Yavneh students are encouraged to strengthen their intellectual, emotional, spiritual and social links with Israel, Judaism and Modern Orthodoxy, while also learning to develop their personal connection to Hashem through the study of His Torah and their adherence to His Mitzvot.
Torah learning is text-based, and students develop skills that enable them to access Tanach and Gemara, led by passionate teachers who model a commitment to Torah learning and its observance.
The Jewish Calendar informs the educational and student experience at Yavneh through daily Tefillah in the morning across all campuses, partaking in Shabbat Parties, the Prep Siddur Concert where they receive their first siddurim, or the school-wide Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration.
For the Yavneh Jewish Studies team, the goal is to teach students
in such a way that the material becomes a part of them – v’chai bahem.
Our incredible and diverse Jewish Studies program spans across our campuses, from our youngest students in Creche, all the way to VCE. Our commitment to Yavneh’s core values of Torah U’Maddah, Tziyonut and Derech Eretz helps each student develop a personal connection to Hashem, and the Jewish people, through the study of Torah, Tefilla, Hebrew, Halacha, as well as Jewish History and Traditions.
The experiences of learning Ivrit, developing a love of Zionism, and studying Israeli history and culture not only provides access to our rich tradition, but are also essential opportunities to meaningfully connect Yavneh students to Israel. That the Religious Zionist identity is core to every Yavneh student is evidenced by the vast proportion of graduates who annually attend a gap year in Israel before beginning their university journey.
Jewish Studies in ELC
Yavneh has always been at the forefront of deepening students’ engagement with their Jewish identity, cultivating a commitment to Torah learning and a love of Israel, and inspiring the next generation’s observance of mitzvot.
Imbuing these values begins when students enter Creche and the Yavneh Early Learning Centre. Building a strong Jewish identity in our youngest learners is done through song, dance, storytelling, role playing, and immersing the children in an array of Jewish programs and activities.
Some of the most powerful memories of the year are made during the weekly Shabbat Party. Every Friday, teachers and children join together to welcome in Shabbat by lighting candles, reciting Kiddush, eating challah, and singing Shabbat zmirot. Teachers draw upon what the children have learned that week, from current events and the weekly Parsha to Middot and Chessed opportunities.
The ELC also nurtures a love of Hebrew though Hebrew language immersion, learning the Aleph Bet through song and dance. Every step of the way we ensure each child has a rich understanding of the values of menschlichkeit, a deep respect for Torah, the Jewish people, Medinat Yisrael, and the importance of keeping the mitzvot.
Jewish Studies in Primary School
In the Primary School, we build on the foundation established in the ELC by maintaining an environment that encourages a love of Torah and Mitzvot, devotion to Hashem, and a love for Israel and learning Hebrew.
Our teaching staff foster Jewish identity by encouraging children to explore their Jewish heritage using fun and creative methods. Additionally, our Jewish Studies classes utilise outstanding learning materials and provide the resources needed to maintain small group instruction as well as provide Jewish studies integration and individual reading support for students as required.
At Yavneh, we appreciate the impact of hands-on learning in creating deep memories and lifelong passion. Our students proudly shake the lulav and etrog during Sukkot, and enjoy meals in the school sukkah; for Purim they make their own megillah and graggers, and enjoy a Purim carnival; prior to Pesach, they study the haggadah and participate in a model seder with their classmates; they respectfully commemorate Yom Hazikaron, and joyously celebrate Yom Ha’Atzmaut. In the weeks leading up to each of the chagim, our hallways blossom with artwork and decorations, and resound with festive music.
By making the study of Hebrew and Judaism relevant to the students’ everyday lives, they develop a true appreciation of their heritage and understand the need for continued, lifelong Jewish study.
Jewish Studies in Secondary
The Primary School Jewish Studies curriculum serves as the solid foundation which allows our students grow as they embark on their journey through Yavneh.
In the Secondary School, the Jewish Studies department provides our students with a thorough Torah education – an education that will prepare them to thrive as Torah committed Jews within and beyond school. The link between Torah learning and a strong Jewish identity is what guides our curriculum, the skills we emphasise, and the co-curricular and extra-curricular activities we provide our students.
We endeavour to cultivate an informed love of Torah and feeling of connectedness and reverence for HaShem. We aspire to cultivate within our students a commitment to observance of mitzvot, a love for and identification with Medinat Yisrael and the Jewish people, and sense of responsibility for humanity and the world in which we live.
Beyond the classroom our students are immersed in in Jewish communal life. The College is closely affiliated with various shuls, aged care centres, and other Jewish community organisations. Our staff & students work closely with youth movements, support Tzedakah initiatives, and nurture a strong sense of community through representation and participation in communal functions and celebrations.