Academics

Israel Education

Israel Education Vision

Israel is an essential component of Jewish identity, Jewish existence, and Judaism. In turn, Israel education must be a central area of study within Jewish education. Israel education plays an important role at VBS Day School and in our curriculum. In 6th grade, students have the option to attend the Grinberg Passport to Israel Trip as a culmination of their Israel education.

We define the purpose of Israel education as building a relationship between the student and Israel, and creating a sensibility that Israel in its varied aspects figures centrally in the experience of being a Jew.

Our Israel Education

  • Students should develop a strong personal and ongoing relationship with Israel, its people and its culture.
  • Israel education should be based on a paradigm of Jewish peoplehood where Israel is seen as a center of Jewish life and essential to Jewish identity in the modern world.
  • Students should understand Israel as a varied, multifaceted, and complex nation. This includes knowledge and understanding of Israel’s history, culture, people, and geography.
  • Students’ connection to and understanding of Israel should be related to and strengthen their own personal Jewish identity.
  • Hebrew language learning is a significant aspect of connection and relationship to Israel and can serve as an entry to better understanding the modern State of Israel.
  • The Jewish people have a historic and sacred liturgical and textual relationship to the Land of Israel.
  • Israel is taught across the curriculum and not isolated in one subject area or grade level.
    • Watch our Grinberg Passport to Israel video!