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.

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.

List of 2 items.

  • 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.

  • 6th Grade Israel Partnership

    Valley Beth Shalom Day School has enjoyed a successful partnership in the school twinning program sponsored by the Los Angeles Jewish Federation. VBS Day School is partnered with HaMishtalah Elementary School in north Tel Aviv. This partnership program has blossomed into a remarkable experience for students, teachers and families in both schools, providing outstanding learning opportunities for our students to be global citizens and learn about diverse cultures, create bonds, share curricular projects and forge relationships of the heart. Partnership Projects with VBS Day School and HaMishtalah include:
    • 6th grade Israel student exchange program between VBS Day School and Ha Mishtalah in north Tel Aviv 
    • Pen Pal/Email Pal program 
    • Host program - School families hosting student delegates here and in Israel
    • Joint curricular projects and shared school themes 
    • Students engage in mitzvah projects together in Los Angeles and Tel Aviv during the student trips 
    • Day School families often visit our partner school on family trips to Israel
    For more information about the partnership program, please contact Tamar Raff, Director of Judaic Studies and VBS Day School Israel Partnership Program Director.