Judaica

Above everything else, Herzlia is a Jewish school and so we pride ourselves on having a Jewish ethos and on promoting Jewish learning, Jewish culture and Jewish values.

In the High School, the timetable of every pupil includes Jewish Studies, from Grade 10 to Grade 12.  This subject is divided into Jewish Thought and Jewish History.  In Grade 10, pupils study the Jewish calendar, but at a deeper level than in previous years and using text (in translation from Hebrew) wherever possible.  Pupils study history by examining current events in Israel and then looking at the history that has led to the current situation.  In Grade 11, pupils study the life-cycle, again at a deeper level than in previous years and with the addition of text where applicable.  In Jewish History classes, the Holocaust is studied in depth.  In addition, each Grade 11 pupil has the opportunity each term to sign up for a different elective module, designed purely for enrichment.  A number of assignments are completed over the course of the year in both grades.  The aim of the Grade 12 course is to equip pupils with a ‘toolkit’ of Jewish skills and knowledge to take away with them when they leave school at the end of the Matric year.  In all grades, the methodology used is interactive and relatively informal and pupils are encouraged to debate and discuss.

On the informal level, the High School Judaica committee, comprising pupils from all three grades, and guided by the teacher who is the Head of Jewish Studies, organise voluntary shul services on a daily basis, as well as compulsory prayers for the whole school on a Friday and Rosh Chodesh, and the ‘celebration’ of holydays.  Shiurim are often arranged during breaks with visiting rabbis.

Herzlia is a Zionist institution and so identification with Israel is central to our existence.  The Zionist committee, also made up of pupils from all three grades, organise the celebration and commemoration of all the national holidays and highlight important events in Israel.  However, there is nothing as meaningful as actually visiting Israel and so our goal is that by the end of Grade 12, every Herzlia pupil will have had at least one affordable opportunity to visit Israel.  To this end, we encourage all tours to Israel organised for young people: in Grade 10, Habonim’s  Shorashim tour,  Bnei Akiva’s Hadracha Tzeira and Kfar Haroeh, P2K’s Shoah tour to Israel and Poland for Grade 11’s , and the Grade 12 Israel Encounter tour.