Mitzvah Secular Sunday School (MSSS) classes meet twice a month (with the exception of Kitah Keff/Pre-K classes, which only meet once per month) on Sundays at the Stroum Jewish Community Center on Mercer Island. Classes run from 9:30am-11:30am. Weather permitting, we will have a brief Closing Circle outside from 11:30am-11:45am. Program runs from September through June, mirroring the schedule of local school districts. 

For a detailed description of the classes and program, see The Mitzvah Secular Sunday School Handbook.

Kitah Keff (Preschool, 4-year old minimum)

Community is vital, even to the youngest members of the Circle. Exploring aspects of the Secular Humanistic Jewish identity is the aim of this class. Jewish symbols, holidays, stories, language, games, food, and dance are introduced. A handful of Hebrew words will be introduced to instill familiarity.

Kitah Gan (Kindergarten & 1st Grade)

In Kitah Gan, students will explore Judaism further: This class will cover concepts like the Jewish calendar, Jewish holidays and how they are celebrated (both historically and in the modern day), Jewish genealogy (such as names and origins), and the full Hebrew alphabet (including select words through culturally-relevant activities, games, cooking, and crafts).

Kitah Aleph (Grades 2-3)

Our Kitah Aleph class starts to teach students about who Jews are in the modern day and the impact we want to leave on the world as a people. Students are taught about concepts of Tikkun Olam, Mitzvah, Tzedakah and the value of community. Kitah Aleph also explores Jewish history from the mid-1800s through today, including concepts such as antisemitism and assimilation in the United States. Students will use more crafts, games, singing, and cooking to explore their Jewish identity.

Kitah Bet (Grades 4-5) 

The story of the Jews is the story of an ancient and resilient people. In the two-year course of learning this history, the students will explore Jewish values, life and contributions from ancient history through the 15th century. They will also explore the intersections of Jewish holidays with history. Students will explore Torah stories as culturally-essential myths and learn about the Talmud.

Kitah Gimel (Grades 6-7) 

In Kitah Gimel, students are encouraged to explore their full identities as Secular Humanistic Jews. Kitah Gimel studies our more complex topics, such as the foundation and beliefs of Secular Humanistic Judaism, secular humanistic perspectives on contemporary issues, the establishment of the state of Israel and its impact on the Middle East, and the Holocaust.

B Mitzvah Program

Students who've completed our curriculum, relative to their current age/grade, have the option to enroll in our B Mitzvah program, which prepares them for a voluntary cultural B Mitzvah ceremony. This program expands upon all previous lessons, including Jewish history, identity, values, customs and current social issues. This two-year program also incorporates community action projects, field trips, and independent research to help students learn how to get involved with, and give back to, their communities. See our B Mitzvah Program description for more details.

Differentiation Disclosure

As a small shul in one of America's fastest-growing metropolitan cities, our Sunday School enrollment can fluctuate a lot year to year, depending on the demographics flocking into and out of Seattle in any given year, so in some years, select Kitot (specifically: Kitot Gan, Aleph and Bet) may be merged into fewer classes, which is why we charge the same pricepoint for multiple grade levels. This practice is called differentiation, and we make sure to only hire certified teachers with differentiation experience when hiring.

Enrollment Open Year-Round!

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