Hillel Yeshiva High School is committed to excellence in both Judaic and General Studies. We believe that our students should leave Hillel Yeshiva as well-rounded God fearing Jews who can integrate Judaism into every aspect of their lives, from the בית מדרש to the business world. The following are our goals within the Judaic Studies Department:

• Our students should develop a love for Torah, the study of Torah and the observance of the Mitzvot.
• Our students should gain the knowledge they will need to be active members of the Jewish community. They should take the knowledge, skills and character traits that they learn in Yeshiva and bring them into their lives and the lives of those around them. Hillel Yeshiva is for the most part a community school. Our students have the ability to help the community around them grow in the ways of the Torah.
• Our students should not only learn about the morals, ethics and values of the Torah; they should also integrate these lessons into their everyday lives. They should be individuals who are known for their Middot and who are able to make a Kiddush Hashem wherever they go.
• Our students should become “Self–learning Jews”, who can be not just passive participants but active learners in the learning process. To some of our students this will translate into reading through the פרשה every week. To others this will mean being able to learn בחברותא with the use of an Artscroll גמרא . And to some, it will mean being able to learn through the חומש with all the classic מפרשים or to delve into a “sugiya” (topic) in the Talmud.
• Our students should be committed to the State of Israel. The creation of the State of Israel is one of the seminal events in Jewish history. Recognizing the significance of the state and its national institutions, we seek to instill in our students an attachment to the State of Israel and its people as well as a sense of responsibility for their welfare.

Curricular Requirements
Every student is required to take four years of Judaic Studies. In each of these years they will take courses in תורה שבעל פה, נביא, חומש and Hebrew Language. There is an average of 18-20 periods of Judaic Studies per week (not including Jewish History). In addition to these courses, seniors are required to take a course in Jewish Thought.

הוראת חומש
Chumash Curriculum
Students will study Chumash on average five periods per week. The expectations for the development of textual skills and the ability to deal with classical commentaries, of course, vary from level to level. At each level, great emphasis will be placed upon the ethical/moral/theological implications of both the narrative sections and of the Commandments. During their years at Hillel the students will cover בראשית, שמות, ויקרא, דברים .ספר במדבר is covered in the middle school. These books of Chumash will be covered on an in-depth as well as בקיאות level.

Navi Curriculum
Students will study four periods of Navi per week. While engaging the text, students will learn about the historical period of the navi, the personality of the navi, and of course the religious/ethical message the navi is trying to impart to the people of his time. The Gemara explains that there were many prophets amongst the people of Israel but only those who had prophecies which spanned the generations were deemed worthy to be part of the תנ"ך . Our teachers will try to show the students how the messages of the Navi are relevant to their lives in today's modern world.

Note: Because of cross-grade tracking, the curricular sequence is in two-year segments.

• 9th & 10th Grade:
  Year “A” - ספר יהושע & ספר שופטים
  Year “B” – מלכים א' & ב'
• 11th & 12th Grade (Non – Honors):
  Year “A” – Overview of נביאים אחרונים . A course designed by our faculty to cover the major messages of these prophets.
  Year “B” – ספר יונה & חמש מגילות .
• 11th & 12th Grade (Honors):
  Year “A” & “B” will cover two of the נביאים אחרונים in their entirety.

הוראת תורה שבעל פה
Oral Law Curriculum
Male students will study Oral law six or more periods per week. Those in the Talmud high honor program will study eight or more periods per week. Our female students will study Oral law 4-6 periods per week. In all the various topics that are studied special attention will paid to the development of Halacha, beginning with the Biblical sources and continuing through Talmudic and later rabbinic sources. Our overall goal is to reinforce the student’s commitment to Halacha by giving them a clear sense of the logic and beauty of the Halachic system.
הוראת מחשבת ישראל
Jewish Thought Curriculum