Tribes
About our Tribes Program:
Our added dose of community building and joy: Tribes! Created for 3rd-5th graders, students are divided into three Tribes based on interests and characteristics shared with each Tribe’s biblical namesake: Sarah, Noah, Ruth, and more!
Tribes is powered by a unique leadership partnership between our Religious School teachers (Tribal Elders) and our A-TEEMers (our madrichim), known as Tribal Chiefs and Junior Chiefs.
Through this model, our teens do more than assist in the classroom, they help shape the Tribes experience. Working alongside the Associate Director of Lifelong Learning, Tribal Chiefs and Juniors help develop activities, facilitate discussions, mentor younger students, and bring each week’s Parashat HaShavua to life.
By empowering teens as Jewish leaders and role models, Tribes creates meaningful connections across grade levels while helping both younger students and teens deepen their sense of belonging, responsibility, and Jewish identity.
The best part? Tribes takes place on both Sundays and Mondays, extending these relationships and learning opportunities throughout the week.
What Happens During Tribes?
Each week, students explore themes from Parashat HaShavua through:
- Hands-on activities and creative projects
- Games and team challenges
- Discussions and reflection
- Holiday celebrations
- Mitzvah and service opportunities
- Leadership and community-building experiences
What Makes Tribes Different?
Unlike a traditional classroom, Tribes brings together students across grades to learn and grow in community. Students remain part of the same Tribe throughout their 3rd–5th grade years, creating strong bonds with peers, teachers, and teen mentors.
Rather than focusing on a single subject, Tribes helps students connect Torah, Jewish values, friendship, and leadership to their everyday lives.
Each The Tribes curriculum is on a three-year rotation; each year is based on a quote from Pirkei Avot, a book of 2,000-year-old Jewish wisdom.
