This document describes a Bible curriculum for Jewish day schools called MaToK. The curriculum aims to have students study Torah in the original Hebrew, develop critical thinking skills, make personal meaning from the text, and consider how it relates to their lives as Jews. It provides student workbooks and teacher guides that facilitate close reading skills and interpretation. The workbooks are being translated into English so schools can select appropriate versions. The curriculum is consistent with Jewish education standards and workshops are available to help educators understand its approach.

1. A Bible Curriculum for
Jewish Day Schools

2.  View Torah as kadosh .
 Read Torah in an inquiring, deep and reverent
way.
 Learn Torah in the original Hebrew.
 Develop literary skills to study Torah
independently.
 Engage in critical thinking.
 Become sensitive to shades of meaning.

3.  Search for personal meaning in Torah.
 Connect Torah with their lives as Jews.
 See themselves as links in the chain of Torah
understanding and interpretation.
 Prepare to explore traditional commentaries.
 Engage with questions about God.
 Grapple with moral issues that arise from the
Torah.

4. Each booklet is also available as an interactive e-book.
Order forms may be downloaded at http://tinyurl.com/gwz7cq6

5. Teachers’ Guides in both Hebrew and English are available as pdf files
that may be downloaded and printed. They are available for $7.50 per
download.

6. Order forms may be downloaded at
http://tinyurl.com/zhc2q55

9. ‫הדמויות‬ ‫מי‬?
‫מדבר‬ ‫מי‬?
‫כינויים‬
‫חוזרת‬ ‫מילה‬
‫חוזר‬ ‫שורש‬
‫חוזרת‬ ‫צורה‬
‫חוזר‬ ‫צליל‬
‫מסגרת‬
"‫הד‬"‫אחר‬ ‫מסיפור‬
‫פעלים‬ ‫רבוי‬
‫תקבולת‬
‫ושינויים‬ ‫תקבולת‬

10. Access skill:
students notice a
repeating shoresh
that is central to the
story.
Students learn
Biblical syntax and
grammar.
Access skill:
Students consider
God’s
involvement with
Avram by
noticing a
repeating suffix.

11. Students make personal
meaning.
Inferring
characteristics of
Biblical figures.
Opening the door to
traditional
parshanut.

12. Students strengthen their
comprehension by writing
and/or drawing personal
interpretations of the story.

13. Students develop empathy
by taking the point of view
of a Biblical figure.

14. • Developing sensitivity to the
content of a segment: Why are
certain things written that do
not seem to advance the story?
• Social/emotional
development through
empathy.

16. The MaToK team has begun to translate the student
workbooks into English. This will enable schools and
teachers to select the versions that are appropriate for
their curriculum and that meet the needs of individual
students.
The following components will remain in Hebrew:
 The biblical text
 Torah skills words such as ‫פרק‬,‫פסוק‬
 Colors
 Proper nouns ( (‫רבקה‬,‫משה‬,‫פרעה‬,‫ישראל‬ ‫ארץ‬,‫מצרים‬

18.  The MaToK curriculum assumes belief in
revelation--the uncovering of truth emanating
from God.
 We recognize that there is a range of views
within Judaism about what revelation is.
The Torah . . .
 contains great ideas, values and meaning
 reflects the meeting of God and Jews
 is a place where God and Jews continue to
meet.

19.  Annual teacher and administrator orientations
help educators understand the thinking behind
MaToK.
 Regional workshops and site visits available on
request.
 Webinars available on differentiated
instruction and the teaching of Torah.
 The MaToK approach is consistent with Standards and
Benchmarks for the Teaching of TaNaKH in Jewish Day
Schools.

20. MaToK is a joint project of the
Schechter Day School Network
Dr. Jon Mitzmacher, Executive Director
and the
Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education
Jewish Theological Seminary of America
Dr. Zachary Lasker, Director of Education Projects

21. For further information please contact
Galya Greenberg, MaToK Project Director
(860) 521-2626
gagreenberg@jtsa.edu
Find out more about MaToK by following these links:
The MaToK Wiki
The MaToK Web Page on the Schechter Network Website