Rabbi Guy Alon, Principal

"Our goal is to create a warm and stimulating atmosphere that affords kids the opportunity to shine – academically, spiritually and creatively."

Curriculum

The Boys School curriculum features intensive study of Tanakh, Mishnah, Talmud, Halacha and Jewish Thought, as well as the high-level study of science, history, literature, language and mathematics.
 
Students are encouraged to be creative in the arts and the academic curriculum is rounded out by chesed activities, special assemblies, plays, hikes, and the production of an annual Torah journal.

A sampling of special programs:

Building Camaraderie:  The Boys School is divided into four teams or "houses" that compete every Rosh Chodesh in quizzes, songs, drama, relay races, videos, and sports, culminating in a "color war" at year's end.
 
Mother-Son Learning – Every year, mothers of 3rd & 4th grade boys are invited for an evening of learning & related activities with their sons.
 
Film competition – An annual short film competition for students. This past year's theme was Shmittah, and the films of six finalists were screened to the entire school. 
 
Olim Party – Once a month, new olim are invited to a private party in the principal's office where they can share their trials and triumphs and give each other support.
 
Pizmon Etzion – A school-wide song competition. Each class presents one song, prizes are awarded and a CD is produced.
 
The Weather Club – Efrat's weather reports are generated by data gathered on the roof of the Boys School building. Local meteorologist Barry Lynn leads an extracurricular club for budding scientists who want to know more.
 
Beit Midrash Yotzer – The Creative Beit Midrash in which students pick topics for independent study and then work on expressing what they've learned through drama, music and art.

Chativa Bogeret

The 7th and 8th grade boys are a separate unit within the Boys School with courses that include bar mitzvah preparation and high-level Talmudic learning. The final year of study in Orot Etzion also includes preparation for high school and the production of a graduation film.
 
Bar Mitzvah program – the boys learn about tefillin, meet with a Sofer Stam, pursue special chesed activities, and attend a bar mitzvah party workshop in which they practice sitting quietly through speeches, behaving politely at the buffet table, dancing in an orderly manner, and thanking the bar mitzvah boy's parents at the end of the (simulated) event.
 
Nationwide Science Competition –students with an interest in science participate in a prestigious program devoted to space research run by Weizmann Institute in memory of astronaut Ilan Ramon. The program requires participants to solve problems, take quizzes and make project presentations to a panel of high-level scientists and it exposes them to other scientifically-minded students from across the country.