How do we communicate about Judaic studies curriculum to families who have varying levels of Jewish knowledge?

Never assume prior knowledge and never condescend to families who have it. Explain the curriculum in plain English first, then include Hebrew terminology with transliteration and translation. 'This month in Chumash, Torah study, students are working through Parashat Vayeira, the portion about Abraham and the three visitors. We are focusing on the concept of hachnasat orchim, welcoming guests, and how it appears in the text and in modern life.' That sentence serves observant families and families newer to Jewish practice equally.

How do we communicate about Jewish holidays in the school newsletter?

Announce each holiday with its English and Hebrew name, its date on both the Jewish and secular calendar, what school observance looks like, and one sentence explaining its significance without being patronizing to observant families. Families who observe the holiday extensively appreciate knowing what the school will focus on. Families who are less observant appreciate the context.

How do we address the dual curriculum in the newsletter?

Cover both the Judaic and general studies programs with equal space and equal specificity. A school that devotes more newsletter real estate to one program signals which it considers more serious. Interweave the two programs where they connect: a social studies unit on ancient civilizations alongside a Chumash unit on the same period, or a language arts unit on narrative alongside a parshat hashavua discussion of a Torah narrative.

How do we write about bar and bat mitzvah preparation in a school newsletter?

Bar and bat mitzvah is a significant milestone in a Jewish day school community. Cover the school's role in preparation, including any b'nai mitzvah classes, tutoring support, or liturgical skills the school provides. A section on what families can do to support preparation at home and how to coordinate with the school's Judaic studies department gives families practical guidance without duplicating what the synagogue covers.

Can Daystage help a Jewish day school publish a newsletter that includes Hebrew text or special formatting?

Daystage supports rich text formatting including bold and italic text for highlighting Hebrew terms alongside English transliterations and translations. For schools that want to include a Dvar Torah or weekly Torah portion summary, those sections can be formatted distinctly from the operational content. The platform's scheduling feature is particularly useful for timing newsletters around the Jewish calendar, including the High Holiday season when communication volume increases.

Jewish Day School Newsletter: Hebrew and Torah

A Jewish day school newsletter communicates in two languages and two educational traditions simultaneously. The families reading it range from day school alumni with advanced Hebrew literacy to families newer to Jewish practice who enrolled because of the values and community rather than prior observance. A newsletter that serves both audiences well, without condescending to either, requires deliberate choices about language, explanation, and proportion. This guide covers how to make those choices effectively.

Report on Judaic Studies With the Same Depth as General Studies

The dual curriculum is the defining feature of Jewish day school education, and your newsletter should treat both sides with equal seriousness. When you write about the general studies science fair, write with equal specificity about the Mishnah or Chumash unit students are completing. "Sixth grade is currently learning Tractate Avot, Pirkei Avot, the Ethics of the Fathers, focusing on the chapters that address the nature of scholarship and the relationship between teacher and student. Students are comparing these principles to how they approach their general studies coursework." That paragraph demonstrates integration rather than separation.

Explain Hebrew Terminology Consistently

Your newsletter will be read by families with a wide range of Hebrew knowledge. Every Hebrew term, even ones you assume are universally known, should appear with a brief English explanation on first use. "This week's parasha, the weekly Torah portion, is Lech Lecha." That parenthetical costs three words and makes the sentence accessible to a family in their first year at a Jewish day school. Families who already know the term will not be bothered by the explanation. Families who do not know it will be grateful for it.

Communicate the Holiday Calendar With Full Context

Here is a template for holiday communication:

Rosh Hashanah: Jewish New Year
This year: Begins at sundown on [date] and concludes at nightfall on [date].
School: Closed [dates]. School resumes [date].
What students are learning this week: The significance of the shofar and the concept of teshuva, repentance, in preparation for the High Holidays.
At home: Families observing Rosh Hashanah are encouraged to involve students in the holiday preparation and table discussion. A family discussion guide is available on our website.
Families observing differently: We welcome all families and recognize that observance varies. Our curriculum covers the holiday's significance in school regardless of home practice.

Cover Hebrew Language Progress Specifically

Hebrew language acquisition is a curricular goal at every Jewish day school. Report on it with the same detail you give to English literacy. "Our third-grade students are reading connected Hebrew text for the first time this month. The milestone typically comes in October or November for students who started Hebrew in kindergarten. Parents can support literacy development at home by having students read aloud five to ten minutes each evening from the parasha sheet sent home each Thursday." That reporting is specific, educational, and actionable.

Feature Talmud Torah Integration

When Torah study intersects with real-world student experiences, the newsletter is the right place to make that intersection visible. "Our eighth-grade Talmud class is studying the laws of bein adam l'chaveiro, interpersonal ethics, this semester. When two students in the class had a public dispute last month, the class examined the situation through the lens of the halachic material they were studying. The students resolved the conflict independently using the framework they had been learning. Their teacher did not need to intervene." That story demonstrates Torah learning as lived curriculum.

Spotlight Bar and Bat Mitzvah Preparation

Bar and bat mitzvah preparation is one of the most significant educational experiences a Jewish day school provides. A section in each fall and winter issue covering the school's role in preparation, the skills students are developing, and how families can support the process at home serves families navigating their first or fifth bar or bat mitzvah equally. Include a note on who to contact at the school if a family needs additional support coordinating school preparation with synagogue expectations.

Build in a Dvar Torah or Weekly Reflection

A brief reflection on the weekly Torah portion, written by a teacher, student, or staff member and connected to something happening at the school, gives the newsletter a distinctively Jewish character that no operational content can replicate. Keep it to 100-150 words. Rotate the author so different voices appear across the year. A school where every adult can offer a thoughtful weekly Torah reflection demonstrates something about its faculty that no mission statement can.

Jewish Day School Newsletter: Hebrew and Torah Curriculum Updates