Ansche Chesed Hebrew School
Meaningful Jewish living and learning in an open-minded, egalitarian community.
At the Ansche Chesed Hebrew School, learners are on a path toward bringing Torah into their lives. We help children discover their spirituality, learn to live the rhythms of Jewish life, discover themselves as members of the Jewish people, and become ansche chesed, people of kindness. Students study Torah; Israel; the Jewish life cycle and calendar; Jewish values, history and identity; mitzvot (commandments); and Hebrew. Creative, dedicated and experienced teachers instruct through lessons infused with music, art, acting, and movement.
The curriculum has many special programs and features, including student-generated projects that focus on gemilut chasadim (acts of loving-kindness) and tzedakah (acts of generosity); weekly time set aside for tefillah (prayer) and kehillah (community); family programs; and Shabbat experiences with the Ansche Chesed community.
Ansche Chesed Hebrew School Resources
- Academic Calendar: ACHS will begin this year on Wednesday, September 11, 2024 and will conclude on Thursday, May 15, 2025.
- 2023-2024 ACHS Family Handbook
Tuition & Schedule for 5785 | 2024-2025
- Please Note: This schedule does not reflect scholarships for which your child/children may be eligible.
| Grade | Day and Time | Members | Non- Members |
| Nitzanim (Pre-K) | Wednesday, 3:45-5pm | $1,300 | $1,500 |
| Gan (Kindergarten) | Wednesday, 3:45-5pm | $1,300 | $1,500 |
| Alef (First Grade) | Wednesday, 3:45-5:15pm | $1,350 | $1,550 |
| Bet (Second Grade) | Wednesday, 3:45-5:30pm | $1,450 | $1,600 |
| Gimmel (Third Grade) | Wednesday, 3:45-5:30pm + Hebrew: EITHER Tuesday, 4-5pm at AC, OR Hebrew Homepage Online, individually scheduled | $1,980 | — |
| Dalet (Fourth Grade) | Thursday, 4-5:45pm + Hebrew: EITHER Tuesday, 4-5pm at AC, OR Hebrew Homepage Online, individually scheduled | $1,980 | — |
| Hey (Fifth Grade) | Thursday, 4-5:45pm + Hebrew: EITHER Tuesday, 4-5pm at AC, OR Hebrew Homepage Online, individually scheduled | $1980 | — |
| Vav (Sixth Grade) | Thursday, 4-5:30pm + Hebrew: EITHER Tuesday, 4-5pm at AC, OR Hebrew Homepage Online, individually scheduled | $1,880 | — |
| Zayin (Seventh Grade) | Thursday, 4-5:30pm | $1,350 | — |
| Halutzim (Eighth Grade) | Every other Sunday, 6-7:15pm (2x a month) | $450 | — |
| Tichon Ansche Chesed (High School) | Every other Sunday, 6-7:15pm (2x a month) | $450 | — |
| Derech Chesed | Privately Scheduled | $2,000 | — |
This year, ACHS will offer 2 Hebrew language learning options for 3rd through 6th grade students:
Option 1: Tuesday In-Person Hebrew Pods at AC, Tuesdays 4:00 – 5:00pm ACHS students will meet in-person, in small leveled Hebrew groups, with ACHS teachers. Hebrew groups will progress at their own appropriate pace, and will be geared to the learning needs of each learner.
Option 2: Hebrew Homepage (HHP) at Home, Privately scheduled, 30 minutes / week
ACHS is partnering with Jewish Journeys, through The Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, in order to offer Hebrew Homepage (HHP). HHP is a highly successful online Hebrew learning platform in which participants study with a tutor one-on-one using a webinar platform for weekly 30-minute sessions. This program will allow students to study ACHS approved Hebrew curriculum at their own pace, at a time that works best for their schedule, from the convenience of their own homes. HHP offers curriculum options for beginning readers, for gaining reading fluency for prayerbook Hebrew, and Modern Hebrew for beginners.
- ACHS yearly tuition is the same this year for both Hebrew options, and registration is through the ACHS office.
- Hebrew Homepage students will sign up for their tutoring slot individually before the school year begins.
Classes
| Pre-K: Nitzanim | 1x week | Celebrations |
| Grade K: Gan | 1x week | Sacred Time and Sacred Objects |
| Grade 1: Aleph | 1x week | Sacred Stories and Sacred Language |
| Grade 2: Bet | 1x week | Cycles of Discovery: Hebrew Language and the Jewish Calendar |
| Grade 3: Gimel | 2x week | Tools for Jewish Living: Mitzvot (commandments) and Middot (values) |
| Grade 4: Dalet | 2x week | Jewish Citizenship: Menschlichkeit and Modern Israel |
| Grade 5: Hey | 2x week | Living a Jewish Life: Text and Tradition |
| Grade 6: Vav | 2x week | Jewish Identity: Self and Community |
| Grade 7: Zayin | 1x week | Growing Up Jewish: Identity, Rights and Responsibilities |
| Grade 8: Halutzim | 2x month | Gemilut Chesed (good works): Study and Practice |
| High School: Tichon Ansche Chesed | 2x month | Launching into Jewish Adulthood |
Derech Chesed: Personalized Learning
Because formal Hebrew school is not right for every child or every family, Ansche Chesed offers Derech Chesed (the path of kindness), a personalized program of Jewish learning for students in Grades K-5. Derech Chesed helps children and families create meaningful Jewish experiences within the Ansche Chesed community but outside of the bounds of traditional Hebrew school. With the help of a madrich (guide or tutor) with whom each Derech Chesed student meets each week, students develop individualized learning plans that address their interests and complement their families’ Jewish practices. Madrichim meet with students in at home, involving other members of the family whenever possible. Derech Chesed students come together with the other Ansche Chesed Hebrew School students during community holiday celebrations.
Enrollment
- Membership: The Ansche Chesed Hebrew School is open to children in Pre-K–Grade 2 regardless of whether their families are members of Ansche Chesed. Families with children entering Grade 3 and above must be members in good standing of Ansche Chesed in order to enroll their children. Information on membership can be found on our membership page.
- Consultation: To discuss which class or program is right for your child, please contact Education and Family Program Director Aliza Sebert (ASebert@anschechesed.org, 212.865.0600 ext. 217).
- Tuition and Class Schedule: For the current year’s Tuition and Class Schedule, please see above.
- Application Form: To enroll your child in an Ansche Chesed Hebrew School program, please complete the online application form here.
- Financial Need: We do not turn away students because of financial need. To discuss the possibility of a scholarship, please contact Rabbi Yael Hammerman (RabbiYael@anschechesed.org, 212-865-0600 x 208).
