Jewish Identity & Education

Message

The two most precious gifts you can give your children are strong roots and big wings: roots are the legacy we pass on them as a Jewish school, always finding ways in which they feel proud of their identity, establishing a strong bond between them and Eretz Israel. Wings are what we give them so they can take pride in who they are wherever they go.

At the Atid School we want our students to know our history, to love our language and culture, and to be able to experience them as a current and meaningful part of their daily lives. We want them to have embedded within what it means to be part of a community and the sense of peoplehood which is a unique characteristic of Am Israel.

While being part of the network of Jewish schools in Mexico, the Atid school assumes a crucial commitment in developing a strong sense of both Mexican and Jewish identity and responsibility to make this community and this country a better place, all while developing the student profile within the International Baccalaureate Programs (IB).

Message

We belong to an ancient group of people with a rich and extensive legacy which has been kept alive throughout history by giving priority to Jewish education and by perpetuating our traditions.

At the Atid School, we go in hand with each of the families of our community. Together we build, consolidate and strengthen our students’ identity and sense of belonging to Israel, their community, and the school.

We achieve this through academic activities and diverse learning experiences that we develop according to the principles of the International Baccalaureate, promoting inquiry, analysis, reflection, and the development of critical thinking, keeping alive at all times the desire to learn and discover.

Throughout our journey, we seek the students’ progressive understanding of fundamental concepts and principles of the Torah as they live our traditions as memorable experiences full of learning, enjoyment, and union. Above all, we seek them to commit to the continuity of their people, being model citizens of the world.

Kelly Bendahan

Overview

The Jewish Education at Atid school is based on three main axes that together strengthen the development of values that help students conform their jewish identity, allowing them to develop a sense of belonging to the jewish community and a strong pride in being part of Am Israel. These programs are: Hebrew, Torah and Jewish Tradition and the connection between them and the State of Israel.

Through these programs, our students:

• Learn Torah and Jewish Tradition by nurturing the bond with tradition and highlighting the moral and ethical learning that are essential to be an example both for the Jewish community in Mexico as well as a proud Mexican citizen.

• They learn to pray; since we consider it necessary for every Jewish child and young man to know how to properly use a siddur and understand its meaning and holiness. Students have the opportunity to participate in Tefilá by joining the Minian every morning.

• Celebrate the dates marked by the Jewish calendar, understanding its principles and experiencing its traditions and the national holidays that marked modern Jewish history, such as: Yom Hashoah, Yom Hazikaron and Yom Haaztmaut.

• Learn Hebrew, understanding it as a deep bond in the development of Jewish identity. The approach is communicative, that is, it seeks to enable students to communicate through the comprehension, expression, reading, and writing of Hebrew, but also under a cultural approach that is meaningful and current.

• Learn Jewish history, understanding the past of our people amidst the global context in which our history emerged. They also understand the history of the State of Israel, strengthening their pride and sense of belonging with the Jewish State.

• Participate in community events in order to strengthen their sense of belonging. They take part in activities organized by jewish institutions such as Kadima, Keren Keyemet LeIsrael, Yad Vashem México, Keren Hayesod and many others. They attend sports events, art shows, talks, and conferences. They also participate in the festival Aviv, the March of the Living, as well as the Jidón Tzionut.

The Morim that are responsible for the Jewish Education of our students are at the forefront of education by taking courses taught by the Hebraica University and international programs on several jewish studies content.

Through this program, our students:

• Learn Torah and Tanach in a measured way, always taking care that its study is relevant to the students’ present and their current needs.

• Celebrate the dates marked by the Jewish calendar, understanding its principles and experiencing its traditions. They learn to pray; we consider necessary that every Jewish child and young man knows how to take a siddur and understands its meaning. At the same time, we open the opportunity for those who wish to participate in the tefilá in the mornings.

• They learn Hebrew, understanding this language as a deep bond with the development of Jewish identity. The approach is communicative, that is, it seeks to enable students to communicate through the comprehension, expression, reading, and writing of Hebrew, but also under a cultural approach that is reflected in the study based on authentic texts that are close to their reality.

• They learn Jewish history, understanding the global context in which our people have developed. In the other hand, they understand the history of the State of Israel, strengthening their pride and sense of belonging.

• They participate in community events to strengthen their sense of belonging. They assist in activities for institutions such as Kadima, Keren Keyemet and Keren Hayesod. They attend sports events, art shows, talks, and conferences. They also participate in Jidón Tanaj and Jidón Tzionut.

The Morim of the Jewish Studies Department are in constant preparation and updating by taking advantage of the courses taught by the Hebrew University, the project of Mejanjei Israel and on internal training.