Community Hebrew High School
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The Community Hebrew High School (CHHS) of New Rochelle is the natural continuation for a student’s religious education. The program is intended for students in seventh through eleventh grades. Classes for High School 2 through High School 5 (8th - 11th grade) meet on Tuesday afternoons from 3:55 to 6:00 pm and Sunday mornings from 10:00 am until 1:00 pm. High School 1 (7th grade) meets on Sunday from 11:10 am to 1:00 pm and Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 3:55 pm to 6:00 pm. An optional class, HS 6, for twelveth graders meets twice a month in the evening. This class is for graduates of the CHHS and for other high school seniors. In addition to a wide variety of Judaic subjects, students in this class study education, and have the opportunity to plan and implement lesson plans in our Religious School. Each student is assigned to a faculty member who serves as a mentor for the student. 

Registration for the CHHS is open to students who have successfully fulfilled the requirements of an accredited religious school program or the requirements of their home synagogue’s elementary department provided they are equivalent to those of Beth El.

The CHHS program meets the needs of the Jewish adolescent. A variety of courses is offered. Examples of traditional offerings are Bible, Talmud and Mishnah. The program also includes courses in Jewish history, philosophy, theology and more. Students also deal with the Jewish views of contemporary issues using current and popular media as a basis for discussions. Students can study modern Hebrew and prepare for the New York State Hebrew Regents test. Students in the nineth grade and above will create their own schedule, choosing from a variety of electives taught by different teachers.The schedule and the list of electives, along with a sign-up sheet, will be mailed to them early in the summer.

The faculty of the CHHS is composed of experienced teachers who represent a diversity of ideologies, philosophies and approaches to Judaism.

The CHHS of New Rochelle is a five-hour per week program. Each of the five periods carries the value of one credit per year. Therefore, in the course of the five-year program, a student can earn twenty-five credits. To enable students who are experiencing scheduling difficulties to participate in the full program, we offer online courses in lieu of the two hours on Tuesday. Students electing this option will be considered full-time students and will be eligible for an honor diploma upon graduation. This option will be available to ninth, tenth, and eleventh grade students only. For details, click here. Registration must be done through the Community Hebrew High School.

The CHHS is also offering a Sunday-only option to students in the eighth grade and above. A student may choose to take the full five-hour program or the Sunday-only option. Although we would encourage everyone to take the full program, we understand that there are times when scheduling is an issue and that the Sunday-only option is the best compromise. Eighth graders are also given the choice of continuing their study of the Hebrew language or taking an elective instead.

At the conclusion of the CHHS program, a student may qualify for one of the following:

1. GRADUATION WITH HONORS - To qualify for this distinction a student must have attended the full program, earning twenty-five credits through eleventh grade, and have participated in social action projects that were scheduled for the CHHS.

2. GRADUATION DIPLOMA - To qualify for the diploma, the student must have attended at least once a week on Sunday, from eighth to eleventh grade, and have completed all course requirements, earning at least fifteen credits in the CHHS.

Students who opt for the Sunday-only program in eighth grade, and who later wish to switch to the full program, should consult with the Education Director to determine added work/projects to be completed to make up for the lost credits.

Students will be listed on the program of the CHHS graduation according to the category of completion of the program.