Fifth Graders Shine at Grade-level Tefillah This Morning

Celebrating the culmination of their lower school careers, the fifth grade led their families and third and fourth grades in beautiful tefillah (prayer) service this morning. The students introduced each prayer and shared their personal kavanah (intention) about the prayer. Led by Judaic studies teacher and guitarist Jonathan Ferris, the fifth graders led their families and peers in singing each of the prayers, some using familiar, traditional tunes, and others using new, modern tunes. As a special blessing for the class, their fifth grade teachers were called up for an aliyah. 

 

At the conclusion of the service, Director of Jewish Learning Debby Arzt-Mor addressed the fifth grade students: “I want to share how very proud we are of you. You led us through tefillah both spiritually and independently. You demonstrated the depth of your knowledge and kavanot (intentions) and that truly captures the essense of your learning to this point.”

Following the conclusion of the tefillah (and the dismissal of third and fourth graders to their next classes), fifth graders shared their family projects and general studies teachers Jessica Bryan and Sarah Nguyen read their acrostic poem, "The ABCs of Lower School at Brandeis." "'A is for apples and honey," they read, "B is for blue blocks, C is for chicks," all the way through alphabet. 
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