The Siyum Ceremony — A Family Celebration

Each year, Gesher students are engaged in understanding and mastering a unique Jewish prayer service. This learning culminates in a family celebration called, a siyum, marking students’ progressing competence in leading Jewish ritual prayers. Through these cumulative experiences, students develop a strong sense of Jewish identity and pride, as well as the ability to be future leaders of the synagogue or minyan (prayer group) of their choosing.

Kindergarten

The Passover seder

First Grade

Receiving the Siddur (daily prayer book)

Second Grade

Havdalah (The prayer service marking the end of the Sabbath)

Third Grade

The Amidah prayer

Fourth Grade

Kabbalat Shabbat (the prayers welcoming the Sabbath)

Fifth grade

Hallel (Prayers of praise for holidays and the new month)

Middle School students are taught to chant the Torah according to the traditional cantillation. This skill is reinforced throughout the Middle School years. As part of coming of age responsibilities, our students in 7th and 8th grade prepare a weekly “Dvar Torah” to present to their peers. In the “Dvar Torah”, the students demonstrate their ability to apply their own critical thinking to their independent study of the Torah portion and Rabbinic sources.

Prayer is a daily experience for Gesher students in all grades. Parents and the community are invited to join us for daily morning Tefillah and for our Thursday Torah service. People who seek a minyan (prayer quorum) in order to say Kaddish (the mourners’ prayer) are especially welcome.