Tefilla

Tefilla is said at the start of every day either in whole school, key stage, house or year group assemblies. The children daven beautifully with one child from each key stage chosen for the tefillah award during our Monday whole school assembly.
This year we are introducing a new initiative during our Monday morning whole school assembly just before we begin Tefilla. One pupil each week will share what tefilla means to them. We are doing this to show the relevance of tefilla to our pupils and to show how we can all connect to Hashem.

What Tefillah means to me?

The pupils in KS2 have been covering their siddurim to protect them as they are so special to them and writing messages on the front to thank Hashem for something in their lives so every time they open them to daven they can look at their messages and share with others what they are thanking Hashem for. Here are some examples.

We enjoyed a special musical Havdalah assembly with Michoel Balshine from Whitefield Shul.
 

We aim to do kriat Hatorah in assembly once a month so that the children can experience the joy of seeing the Torah being taken out of the Aron. The year 6 boys get to experience what it is like to say the brachot, read from and dress the Torah preparing them for adult Jewish life and to encourage them to be part of a shul community. Year 6 girls are involved too reading a d'var torah about the parasha.

As part of their Shabbat topic, year 2 pupils visit Heaton Park shul where Rabbi Walker, our school Rabbi, shows them around and explains all the different parts of the shul and the Sefer Torah to them. Afterwards, the children enjoy a small kiddush in the shul hall. For many children, this is their first experience in a shul and it is a joy to watch their faces light up when they see the Ark being opened and they see the beautiful Sifrei Torah with all their ornaments.