T'fillah - Prayer

תפילה

Jewish Life TeamDaily LifeT'fillah - PrayerChaggim - Holidays
T'fillah (prayer) is integral to JCDS' pluralistic education and is one of the ways we provide a common grounding in Jewish practice and values. It expresses our core identity as a living, thriving Jewish community. JCDS is a safe space for students and the whole community to explore and grow in their own particular beliefs and understandings.

Lower School (K-4)

In the Lower School, students experience t'fillah every day in their classrooms. Classroom teachers teach and facilitate t'fillot themselves, along with guidance from the Jewish Life Team. The third and fourth grade classes conduct Mincha (afternoon services) once a week. On Thursdays, the fourth and fifth graders come together in the Beit Knesset (school sanctuary) for an energetic and expanded t'fillah with the madrich ruchani. Every Friday, the entire school comes together for a joyous Kabbalat Shabbat together.

Middle School (5-8)

Like the Lower School, Middle School students participate in t'fillah experiences every day, from communal Shacharit (morning prayer) with Torah Reading in the Beit Knesset (school sanctuary) to electives like davening with the Gan Nitzan students or understanding t'fillah through pottery. T'fillah electives, such as art, writing, debating, yoga, singing, traditional prayer, and more, help broaden the scope of how t'fillah can be experienced and gives students freedom to choose what they feel best fits their traditions and beliefs. Some electives include:

• Coding T'fillah
• Get Back (t'fillah with Kindergarten)
• T'fillah B'teva (nature)
• Nigunim (music)
• Kavanah Clinic (traditional)
• T'fillah Drama
• Art
• Yoga T'fillah

T'fillah (Prayer Services):

The sequence of T'fillah over the course of the week is as follows:

Monday: 9:00 AM – 9:45 AM in the Beit Knesset	Grades 5-8
Tuesday: 9:00 AM Student Lead Shacharit	Grades 6-8
Tuesday: 1:30 PM – 1:45 PM Mincha	Grades 5-8
Wednesday: 8:05 AM – 8:55 AM T'fillah Electives	Grades 5-8
Thursday: 8:00 AM – 8:55 AM in the Beit Knesset	Grades 6-8
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 9:50 AM in the Beit Knesset	Grades 4-5
Friday: 9:00 AM Student-Led Shacharit	Grades 6-8
Friday: School-wide Kabbalat Shabbat	Grades 5-8