The joyous sounds of spirited singing, dancing and praying can be heard from the Lower School gym each month when students, siblings, parents, grandparents, faculty, and local clergy get together first thing in the morning for our all-school tefilah. Led by Rabbi Yael Buechler and music teacher Amichai Margolis, these lively gatherings are a special way for our community to come together and connect with each other in an uplifting, spiritual experience.

“Our all-school tefilot are a unique opportunity for families to share in a program that has incredible energy and excitement at the Lower School,” Rabbi Buechler says. “We often start by sharing a story about a holiday or event we’re celebrating. And sometimes we start with shpiels — fun skits between Dr. Kay and myself, that are musically inclined.

One of the things that makes all-school tefilah so exciting is that the focus of each tefilah is different, depending on whether it’s Shabbat, a special time of year or if there’s a Jewish holiday to celebrate. Leading up to Rosh HaShanah, for example, many students participate in Team Mighty Shofarot by blowing the shofar together. Before Simchat Torah, fifth-grade students read Torah and each grade has a chance to have an aliyah to the Torah.

No matter what is taking place during the half-hour program, “To me, it’s a ‘wow’ moment for us. It’s a vigorous burst of everything that’s amazing about our community. And if you joined all-school tefilah for even a few minutes, you’d experience this joy we share for Judaism and yiddishkeit,” Rabbi Buechler says.

Parents and grandparents leave our all-school tefilot with huge smiles, a warm feeling and a satisfying sense of belonging in our community.