Student Leaders Form Tefillah Kehillah Institute

While most high schoolers were busy winding down their summer vacations in late August, 20 dedicated NCJHS 10th, 11th, and 12th graders were meeting intently with Faculty Advisor and Jewish Studies Teacher, Yonatan Rosner, to create the school’s new prayer sessions for the year.  On Jewish community high school campuses across the country, prayer or tefillah is typically led by school rabbis or other adults.  At New Jew, students want to plan and execute different models of creative tefillah sessions for the NCJHS community, sessions that are meaningful and that offer a spiritual connection to Jewish prayer and tradition.

At their first all-school tefillah session held recently, Tefillah Kehillah Institute (TKI) students first presented their ideas to the more than 400 people in attendance.  An 11th grader then facilitated a brainstorming session with his peers, generating a white-board filled with input from the student body about their connection to prayer and their vision.  The session concluded with a lively renditions of some traditional prayers sung by all while three students played their guitars and drums on the bimah.    

The TKI students meet regularly with Mr. Rosner for learning, planning and reflection sessions.  The overarching goal of the TKI is for students to grow in their understanding of the wisdom and use of tefillah in the modern age as well as to shape their leadership skills needed to convey the joy and wisdom of prayer.