On Monday, September 22nd, as part of their Tefilla Curriculum, Ben Porat Yosef 6th through 8th grades were bused to a scenic location in the Palisades Interstate Park where, surrounded by nature, students wrote down their personal requests to Hashem for the new year and incorporated them into their tefilla during their recitation of Shema Koleinu during Amidah. The program incorporated guitar music both before and after tefilla, Selichot services, and Torah reading. Afterwards, the students dined on an al fresco breakfast and participated in a shiur during which they discussed the phrase from Sefer Yeshayahu, “Dirshu Hashem be-he-matz-o, kra-u-hu b’hiyoto karov.” They experienced a meaningful way to connect with Hashem during the month of Elul, became inspired through nature to feel tefilla personally, and prepared themselves mentally and spiritually for the upcoming Yamim Noraim!