The Yavneh Academy ECD celebrated the culmination of Parshat Bereshit as a community.  The preparation was similar to a big Shabbat kiddush at shul. Every class chose something to make to serve at the kiddush—parve cholent, potato kugel, cakes and cookies—and it was truly a delicious celebration. Some classes even decorated the gym with posters and signs with different parsha illustrations. The classes brought their class Torah, along with their excitement.

The most important aspect of this kiddush was the learning to get to this place. Since the first parsha of Bereshit, the children have learned and lived both the stories, the history and the lessons related to each and every parsha. There have been plays, character studies, songs, parsha baking, and much more to help the children connect to each and every parsha.

At the siyum, the children dressed in their Shabbat best, set the Shabbat table and sang songs related to the parshiot. The Shabbat imma from each class were called up and lit candles together. Each Shabbat abba joined Rabbi Penn with making kiddush. Before enjoying the delicious Shabbat treats, the children yelled “chazak, chazak, v’nitchazek” together and danced with the Torah.The feeling of celebrating the welcoming of Shabbat together with the accompaniment of finishing the first book of the Torah was amazing!