At Temple Beth El, students enrolled in the religious school for grades 8-10 are eligible to become confirmed in the 10th grade, as a completion of their formal religious schooling. The special service, which is led by the confirmation students, takes place on Shavuot of that year.
Students in the 10th grade are eligible to apply for the Sisisky Award, which is a cash award to travel to Israel during the summer following confirmation. Students present an essay or other creative writing piece on the topic of "Why I want to visit Israel ".
Students in the Confirmation class travel to New York each year during the summer following Confirmation to bond with their fellow students and celebrate the milestone which they have accomplished. The students visit sites of Jewish and secular interest.
The class photograph each year is displayed in Confirmation Hall at the Temple and at the Religious School (a gift of the 2003 Confirmation class). Photographs of classes going back to 1932 are in the Temple hallway, and many students can find parents, grandparents and other relatives who also have also accomplished this milestone.
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