• Using a computer projector or hand-outs, study photo 1-4.
• Ask the students to describe the pictures: dress, age of people, ratio of girls to boys, etc.
  • Discuss. What re-occurring customs or trends do they observe? What differences do they notice between the pictures?
• Explain some of the symbolism of certain aspects of the photos. Information can be found in “Teacher Resources”
• Consider The Confirmation Certificate of Hannah Desola and An Early Confirmation Certificate for the Island of St. Thomas, Dutch West Indies
• Discuss. Do you see Confirmation as a fair substitute for a Bar or Bat Mitzvah? How are the experiences similar and different? Do you think that Hannah Desola felt like a “trail-blazer” at her Bat Mitzvah? Would you?
• Discuss. How long has Confirmation been a custom at your congregation? Has it been observed since the beginning of the congregation’s history?
• What are the students wearing? How does it change over time? What about tallit and kippot? Are there any other customs of note in the pictures? (Flowers, flags, etc.) Do these change over time?
• Are all of the pictures in the same sanctuary in the same sanctuary or did the congregation move, renovate or build a new sanctuary over time?
• Are there more girls or boys in the photographs? Does this change over time?
• Do the classes grow larger or smaller? Which is the largest Confirmation class? What might this trend say about the congregation’s general history?
• When did the current rabbi/cantor/education director/Confirmation teacher begin appearing in the pictures?
• Many congregations have a wall of Confirmation pictures prominently displayed. If your congregation has such a wall, take an “in school” field trip to visit it. If your synagogue does not display its Confirmation pictures, see if a collection of such pictures can be found in the congregation’s files or archives.

To conclude the session, point out the empty space next to the last picture and remind the students that their picture will be hanging on this wall