The word Aliyah (plural Aliyot) means "ascending" and refers to the act of going up to recite a blessing over the torah.

Each week in synagogue, we read (chant) a passage from the Bible. This passage is referred to as a parshah (portion). The first portion, for example, is portion Bereishit, which covers from the beginning of Genesis to the story of Noah. The weekly portion is followed by a passage from the prophets, which is referred to as a haftarah.

There are generally seven aliyot on Sabbath morning. When you are called, come forward to the Torah reading table as soon as you are called.

In most congregations, it is customary to wear a tallit when called to the Torah

The reader will open the scroll and show you the reading place-mark. You then take the tzitzit (corner fringes of the tallit) and touch the place-mark word and kiss the tzitzit. The reader will roll close the scroll for you to be able to recite the special blessing.

This blessing below can be printed clearly from the upper right-side "Printable Version".