Bar and Bat Mitzvah
Preparing for your child’s Bar/Bat Mitzvah is a very special time for families, and we look forward to supporting you through this process and celebrating together with you.
What is a Bar/Bat mitzvah? The term Bar/Bat Mitzvah does not actually refer to a ceremony, but a time of life. When boys reach the age of 13, and when girls reach the age of 12, they take on responsibility for mitzvot. They are counted in a minyan (a quorum of ten adult Jewish individuals necessary to say certain prayers), can be called to Torah for an aliyah, and can recite the blessings before and after reading Torah. Our hope is that this sense of responsibility will deepen the child’s Jewish and spiritual identity.
Becoming a Bar/Bat Mitzvah is a significant moment of transition: the child formally becomes the community’s prayer leader and teacher. It is an opportunity for your child to deepen his or her understanding of the many pathways into Judaism: religious, spiritual, textual, and ethical.
Family involvement is an essential component to this process. We hope the many programs we will share throughout the year will bring meaning to you and your family, and that this process deepens not only your child’s understanding, knowledge and skill but also the Jewish identity and spiritual life of your whole family.
You can learn much more about our B'nei Mitzvah program by reading our handbook here:
