Let families know they are not alone. And Temple Sinai has a plan to do just that. What has helped us get off the ground right now is that we were the lucky recipients of a Koret grant. The grant enabled the synagogue to hire a second rabbi and fund the program. Letters have gone out and several families have already asked to join a chavurah with other b'nai mitzvah families.
Participation is voluntary.
The process began a few years ago with focus groups on family-education programs and ways to help families with the nuts and bolts of b'nai mitzvah planning. She realized that issue had to be addressed before there could be any discussions about educational programs. Carol Zeitlin, b'nai mitzvah committee chair, also discovered that families needed more help than Rabbi Steven Chester was in a position to provide. The synagogue compiled resource lists, including florists, photographers, caterers and other service providers with comments from the families that used them. But to implement a full-fledged support program with religious and educational components, a second rabbi was needed.