Table of Contents Letter from the Clergy...............................................................................Page 2 Bar and Bat Mitzvah: an Overview………………………………............Pages 3-4 Life Post-Bar and Bat Mitzvah…………………………………………...Pages 5-6 Bar and Bat Mitzvah Preparation………………………………………...Pages 7-18 Mitzvah Project…………………………………………………………..Page 13 Family Participation…………………………………………….………..Page 17 Prayer & Ritual Resources…………………………………………….....Pages 19-23 Bar and Bat Mitzvah Ceremony 19-20 Blessings for the reading of Torah……………………………………….Page 21 Administrative Nuts & Bolts……………………………………………..Pages 24-25 Useful Contacts for Bar and Bat Mitzvah Preparation...…………………Page 26 Dear Parents,
B'NEI MITZVAH PREPARATION TIME LINE CONTINUED Three Months Before • Cantor will begin to meet with students to continue working on the Torah portion, review the service, and study and discuss the Torah and Haftarah portions. Students will have a total of twelve sessions with Cantor Cooperman. • Students meet with the rabbis to begin preparing their D'var Torah and to discuss their mitzvah project. One Month Before • Students study their Haftarah portion and discuss with the Cantor how it connects with the Torah portion. • Students will have follow-up meetings with the rabbis to edit their D'var Torah. • Cantor will begin to practice prayers and chanting with students in the sanctuary. One to Two Before • Students and parents meet with the Rabbi who will perform the Bar/Bat Mitzvah to discuss the family's participation in the worship service, the spiritual meanings of Bar/Bat Mitzvah and the meaning of this occasion in the family's life. The Friday Before • Final rehearsal on the bimah on the Friday of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Parents are required to attend; sibling attendance is optional. Erev Shabbat Friday Evening Service • Parents bless the candles. Bar/Bat Mitzvah leads the Kiddush. (See Ritual Resources.) • B'nei Mitzvah delivers a D'var Mitzvah, an explanation of their Mitzvah Project. Shabbat/Saturday Morning or Afternoon Service • The parents and Bar/Bat Mitzvah child meet with a Rabbi 15 minutes before the service begins for a special moment in front of the ark and to put on your child's tallit. TEACHING TORAH: THE CENTERPIECE OF BECOMING BAR/BAT MITZVAH (Excerpt from JPS B’nai Mitzvah Torah Commentary by Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin) News flash: the most important thing about becoming bar or bat mitzvah isn’t the party. Nor is it the presents. Nor even being able to celebrate with your family and friends – as wonderful as
Intro: Start with the words "Shabbat Shalom," Where your portion is from (What is the name of the parashah in the Torah? What chapters and verses are you about to discuss?) Summary: Summarize the entire Torah portion (the introduction on page 8 of your blue Torah booklet is a great resource) Summarize the Section of Torah you are reading in your own words. Focus: What question(s) does the Torah text raise that you want to consider? Pick a particular sentence or word that is in your Torah portion. Explain why you are going to talk about this idea. Timeless Lessons: What do I think the Torah is trying to teach (my opinion)? Why do you think it is trying to teach this, why is this an important lesson? Are there commentaries that help you understand the meaning of the Torah? * Note: This lesson should be derived from section III (Focus). Application: How does this lesson apply to me as I prepare to become bar/bat mitzvah? How does it apply to all of us, to the Jewish people? SUMMARIZE YOUR MESSAGE What have you learned from your Torah portion that impacts the process of becoming a Bar/Bat Mitzvah? What do you want people to take away from your D'var Torah the day of your Bar/Bat Mitzvah? HOW TO WRITE YOUR D'VAR MITZVAH (“WORD OF MITZVAH”) At the Friday service of the Shabbat where you will be called to the Torah as a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, you will give a D'var Mitzvah. This is a short, two paragraph presentation about your Tikkun Olam (Community Service) project. Your D'var Mitzvah should be only two paragraphs long: Paragraph 1: Introduce yourself and describe your mitzvah project Paragraph 2: say what you learned or found meaningful from doing this project BAR/BAT MITZVAH: BECOMING RESPONSIBLE Becoming a Bar/Bat Mitzvah is not just about marking a milestone with a finite ritual moment. It is also about entering a new stage of life in which a student takes on more personal responsibility for his or her life-Jewish and secular. In addition to the outlined responsibilities of preparing for
Abby Pisaniello, CJL Administrator CJL Administration (914) 967-6262 apisaniello@comsynrye.org Leah Negrin, Cantor's schedule asst. Scheduling a lesson or meeting with the cantor (646) 645-8867 lnegrin@comsynrye.org Jon Rekedal, Clergy Assistant Scheduling an appointment with one of the rabbis (914) 967-6262 clergyassistant@comsynrye.org