Family Bar/Bat Mitzvah Manual 2018

Transcription

1 Temple Slel 5100 Sheridan Street Hllywd, FL Tel: (954) Fax: (954) Family Bar/Bat Mitzvah Manual 2018 Jeffrey Salkin, Senir Rabbi Israel Rsen, Cantr Fran Mishler, Directr f Engagement & Educatin Frida Ziegler, Directr f Business & Administratin

2 Cntact Infrmatin Office: (954) Jeffrey Salkin, Senir Rabbi Israel Rsen, Cantr (954) Ext. 103 (954) Ext Marla Twbin, Executive Directr (954) ext. 109 Membership Infrmatin Fran Mishler, Directr f Jewish Learning Religius Schl Inquiries, (954) ext. 111 Bk Bar/Bat Mitzvah Date, fran@templeslel.cm B nai Mitzvah Prgramming Israel Rsen, Cantr Schedule Lessns, (954) Ext. 121 Cancel Lessn cantr@templeslel.cm Brad Friedman, Artisan Fds Inc. (954) inf@artisanfdsinc.cm Catering Infrmatin Anita Lrenz, Clergy Assistant Schedule Appintments, (954) ext. 102 Schedule Rehearsal and anita@templeslel.cm Phtgraphs Frida Ziegler, Bkkeeper Synaggue Accunt, (954) Ext. 104 Billing Issues, Payments Frida@templeslel.cm Bb Sssin, Cmmittee n Religius Living, C-Chair Taxman285@al.cm Linda Marglis, Cmmittee n Religius Living, C-Chair Lindamarglis54@gmail.cm Rbb Wilentz, Educatin VP rwilentz@htmail.cm 2 Questins & Cncerns Questins & Cncerns Questins & Cncerns

3 Bar/bat mitzvah shuld make a Jewish statement- t yur child, yur family, and the cmmunity. It shuld be ne building blck in yur child s Jewish future. We have prepared this manual with the hpe that it will assist yu in the preparatin fr the bar/bat mitzvah f yur child and give yu a better understanding f exactly what the ritual is t be like. It has been designed t increase parent participatin in the bar/bat mitzvah ceremny in rder t give the ccasin the family fcus it deserves. 3

4 TABLE OF CONTENTS A Message frm Rabbi Salkin.. 1 What Des Bar/Bat Mitzvah Mean?. 2 Religius Educatin Requirements Pre and Pst Bar/Bat Mitzvah 3 Financial Obligatin.. 4 Service Participatin. 4 Distributin f Hnrs; The Bar/Bat Mitzvah Ceremny.. 5 A Message frm ur Caterer 6 Planning Yur Simcha 7 Cuntdwn t the Big Day. 8 Mitzvah Prject Ideas 9-10 Service Hnr Wrksheet. 11 Prayer Guides: Opening, Parents, D var Trah. 12 Aliyah Blessings 13 Glssary.. 14

5 A Message frm Rabbi Salkin Yu already knw this, but here ges: the mst imprtant thing abut bar/bat mitzvah isn t the party r presents. N it is leading a cngregatin in prayer, and sharing Trah with that cngregatin. Here is what is true abut rites f passage: yu can tell what a culture values by the tasks it asks its yung peple t perfrm n their way t maturity. In American culture, yu becme respnsible fr driving; respnsible fr vting, and yes, respnsible fr drinking respnsibly. In sme cultures, the rite f passage twards maturity includes sme kind f trial, r a test f strength. Smetimes, it is a kind f utward bund camping adventure. In sme African cultures, a yung persn has t kill a lin. What is Judaism s way f marking maturity? It is a cmbinatin f bth f these rites f passage: respnsibility and test. Our yung peple shw that they are n the way t becming respnsible Jewish adults thrugh a public test f strength and knwledge reading r chanting Trah, and then teaching it t the cngregatin. In additin, we ask them t really perfrm mitzvt in the frm f prjects that lead t tikkun lam repairing the wrld. That is what it means fr ur yung peple t celebrate becming bar/bat mitzvah at Temple Slel. It is a gateway t Jewish maturity, a pathway t becming a respnsible Jew. True t ur name, Slel (pathfinder), may this bklet be yur bar/bat mitzvah GPS. And knw that we are with yu, every step f the way, n yur family s Jewish jurney.

6 What des Bar/Bat Mitzvah Mean? There was n such thing as bar mitzvah in the Hebrew Bible. It was a pst-biblical, rabbinic idea (first centuries f the Cmmn Era) that says that a child is respnsible fr perfrming the mitzvt at the age f thirteen. It tk several centuries fr a real bar mitzvah ritual t start, and thse rituals and custms varied frm place t place. Just think f all the great Jews wh were never bar/bat mitzvah. They include: Abraham, Isaac, Jacb (nt t mentin Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel r Leah); Mses and Aarn; nne f the Jewish kings and nne f the prphets. And what abut a bat mitzvah? The real father f bat mitzvah was Rabbi Mrdecai Kaplan, the funder f Recnstructinist Judaism. Rabbi Kaplan had n sns, s he invented bat mitzvah fr his ldest daughter, Judith, in Since then, hundreds f thusands f Jewish wmen have becme bat mitzvah. Hw d we use the terms bar/bat mitzvah in a sentence? Here is an example: My sn will becme a bar mitzvah next Shabbat mrning. By bar mitzvah (r bat mitzvah) we mean smene wh is ld enugh t be respnsible fr ding mitzvt and leading a mature Jewish life But, t a parent and a grandparent, bar and bat mitzvah means smething larger. Bar/bat mitzvah says t a Jewish parent: I am nt the last Jew in the wrld, and this child prves it. IT S ALL ABOUT BEING A MENSCH Bar/bat mitzvah means ld enugh t d mitzvt. But it s really abut menschlgy the art f making ur kids int deep thinkers and mre passinate peple. We, therefre, strngly encurage ur yung peple and their families t be invlved in tikkun lam prjects that repair a small piece f the wrld. Hw can yu d that? Our children are required t d a mitzvah prject prir t becming bar/bat mitzvah. Many chse prjects which are clse t their hearts; fr example, cllecting items fr needy children, r feeding the hmeless, r vlunteering their time with an rganizatin t help animals. First and fremst, it is essential that ur yung peple remember the larger Jewish cmmunity, and make Jewish giving a pririty thrugh dnatins t Federatin r ther wrthy causes. Cntact the Jewish Federatin f Brward at: Our clergy and staff will be happy t give yu ther ideas f hw t fcus n Jewish giving. Cnsider asking yur guests t bring a can f fd fr the needy when they attend the service. Include a nte abut that in yur invitatin. Please make arrangements t have canned fd dnatins picked up by the agency in a timely manner frm the temple. Cnsider asking yur guests t make dnatins t a favrite charity/cause. Encurage yur child t persnally dnate a prtin f his/her gift mney t tzedakah. Remember Temple Slel! Please refer t the Temple ffice fr the list f available funds.

7 Religius Educatin Requirements All f yur child s Jewish educatin prir t bar/bat mitzvah has cnnectins t the ceremny because ur yung peple learn hw t lead the imprtant prayers in the service. But bar/bat mitzvah is nt just abut skills. It is abut learning t live, think and respnd, based upn Jewish teachings and traditins. In that sense, everything in yur child s Jewish studies curriculum is preparatin fr becming a bar/bat mitzvah- i.e., a Jewish adult. The requirements t becme a bar/bat mitzvah at Temple Slel are: Fur years, r the equivalent theref, prir t and including the year f the bar/bat mitzvah ceremny. Private tutring is nt a substitute fr attendance at Temple Slel s Schl f Living Judaism. Enrllment in religius schl during the academic year in which the bar/bat mitzvah ccurs is mandatry. The classes prir t the ceremny cnsist f final preparatin in reading the prayers fr the ceremny. A child needs t wrship with the Temple Slel cmmunity. In rder fr ur yung peple and their parents t appreciate what is happening in the wrship service, and t feel part f the cmmunity, they must participate in wrship. A child must attend six bar/bat mitzvah services at Temple Slel prir t their ceremny. Students will receive attendance cards which they must sign and give t the Rabbi, Cantr, r Fran after the service. A child must attend three Friday evening erev Shabbat services. Students will receive cards that they will give t the Rabbi r Cantr after the service. A child must attend services n the Days f Awe (Rsh Ha-Shanah and Ym Kippur) A child must cmmit t regular practice and preparatin. We expect that bar/bat mitzvah preparatin shuld take twenty minutes t a half hur per day. Students wh transfer frm anther cmmunity will be accepted as candidates fr the celebratin Rehearsals with Rabbi Salkin and Cantr Rsen will usually be scheduled n a Thursday afternn during the mnth prir t the ceremny in rder t review the prcedures fr the service. A final rehearsal fr the student with the Rabbi and Cantr will be scheduled, n a Tuesday, the week f the bar/bat mitzvah. Parents are expected t attend these rehearsals. Leading the cngregatin in wrship is a privilege and an hnr. The Rabbi, Cantr, and Directr f Educatin will have the final authrity t determine whether a child is ready t lead the entire service. Pst Bar/Bat Mitzvah Educatin Opprtunities We expect that ur children will cntinue their Jewish educatin and invlvement in Temple Slel t help nurture a cnnectin fr serius engagement with Judaism. We ffer a full educatinal prgram f frmal and infrmal activities thrugh 12 th grade. All f ur children study regularly with Rabbi Salkin bth in and utside f the traditinal classrm t prvide meaningful Jewish experiences. As an affiliate f the URJ, Refrm Judaism s natinal mvement, ur teens participate in reginal and natinal yuth grup events. The URJ als runs several Jewish camps in ur area, as well as summer Israel experiences. They help build a yung persn s cnnectin t Judaism and t the Jewish cmmunity. Temple Slel s Tikkun Olam cmmittee ffers a number f scial actin pprtunities fr ur children t acquire cmmunity service hurs while ding a Mitzvah! Here is the bttm line: every bit f pst-bar/bat mitzvah Jewish invlvement is an investment in yur family s Jewish future.

8 Financial Obligatins There is a bar/bat mitzvah fee f $1,900 fr Saturday mrning and $2,200 fr Saturday evening. This fee cvers instructin beynd the standard religius schl educatin and includes weekly lessns with Cantr Rsen as well as tutrs, beginning apprximately 6 mnths prir t the ceremny, private training sessins and/r rehearsals with clergy, and all bks and training materials. It als includes standard bimah flwers, neg fr up t 50 guests n Friday night after services, maintenance and security. Any additinal private tutring yur child needs r the chice f special flral arrangements, must be paid fr by the family. As determined by the Bard f Directrs, all families must be current in their fiscal respnsibilities in rder t participate in any life cycle event, including bar/bat mitzvah. All dues, religius schl tuitin and fees must be up t date and bar/bat mitzvah fees paid in full befre yur child s private lessns begin. Fr any financial questins, please call Frida Ziegler, Bkkeeper at , ext. 104 The Bar/Bat Mitzvah Service The bar/bat mitzvah ceremny takes place during a traditinal wrship service either Shabbat mrning (shacharit) at 10:30am, r late Shabbat afternn (minchah) at 5:00pm. As such, the individual elements f yur child s participatin might differ, based n which service he r she is leading. During the winter mnths, the mincha service will end with Havdalah. In general, ur yung peple Read and/r chant the mst significant prayers in the liturgy, with the fcus being n Hebrew literacy. Read r chant a sectin f the Trah prtin f the week (parasha). Read r chant a sectin f the prphetic reading f the week (haftarah) (This is nt dne at a mincha bar/bat mitzvah). Deliver a d var Trah (a sermnette) n the meaning f the Trah prtin. When the Rabbi meets with yur family (apprximately six mnths befre the ceremny), he will share sme ideas with yu abut yur Trah prtin. The Rabbi helps ur yung peple write their speeches. Prepare a persnal prayer befre the pen Ark. The Rabbi will share sme ideas with yu abut hw t make this an effective prayer.

9 Distributin f Hnrs Friday Evening befre yur Simcha On Friday evening, a parent f the bar/bat mitzvah is invited t light and say the blessing ver the Shabbat candles during services Friday night. It is traditinal fr the bar/bat mitzvah t lead the cngregatin in the V Ahavta and/r Avt. At the end f the service, anther parent usually leads the cngregatin in kiddush. The Bar/Bat Mitzvah Ceremny A parents blessing fr the child Please speak abut Jewish values t yur child, and what yu want yur child t be, Jewishly. The Rabbi is available t help give yu sme ideas. Trah blessings aliyt There are fur aliyt that cme befre the bar/bat mitzvah has his r her aliyah. These are dne in Hebrew. Cantr Rsen can prvide yu with transliteratins, but please make sure that yur hnrees are cmpetent in ding the blessings. We try t line the aliyt up generatinally i.e., the first aliyah fr grandparents (r great-grandparents); then ther family members; and the parents having the aliyah befre their child s aliyah. While several peple can cme up at ne time, we strngly advise having ne persn read the blessing befre the Trah reading, and anther t read the blessing after the Trah reading. The fifth and last aliyah is reserved fr the bar/bat mitzvah. We need t knw the child s Hebrew name and the parents and grandparents Hebrew names, s that we can call the child t the Trah. A Hebrew name is: [Hebrew name] ben r bat [parents Hebrew names] Ark penings The ark drs will be pened and clsed fur times during the service, and at each pening yu may invite guests t pen/clse the ark drs. At the beginning f the service, as the child reads his/her prayer Fr the kedusha Fr the beginning f the Trah service At the end f the Trah service We recmmend that there be n mre than fur peple pening the ark at any ne time. Each persn r pair will ascend the bimah, pen the ark drs and remain standing at the sides f the ark drs until the Rabbi signals fr the ark drs t be clsed. At the cnclusin f the service n Shabbat mrning, the ark pening fr the Aleinu prayer is reserved fr the bar/bat mitzvah s parents. Dressing the Trah. A yunger sibling r cusin can help dress the Trah at the end f the Trah service. Challah at the end f the service. D yu want t hnr yunger siblings r cusins? We can call them up by name fr challah at the end f the service.

10 Abut ur Caterer Temple Slel ffers cngregants a beautiful scial hall, ballrm and catering by Artisan Fds. Artisan has develped a fine reputatin at Slel, the Brward Center fr Perfrming Arts, and thrughut the tri-cunty area. We highly recmmend their services t yu. Members will be given calendar pririty t plan celebratins at the Temple. In additin, by hlding yur celebratin with Artisan Fds at Temple Slel, yu are helping t supprt yur synaggue. There are many ways t celebrate a simcha. Artisan Fds creates innvative menu ideas t bring yur ideas t fruitin. Frm menu design, t relatinships with the best in the event business, t furnishings including chivari chairs, up-lighting and pin sptlighting, the sphisticated atmsphere is a great venue fr yur celebratin. Artisan s esteemed event staff is cmmitted t enhancing yur bar/bat mitzvah celebratin, while maintaining the sanctity f the experience. Whether yur functin is an extended kiddush, elegant buffet lunchen, sit-dwn dinner r club-style, Artisan is available t yu. Please remember t set up a cnsultatin meeting with Artisan Fds when planning yur celebratin. Cntact Brad Friedman, Artisan Fds, , fr all f yur catering needs.

11 Getting Ready fr yur Simcha APPROPRIATE BIMAH ATTIRE We ask that participants and guests wear clthing that keeps with the sanctity f the ccasin. Wmen/girls shuld wear suits, skirts, r apprpriate dresses fr the sanctuary. Men/bys are expected t wear ties and jackets. A tallit shuld be wrn by every Jewish man (ver the age f thirteen the age f bar mitzvah) wh ascends the bimah during the service. Because Refrm Judaism believes in gender equality, we encurage any adult Jewish wman t wear a tallit as well. Yu can purchase tallitt and kippt (yarmulkes) at the Temple Slel Judaica Shp. GIFTS FROM THE CONGREGATION One representative frm Temple Slel, the Sisterhd r Brtherhd will be presenting certificates and gifts t the bar/bat mitzvah. If yu are persnally acquainted with smene wh serves n the Bard, Brtherhd r Sisterhd, r is a synaggue member, yu may request that this persn be the presenter. Please submit that persn s name t the clergy assistant as sn as pssible. PUBLICITY The Temple annunces bar/bat mitzvahs in its publicity and weekly blasts. Tw mnths prir t the bar/bat mitzvah, please submit a pht f yur child t the Temple ffice, accmpanied by a shrt bi describing yur child s schl, extracurricular activities, and their mitzvah prject. INVITATION INFORMATION Synaggue Name: Temple Slel Address: 5100 Sheridan Street, Hllywd, FL Phne: (954) Fax: (954) Service Times: Friday Night - 7:30pm; Shabbat Mrning - 10:30am; Shabbat Evening- 5:00pm We recmmend printing service times 15 minutes earlier n yur invitatin. Directins: I-95 t Sheridan Street, g west. Synaggue is n the left; make a left int the parking lt. RECORDING YOUR MEMORIES We recgnize the sanctity f Jewish simchas r lifecycle events, and that yu will want t create memries f this sacred ccasin. Here is what yu need t keep in mind in rder t safeguard the dignity f the wrship experience. Vide: A prfessinal videgrapher can videtape the service. He r she must, hwever, be unbtrusive and must remain in a statinary psitin at the rear f the sanctuary using n extra lights. Phtgraphy: The same rule applies unbtrusive. Phtgraphs can be taken exclusively by ne prfessinal phtgrapher. Guests will be explicitly tld that there is n private phtgraphy during the service i.e., n cell phnes. N equipment fr additinal lighting. N flash phtgraphy. The phtgrapher must be as quiet and nn-intrusive as pssible withut disrupting r interfering with the service r the wrship experience f anyne n the bimah r any members sitting in the cngregatin. N psed phtgraphy can take place during the service. FLOWERS Basic flral arrangements are included in the bar/bat mitzvah fees. If yu chse t add additinal flwer arrangements fr the service, flwers must be unscented. Please cntact Marla Twbin, Executive Directr if yu have any questins.

12 The Bar/Bat Mitzvah Jurney: The Cuntdwn Three Years Prir: Yur Date Bar/bat mitzvah date assigned. Due t the number f children in ur cngregatin, mre than ne child may becme a bar/bat mitzvah during the same wrship service. Such decisins may be necessary fr scheduling. The Ritual Cmmittee will make the final decisin. One t Tw Years Prir: Bar/bat mitzvah verview meeting with Rabbi Salkin, usually in March (attendance essential). Frm time t time, there are bar/bat mitzvah enrichment prgrams fr parents, including Bar/Bat Mitzvah Bt Camp. We strngly encurage parents t participate in these prgrams. One Year Prir: Student shuld start attending services, and shuld be thinking abut his r her mitzvah prject. Six Mnths Prir: Tutring with Cantr Rsen and ther teachers begins. If additinal tutring is necessary, this will be discussed during this time and arrangements will be made. All bar/bat mitzvah fees shuld be paid befre lessns begin. Parents cmplete infrmatin sheet and return t Cantr Rsen. Fur t Six Mnths Prir: Family meets with Rabbi Salkin. He will discuss the meaning f bar/bat mitzvah with yur family; get t knw yur family better, and intrduce yur child t his/her Trah prtin, prviding ideas fr the d var Trah. Rabbi Salkin cntinues giving input and helps edit d var Trah. Student cmpletes prayer t Gd Tw Mnths Prir Send pht and bi fr publicity Chse preferred Temple Slel presenter. Send ut invitatins. One Mnth Prir: Family rehearsal (usually Thursday) Student begins t rehearse n the bimah. Parents discuss family participatin with Cantr Rsen. Obtain additinal cpies f transliteratins fr thse hnred with Trah aliyt Week f Ceremny: Final Rehearsal (Tuesday); T be scheduled with Anita Lrenz, Clergy Administrative Assistant, extensin 102. Friday night: Family attends services. Saturday: Bar/bat mitzvah family must be at the Temple at least ne half-hur befre the wrship service begins. If the bar/bat mitzvah ceremny ccurs during a mrning service, the family(ies) spnsring are respnsible fr the kiddush fllwing services. MAZAL TOV!

13 Mitzvah Prject Ideas The fllwing list has been adapted frm 116 Practical Mitzvah Suggestins written by Danny Siegel and published by Tikun Olam Publicatins, 155 Fifth Avenue, NY, NY Pick sme immediately slvable Tzedakah situatin and slve it: shes, hliday meal, table and chairs fr recently arrived immigrant family, space heater, large print prayer bk fr synaggues. Establish a Flwer Cmmittee t take leftver flwers frm the synaggue and ther Jewish cmmunal events t shelters, hspitals, r residence fr the elderly. Hld a tree-planting campaign at the synaggue. Plant trees in Israel in hnr f friends fr specific ccasins (r in memry f friends r family wh have passed away.) Plant trees in Israel fr thers fr n particular reasn at all. Take a tur f yur lcal tzedakah agencies, Federatin-spnsred and ther, private-rganizatins. (Sme cmmunities like San Francisc take cntributrs n a daylng bus tur.) Ask questins, learn abut the wrkings f the agency, and get invlved. Spread the wrd abut The Tzedakah Habit f buying an extra item f fd whenever yu g grcery shpping- fr distributin t hungry peple. Set up a place fr the fd t be dnated. Install a fd barrel in the synaggue r ther Jewish cmmunal building. Cllect fd and distribute t individuals in need, either thrugh lcal agencies r individual cntacts. Decrate the fd barrel tgether. Set up a baby crib t cllect tys, diapers, frmula, etc. and dnate t a lcal shelter r new mthers in need. Hld an infant car seat drive. Gather car seats n ne is using and get them t agencies that will deliver them t peple wh need them. Have the synaggue give a Tzedakah bx t every bar and bat mitzvah student. An ideal synaggue gift fr weddings, Chanukat HaBayit (mving int a new hme), cnversin, and ther ccasins. Wrk with residents f the lcal residence fr the elderly t make the tzedakah bxes. Replace the flral centerpieces at the bar/ bat mitzvah with a card nting that the cst f the flwers was cntributed t Tzedakah. Or: a. Have a centerpiece made f bks, t be cntributed t a lcal synaggue r Jewish cmmunal library. b. Have trees planted in hnr f the guests, with their certificates n the table c. Have cans f fd, t be dnated after the celebratin t a lcal agency that will channel the fd t hungry peple. d. All f the abve.

14 Establish a large print and Braille sectin f the synaggue library. Ask visually impaired individuals which bks they might want. Publicize this service in the synaggue r agency bulletin and lcal newspapers. (Fr large print and Braille bks f Jewish interest, cntact: The Jewish Braille Institute f America 110 E. 30th St. NY, NY (212) Or, Recrd sme f yur favrite stries r bks nt tapes r CD s and make them available thrugh the synaggue. Establish a tzedakah newspaper and magazine clipping cmmittee t scan the papers and magazines fr tzedakah articles t be shared with yur class. Review at least ne article befre each week. Cmpile a scrapbk and share it with the religius schl and the rest f the cngregatin. Cnduct a clthing drive fr lcal individuals in need. Encurage yur friends and classmates t clean ut their clsets and bring in ld clthes t dnate. When cleaning ut the clset and selecting clthes t give away, recite sme frmula such as I am nw abut t perfrm the Mitzvah r Halbashat Arumim- prviding clthes fr thse in need f them. Make sure yur friends and classmates are aware that this is a specific and imprtant mitzvah, stretching back many centuries in Jewish traditin. Als, it is imprtant, n ccasin, t give away clthes that we wuld still use. Establish a special twinning prgram with Jewish special educatin children and adults fr the Bar/Bat Mitzvah prgram. Match up a Bar and Bat Mitzvah with ne f the special peple t share the day. Lcate the Jewish elders in nn-jewish ld age residences and prvide fr them. Ask if yur lcal z will bring pets t ld age residences fr prgrams. Set up an inter-generatinal prgram with the religius schl, always an enjyable and entertaining event. Start an inter-generatinal chir, chral grup r band. Hld a Marathn Tzedakah Day, cmbining study abut the Mitzvah and specific Mitzvt that can be dne within the time frame. Eight hurs is a gd start. Establish a Bikur Chlim-Visiting the Sick Cmmittee. Check with yur Rabbi during the week, asking wh is in the hspital, and ffer t make runds. Or, set up a weekly visit t the children s wing f yur lcal hspital t visit terminally ill children.

15 Hnrs fr the Bar/Bat Mitzvah Service Bar Bat Mitzvah Child: English Name: Hebrew Name: Ark penings/hallah duty Befre the child s pening prayer: Befre the Kedusha: At the beginning f the Trah service always grandparents: At the clse f the Trah service: Befre Aleinu always parents: Challah duty: Aliyt (prayers befre and after each Trah reading) First aliyah (with Hebrew names if pssible): Secnd aliyah (with Hebrew names, if pssible) Third aliyah (usually grandparents with Hebrew names if pssible) Furth aliyah (child s parents please supply Hebrew names Hebrew name ben r bat parents Hebrew names): Fifth aliyah (child with Hebrew name Hebrew name ben r bat parents Hebrew names): Dressing Trah:

16 Child s Opening prayer Gd, as I apprach the ark n this day when I becme bar/bat mitzvah, I am grateful t Yu fr. I am grateful fr what Judaism has meant t me in my wn life: (list three things). I pray that (list three things). I am prud t be a Jew because (list three things) The d var Trah made simple! My Trah prtin is (name f prtin), frm the bk f, chapter. In my Trah prtin, we learn that (Summary f prtin. It is as if yu are writing a bk reprt n what is in the prtin). Fr me, the mst imprtant lessn f this Trah prtin is (what is the best thing in the prtin. Take the prtin as a whle; it des nt have t be what yu are reading ). OR: As I learned my Trah prtin, I fund myself wndering (the student raises a questin that the Trah prtin raises, and that that he r she is curius abut, and wuld want the rabbi t answer in his wn d var Trah) I have lived the values f the Trah by (the student talks abut what he r she has dne in his r her wn life, including mitzvah prject). The Parents Prayer: What T Think Abut, Hw T D It The parents prayer is intended t be a brief (tw minutes) pwerful blessing t yur child as he r she becmes bar/bat mitzvah. As such, it shuld deal with sacred and eternal themes that relate t ethics, spirituality, and Judaism. Similarly, experience has shwn that references t when I first gave birth t yu and when yu were an infant, tddler, etc.) tend t make yung peple uncmfrtable. Tpics t cnsider (chse ne t fcus n): What d yu want yur child t remember f this day? Which f yur child s spiritual and/r mral qualities d yu want t strengthen and affirm in yur child? What d yu hpe fr yur child s Jewish future? In yur child s Trah r haftarah prtin, what verse r teaching speaks t yu? What are the sacred traditins in yur wn family? Fr whm was yur child named? What special qualities did that persn have? What is imprtant in yur family s Jewish stry r backgrund? Remember yu are ging t be saying these wrds frm the bima, right befre the Trah service. Bttm line: when yur child is yur age, what d yu want t remember that yu said t them n the day f his r her entrance int Jewish maturity?

17 Blessings Befre and After the Trah Reading

18 GLOSSARY ALIYAH Cming up fr an hnr n the bimah, usually t read the blessings befre r after Trah. (aliyt-plural). BAR/BAT MITZVAH Respnsible fr the perfrmance f the cmmandments incumbent upn an adult Jew (b nai/b nt mitzvah plural). BIMAH The raised area in frnt f the sanctuary where the service is cnducted. MINCHAH The afternn service. MITZVAH A cmmandment f Jewish life, smetimes translated as a gd deed. (Mitzvt plural). SHACHARIT The mrning service. TALLIT Smetimes prnunced tallis. Jewish prayer shawl wrn during mrning services and the eve f Ym Kippur. TEFILAH Jewish prayer.