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BAR & BAT
MITZVAH
Quick
Links:
A Message from the Rabbis & Cantor
Introduction
Bar & Bat Mitzvah: Its History, Meanings and Customs
Assignment of Dates
The Educational Process
Ma'asei Mitzvah
Fees
Mitzvah
Projects Database
Dear Bar & Bat Mitzvah
Student and Parents:
The tradition of Bar & Bat Mitzvah, by which
we celebrate your passage into the Jewish religious and ethical responsibilities
of adulthood, is one of the most enriching experiences you will ever have.
The Service of Bar & Bat Mitzvah marks the
occasion when you begin the process of becoming an adult. Along with your family,
friends and extended family here at Congregation Beth Israel, we celebrate your
official entrance into the "adult" Jewish community.
While recognizing the importance of Bar & Bat Mitzvah,
Reform Judaism has created the institution of Confirmation to mark a young adult's
affirmation of his/her Jewish identity. Confirmation takes place at the
end of tenth grade. We expect all our students to continue their Jewish education
after becoming Bar or Bat Mitzvah by participation in the High School program,
which provides Jewish education through grade 12.
As you become an adult member of the Jewish community, we look forward to you
joining with us in our people's journey. May this new chapter of your life be
fulfilling, rewarding and enlightening.
L'Shalom,
Rabbi Michael Berk and Cantor Arlene Bernstein
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Introduction
We believe that Judaism is a way of life and a religious heritage worthy of serious
adult understanding. Therefore, the learning, experiencing, and identification
that we ask of our young people ought to lead them to mature linkages with our
people and our faith. Participation as a Bar or Bat
Mitzvah is one important step along that road. It is, of course, not the
only step. Our Congregation firmly believes that Jewish education is a life-long
journey.
For additional information about the preparation for Bar & Bat
Mitzvah, please contact the Rabbis' study at 858-535-1111 ext. 3110.
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Bar & Bat Mitzvah: Its
History, Meanings and Customs
The term Bar or Bat
Mitzvah (literally, "son or daughter of the commandments") is a title
given to all Jews reaching their 13th birthday to signify that they are now prepared
to take personal responsibility for their own religious actions and moral behavior
through performing the mitzvot (commandments).
It is equivalent to reaching the age of legal majority. No ritual is necessary
to establish this status.
Listing the stages in a Jew's life, the Mishnah (Avot
5.21) tells us that "thirteen is for Mitzvah." That
is to say, traditional Jewish law holds that it becomes incumbent upon a thirteen-year-old
male to fulfill the 613 commandments. From this time unto the day of his death,
the Jewish male is a Bar Mitzvah, a "son of the
commandment." Additionally, in Reform tradition, a young woman becomes a Bat
Mitzvah, a "daughter of the commandment," at 13 years of age. According
to Jewish tradition, each Jewish adult is tied to the moral and ritual laws of
Judaism as a child is tied to his parents.
Sometime during the 4th century, it became the custom to mark this stage of life
by permitting the young man to be one of eight adult males privileged to make
ascent (aliyah) to the reading desk on the Bimah on
a given Shabbat soon after his thirteenth birthday.
He would read some verses of the Torah scroll. Blessings thanking God for the
Torah were recited before and after the reading of those verses.
By the 16th century, it became custom to follow this first public ritual appearance
with a party sponsored by the Bar Mitzvah's family.
This was held in the synagogue or at the family home on the Shabbat during
which the young person ascended to the Torah. The very next morning, the Bar
Mitzvah resumed his seat in his Talmud class
in the community religious school, where he continued to study.
Over the past few centuries, the Bar and Bat
Mitzvah Service has emerged as a wonderful way for a 13-year-old to demonstrate
this commitment to Judaism. Before their congregation, family and friends, the
young person accepts the privilege of reading from the Torah (Five Books of Moses)
and Haftarah (Books of the Prophets), and leading worship. In this way, the congregation
says to the 13-year-old: you are now a participating adult in our religious community.
Thus the Bar or Bat
Mitzvah service bears witness to the future and continuity of a Judaism
embodied in a new generation of committed Jews. For these reasons, the beginning
of a young person's transition from childhood to responsible Jewish adulthood
is a time of celebration.
At Congregation Beth Israel we continue this age-old tradition of marking a young
Jew's passage into adult Jewish responsibility through the celebration of Bar and Bat
Mitzvah. Such privilege is available only to students who have been enrolled
in our Religious School for the equivalent of at least four full years or who
have attended Jewish Day School. Candidates must also be enrolled and attending
our school at the time during which they become Bar or Bat
Mitzvah. For older students who transfer to our School, prior participation
in an equivalent program of Jewish study is acceptable.
At Congregation Beth Israel, in addition to studying Hebrew and Jewish customs,
holidays and religion, and learning Biblical cantillation as preparation for
this special day, each Bar or Bat
Mitzvah also participates in the Ma'asei Mitzvah program. Ma'asei
Mitzvah helps prepare the young person for the Bar or Bat
Mitzvah Service and also asks that he or she get ready for the responsibilities
of Jewish adulthood by fulfilling different mitzvot in
the areas of Torah (study), avodah (worship),
and g'milut chasadim (acts of kindness). For
example, many of our Bar and Bat
Mitzvah students spend time working at Congregation Beth Israel's Hunger
Project at the Saint Vincent De Paul Shelter for the Homeless. In this way they
begin to experience the act of tzedakah, doing righteous deeds.
The Bar or Bat Mitzvah occurs
as part of our Shabbat morning or afternoon service.
The student leads the congregation in Hebrew and English passages from the siddur (prayerbook).
Each Bar or Bat Mitzvah also
reads or chants from the Serer Torah, a hand-lettered parchment scroll which
contains the five Books of Moses. The student chooses a section of the weekly
portion and explains it to the congregation, demonstrating his or her understanding
of the text. The blessings before and after the reading are shared by family
and friends.
After the Torah is read, the young person reads a passage taken from one of the prophetic books of the Bible. This selection is known as the Haftarah (completion) and contains either a thematic reference to the Torah reading or a reference to an event in the Jewish year. In addition, our Bar or Bat Mitzvah prepares and delivers a D'var Torah, literally a "word of Torah" or short sermon based on lessons from the Scriptural reading.
Other participants, including members of the congregational family, are honored with roles in the Torah service. Parents offer prayers of thanks and expressions of joy and pride.
Congregation Beth Israel is very proud of our B'nai
Mitzvah students and of the commitment to Jewish life and learning that
they make on Shabbat through this wonderful Jewish
tradition.
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Assignment of Dates
Beth Israel's Board of Directors has adopted a series of criteria for Bar & Bat
Mitzvah date setting. These criteria follow:
- Your family is a member-in-good standing of CBI
- The student is enrolled in CBI Religious School or another
Jewish Religious School or Day School approved by the Rabbi and has been
attending regularly.
- The student will have completed four years of religious education prior
to the date of Bar & Bat Mitzvah.
- The student will be at least 13 years old according to the secular calendar
at the date of the Bar & Bat Mitzvah.
- Families understand that each student will be evaluated approximately one
year prior to the chosen date and that, if in the opinion of the staff, the
student has not acquired the necessary Hebrew skills, the date may be postponed.
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The Educational Process
Senior Rabbi Michael Berk has an introductory meeting with all Bar & Bar Mitzvah candidates and their parents nine months before the Bar & Bat Mitzvah Service. He also meets with them during their final preparation in the weeks leading up to the Shabbat Service in which the family will participate.
Then the student will meet with Cantor Arlene Bernstein on an ongoing basis to work on Hebrew,
chanting and preparing for the service. The student also meets with a B'nai
Mitzvah Program Tutor who has been assigned by the Cantor. The Tutor works
with the student until all of the prayers, Torah and Haftarah portions are understood
and with fluency. Cantor Bernstein also supervises
fulfillment of the Ma'asei Mitzvah program.
Two months prior to the service, the student meets with Rabbi Berk to prepare the D'var Torah (the speech). At this time the roles of various family members will be discussed and planned (e.g., who may be honored with an Aliyah, (link to blessings/sound), lifting and dressing the Torah, and more).
The individual B'nai Mitzvah educational process is supplemental to Religious School or Day School studies. Each student must remain a student in good standing in our Religious School program or be attending a Jewish Day School. In addition, families are required to attend a series of clergy-led sessions in the semester prior to their celebration of Bar or Bat Mitzvah.
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The Ma'asei Mitzvah Program
The Ma'asei Mitzvah program, which literally
means "doing & performing Mitzvot",
is designed to help you learn the importance of these three elements of Jewish
commitment. We ask that you complete a total of 18 Mitzvot.
Eighteen in Hebrew is spelled Chai. Chai is
Hebrew for "life". Our hope is that by completing all
of these Mitzvot one month prior to your Bar & Bat
Mitzvah service, you will have a greater sense of God's presence in your
life.
The Social Action Committee has compiled a downloadable Mitzvah
Projects Database (Word file), to help students find a project that needs help and begin
repairing the world today.
Complete details are provided on the Ma'asei Mitzvah page.
Judaism teaches us that when a joyful or celebratory experience occurs that one
way we show our thankfulness is by giving to others. In fact, many people give tzedakah in
honor of a celebration.
Because the Bar & Bat Mitzvah day is unique – because each student is unique – the way in which one celebrates by giving to someone else will be an individual choice.
There are many different organizations to which you can donate as part of your
project. We recommend that you consider our Hunger
Project, which we do every Sunday at the St. Vincent de Paul – Paul
Mirable Center, near downtown San Diego.
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Bar & Bat Mitzvah Fees
There is a fee for Bar & Bat Mitzvah training
at Congregation Beth Israel. The fee is for tutoring, use of the Sanctuary, maintenance,
security and other costs associated with the Bar & Bat
Mitzvah service.
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