Life Cycles at B’nai Shalom

B'NAI MITZVAH

B’nai Shalom provides the greatest experience and outcomes for a bat mitzvah in the region, bar none. We don’t have “doubles” where you share the day with another family due to over crowding. We read from the full Torah reading, so there is always ample material for your child to master. Our rabbi and religious school director are the “bar mitzvah tutors,” so your child forms a personal relationship with our core professionals at this important stage in their life. And our community is joyful and haemische, so you and your guests will feel naturally at home as a part of one community. Our high educational standards and personal care and concern result in confident students who master significant material and shine proudly on their happy day.

One of our time-honored traditions is welcoming young members of our community into adulthood during their Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony. The ceremony marks a day of sanctity, achievement, family gathering and communal celebration.

The preparations begin long before your Bar/Bat Mitzvah day. This milestone represents the culmination of many years of study and the beginning of a child’s participation and responsibility in the Jewish community as an adult.*

To mark this special occasion, the Bar/Bat Mitzvah is called to the Torah for an aliyah (honor), typically reads all or part of the Torah portion and recites the Haftarah. The Bar/Bat Mitzvah also delivers a short D’var Torah (teaching) relating to the Torah portion.

Congregation B’Nai Shalom has developed several tools to help you and your family prepare for this momentous life-cycle event. The best overall advice we can give though, is to remember to savor this important and joyful event in your child’s life. Try not to let the many details and decisions associated with this experience overpower the religious importance of this day for you and your family.

Rabbi Tobin and Rena Casser are here to help you. We want the memories of your child’s simcha to be happy and look forward to working with your family to make this event meaningful and memorable.

*Please note: We require all B'nei Mitzvah to have been enrolled in religious or day school from grades 3 - 7 at a minimum. Please contact Rabbi Tobin or Religious School Director Rena Caser to discuss your family's unique needs regarding this policy.

We welcome interfaith families to participate in life cycle events such as B'nei Mitzvah. For more information, please speak to Rabbi Tobin.