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Bar & Bat Mitzvah
Bar & Bat Mitzvah
We are honored to share with you both the preparation for Bar/Bat Mitzvah and the special day itself. We hope this will mark a milestone in a long partnership that will help nurture your family’s Jewish growth and make Beth El Temple a genuine spiritual home for you.
Looking for information for an adult bar or bat mitzvah? Click here!
Looking for information for an adult bar or bat mitzvah? Click here!
Some Things to Think About
From experience, we offer some thoughts and suggestions as you think about this day:
- You are creating memories. Your child will remember this day for the rest of their life. Do everything possible to make it positive, enriching and meaningful for family harmony and in Jewish ways, as well.
- Children watch parents closely and they generalize. The manner in which you prepare for the day communicates your values. Therefore, in addition to planning carefully for receptions and new clothing, we encourage you to also devote time and resources to the Jewish celebration that Bar/Bat Mitzvah is. Attend more services than necessary. Make sure that fathers -- and mothers, too, if they want -- have their own Tallit (ritual shawl worn by Jews) and Kippah (headcovering). Start eating Challah (ritual bread) on Friday nights and say the Hamotzi (blessing over bread). Such actions will broadcast the message: "My family cares about Judaism. It must be important." We are happy to help you become comfortable with any of these rituals.
- Use this time to deepen your child’s appreciation of your family’s history. Discuss your child’s Hebrew name. For whom is the child named? What kind of person was this ancestor? What qualities would you as parents hope your child might emulate from your family’s past? If you or child does not have a Hebrew name, please consult with the rabbis.
All Are Welcome
Our Beth El Temple welcomes family members of other faiths and will find a way to include them in a meaningful, inclusive experience. We are also committed to working with individuals with special needs to craft an experience that is both meaningful and appropriate.
You Might Enjoy Reading
For more enriching ideas, see “Putting God on the Guest List: How to Reclaim the Spiritual Meaning of Your Child's Bar or Bat Mitzvah” by Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin or “Bar/Bat Mitzvah Basics: A Practical Family Guide to Coming of Age Together” by Cantor Helen Leneman. For what to expect at a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, check out this page from My Jewish Learning.
For More Information
For more information concerning Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation, contact our office at (860) 233-9696.
ADULT BAR/BAT MITZVAH
Adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah is a program designed for those who did not have a Bar/Bat Mitzvah as a child or who want a more meaningful experience the second time around.
It includes intensive study of Hebrew language and an exploration of many important themes in Jewish history, culture, holidays, literature, and practice. Students learn to chant from the Torah and Haftarah as well as to lead services in preparation for the culminating event, the Adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah, held on a Shabbat morning with the entire congregation invited.
Contact Rabbi Howard Sowalsky at (860) 233-9696 for more details.
Tue, March 19 2024
9 Adar II 5784
Upcoming Events
All Events
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Wednesday ,
MarMarch 20 , 2024Community Program: The Story of Esther in a Post October 7th World
Wednesday, Mar 20th 6:00p to 7:30p
What do we do when our people’s lives hang in the balance? How do we stand up in the face of persecution? When problems loom large, what can I, a mere individual, do? These questions resound throughout the Book of Esther, just as they have resounded for many of us since October 7th. That is part of the reason why our tradition extended the recognition of the events commemorated in Megillat Esther beyond just one festive day to also include the Fast of Esther in the days before Purim, as a way of commemorating the more somber aspects of the Story of Esther and the ways in which Esther and others risked their lives for our people. Members of B'nai Tikvoh-Sholom and Beth El Temple are invited to join Rabbi Debra Cantor, Rabbi Jim Rosen, and Rabbi Rachel Zerin as we explore passages of the Megillah of Esther alongside writings and stories that have emerged from Israel since October 7th, in anticipation of the Fast of Esther. Mincha and Ma’ariv Services will take place at 5:30, followed by the program at 6:00 in the Levine-Shein Chapel at Beth El Temple and on Livestream. Refreshments to follow. Click in to RSVP. -
Thursday ,
MarMarch 21 , 2024Red Cross Blood Drive
Thursday, Mar 21st 1:00p to 6:00p
You can make a lasting impact with an amazing mitzvot by helping the American Red Cross! Please help us make a difference by donating blood at Beth El Temple. Please call 1.800.733.2767 or visit www.redcrossblood.org and enter: WeHa to schedule your appointment. Volunteers are also needed for registration and snacks, please call the office to sign up to volunteer. You can also save up to 15 minutes on the day of your appointment, by simply visiting www.redcrossblood.org/RapidPass to complete your pre-donation reading and health history questions. Everyday heroes like you can help save up to three lives with just one blood donation. Thank you for giving the gift of life. -
Saturday ,
MarMarch 23 , 2024
Shabbat, Mar 23rd 6:00p to 9:30p
Join the Beth El and B'nai Tikvoh-Sholom families as we celebrate Purim together! Early evening events for families with young children, followed by a festive community dinner, Kahoot! trivia, and the Megillah reading! Click in to register! 6:00-6:30 The Story of Esther: An Interactive Purim Program geared toward 0-5 year olds and their families Come in costume for Purim songs, a costume parade, a fun, interactive telling of the story of Esther and more! All are invited to join us for dinner after. 6:30-7:15 Se’udah Shleesheet - Festive Dinner for All 7:15-7:40 Shabbat Mincha 7:40-9:15 Ma’ariv, Havdalah, and Megillah Reading Put on your costumes and join us for a festive reading of the Megillah of Esther, complete with singing, a costume parade, Kahoot! Trivia, and more! 9:15 Hamantaschen and other Nosh -
Sunday ,
MarMarch 24 , 2024Purim Family Services & Megillah Reading
Sunday, Mar 24th 9:00a to 11:30a
The Purim festivities continue on Sunday morning with a family-friendly, entertaining, interactive megillah reading for all! -
Thursday ,
AprApril 4 , 2024Weaving Together My Father's Story with Mark Schmidek
Thursday, Apr 4th 7:00p to 8:30p
How do seemingly unrelated events string together to tell the story of a lifetime? Join us to hear Beth El's Mark Schmidek share the amazing story of his father's Holocaust survival. Mark's father, Norbert Schmidek, was an 11 year-old child in 1933 in Wuerzberg, Germany. He would walk to school with other Jews and Christians. Things would change that year when Hitler came to power. Refreshments will be served. This program is co-sponsored by the Beth El Men's Club, Jewish Historical Society of Greater Hartford, and CT Voices of Hope. Click in to register!
Tue, March 19 2024 9 Adar II 5784