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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, January 31 2023
9 Shevat 5783
Upcoming Events
All Events
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Sunday ,
FebFebruary 12 , 2023Morning Minyan & the World Wide Wrap with Men's Club!
Sunday, Feb 12th 8:45a to 9:30a
We invite you to join us for the mitzvah of wrapping tefillin in a minyan service. All our welcome in person. Breakfast will follow (RSVP Required). Cantor Joseph Ness will be speaking at the breakfast. Minyan attendees are encouraged to bring their own set of tefillin, but one will be provided if needed. Each minyan includes Kaddish for those in mourning and those observing yahrzeit and incorporates some English readings. We read Torah on Monday and Thursday mornings, as well as on Rosh Chodesh (the new month). At each service we read a list of names of those loved ones for whom yahrzeit is being observed. Our minyans are very welcoming to those who are saying Kaddish or simply want to sit in the comfort of a prayer community. -
Friday ,
FebFebruary 24 , 2023Shababa
Friday, Feb 24th 5:30p to 7:00p
We invite you and your kiddos to welcome Shabbat at Beth El! Shababa is a fun, engaging evening for our youngest generation. Geared toward children 0-8 and their families, we invite you to experience the joy of Shabbat with dancing, singing, stories, and prayers, followed by a joyful Shabbat dinner experience for all (including dinner for the kids, and food for grown-ups, too!). RSVP below to join Rabbi Rachel Zerin and Jason Kay for this fun program. -
Sunday ,
FebFebruary 26 , 2023Breakfast Program with Doron Sheffer, UConn Huskies and Israeli Retired Professional Basketball Player
Sunday, Feb 26th 9:15a to 11:30a
Join us for a breakfast program with Doron Sheffer, Israeli Retired Professional Basketball Player! Sheffer is a father of five and lives with his family in Moshav Amirim in the Galilee, Israel. Since 1988, basketball has been an inseparable part of his life. He played for the UConn Huskies from 1993-1996 under coach Jim Calhoun. In his first season, Sheffer was the Big East Conference Rookie of the Year. While at UConn, Sheffer formed a trio (with fellow starters Ray Allen and Kevin Ollie) that won the Big East basketball championship in three straight years. He is the only player from UConn with 1,000 points and 500 assists, in three varsity seasons. He has also played on several Israeli teams including the Israeli National team. In 2002, following a diagnosis with cancer, Sheffer thoroughly changed his way of life on all levels: physically, mentally and spiritually. Today, he is a writer & speaker, life coach and workshop presenter. He gives talks and workshops that appeal to a wide range of audiences of all ages, in which he tells his life story and provides tools and tips for a more healthy, happy and balanced way of living. In his most recent book, The Game of Life, Sheffer demonstrates the connection between body and mind; the physical and spiritual worlds; the basketball game and the world of the Torah; and past, present and future. On one court biblical Moses, Joseph the righteous and King David play with Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. In his own unique manner, Doron uses the basketball game as an allegory for life and utilizes it as an educational and therapeutic tool that can help us win a much greater, more significant game than the one played on the basketball courts – a game he refers to as The Game of Life. The Game of Life will be available for purchase. Book signing will follow the program. RSVP Required. Any RSVPs after February 22nd or walk-ins will be accommodated at the discretion of the Men’s Club and will be subject to an additional cost of $5 per person. RSVP by Wednesday, February 22, 2023. Questions? Please contact Michael Bloom (860.983.3476 or michaelbloom820@gmail.com). This event is co-sponsored by Beth El Men’s Club and Israel Engagement Committee. -
Saturday ,
MarMarch 4 , 2023Mincha B-Mitzvah of Illy Sugarman
Shabbat, Mar 4th 5:30p to 6:00p
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Sunday ,
MarMarch 5 , 2023Purim Faire Extravaganza
Sunday, Mar 5th 11:30a to 1:00p
Join us for a Purim Faire Extravaganza! Suggested donation: $5/person Volunteers: needed to run booths, contact Liz edepalma@bethelwh.org Lunch: Prepared by Men's Club; items available for purchase
Tue, January 31 2023 9 Shevat 5783