B’nai Mitzvah services are a lifecycle event in which young people celebrate their attainment of the age of 13, which is the age at which they are recognized as adults in the Jewish tradition. It is the beginning of their adult Jewish journey. This means that they are responsible and accountable for performing commandments (Mitzvot) in the Torah. B’nai Mitzvah means “children of the commandments.” At Temple Rodef Shalom, our B’nai Mitzvah students lead portions of the Saturday morning or afternoon service, read from the Torah (Five Books of Moses) and Haftarah (Selection of the Prophets). The student also provides their own interpretation of the scriptures in a personal reflection. It is a very uplifting and spiritual experience for everyone!
At Temple Rodef Shalom, we are committed to being an accessible and inclusive community, working with your family to support your child’s unique needs on their B’nai Mitzvah journey. We will ensure that, if and when they are ready, they have the opportunity to celebrate this milestone in a meaningful way. For accommodations, we encourage you to have a conversation with Cantor Shochet, who oversees the B’nai Mitzvah Program, to explore the best path forward.
You have questions, and we hope to provide the answers here!
We continue to improve this resource so that everyone involved with B’nai Mitzvah will be able to find the information needed quickly. If you have specific things you’d like to see here, or simply want to comment, please contact Julie Kaplan.
