Celebrating a Milestone of Jewish Adulthood

“Train children in the way they each ought to go; they will not swerve from it even in old age.” – Proverbs 22:6

A Bar or Bat Mitzvah marks a significant milestone in a young person’s life, celebrating their journey into Jewish adulthood. This sacred rite of passage is a moment of pride and joy for the entire family and community. As son or daughter of the commandments, you commit yourself to be proud members of our ancient people. Rabbi Cohen and Cantor Baruch, along with our outstanding B’nai Mitzvah tutors and teachers, provide comprehensive support and guidance to ensure this milestone event is meaningful and memorable for everyone involved.

Temple Anshe Sholom helps grow our young people to Bar or Mat Mitzvah and beyond. We set the bar high for our students and with guidance and support, they meet or exceed our expectations. Our students make us very proud by leading us in worship both Friday evening and Saturday morning for Shabbat Services. Many go on to chant Torah for our congregation at High Holy Days and Festivals.

Preparation and Study: Our clergy, educators, and tutors work closely with students to prepare them for their Torah and Haftarah readings, as well as their D’var Torah:

• Students work closely with Tutors and our Rabbi to deeply connect with and understand their Torah portion
• Over several months students research and prepare their D’var Torah
• Students choose a Mitzvah Project to put their Jewish values into practice during their year of Bar or Bat Mitzvah preparations
• Families participate in a special arts-based project where the student designs a wimple for the Torah that will be used at their simcha

Ritual and Ceremony: We help families plan a personalized ceremony that celebrates their family and honours all members and the tradition they are passing on, incorporating meaningful prayers, songs, and readings.

Community Celebration: Following the service, we encourage families to celebrate with an Oneg Shabbat or Kiddush luncheon, sharing the joy with our community.

* A wimple is a piece of fabric that wraps around the Torah Scroll to secure it safely when not being read. The motifs chosen to decorate the student’s wimple depict the Jewish connections that student feels towards Torah and their community.

Learn more about our Bar Bat Mitzvah Program in our Parent’s Handbook below: