Bar/Bat Mitzvah at Shir Ami

At Shir Ami, Bar/Bat Mitzvah is celebrated by participating in Shabbat worship, by reading and interpreting Torah and by assisting in the leading of the service.  In truth, however, it is even more than this.  At Shir Ami, when a young Jew becomes Bar/Bat Mitzvah, it is a public statement that represents:

•  an elementary knowledge of Hebrew and Jewish studies
•  a commitment to seek a mature understanding of Jewish history, customs, ethics, and theology
•  acceptance of moral responsibility for individual actions
•  acceptance of the necessity of deepening and enriching one’s Jewish identity
•  a commitment to tzedakah

The Meaning & Responsibilities of Bar/Bat Mitzvah

Bar/Bat Mitzvah and its attendant period of preparation constitute an important experience in the life of a young Jewish man or woman.  At the same time, Bar/Bat Mitzvah is only a stepping-stone in his or her Jewish educational and religious growth, and not the culmination or end-point of the learning process. Bar/Bat Mitzvah students are expected to continue their studies at Shir Ami through Confirmation.

Bar/Bat Mitzvah is not a culmination but a beginning — the opening of the door toward a more mature understanding and appreciation of Judaism as a way of life.  There are a great many ways in which this more mature understanding may be expressed, such as:

• translating ethical principles into moral actions, consonant with the great teachings of our tradition
• reading and discussing writings of Jewish interest and relevance
• the celebration of Jewish holidays in a spirit of respect and joy
• the observance of Shabbat as a time of rest and refreshment, of quiet study and family  sharing
• studying our tradition, customs and beliefs in an effort to deepen our Jewish identity and commitment

A Message from Rabbi Eliott Strom

Bar/Bat Mitzvah is one of the most important times in the life of every Jewish family.  Bar Mitzvah means “son of the commandment,” and Bat Mitzvah “daughter of the commandment.”  Both terms imply the assumption of adult Jewish responsibilities, a public and conscious affirmation of our covenant with God and with the Jewish community.

Bar/Bat Mitzvah is also the time when our children begin to feel the stirrings of a new maturity within themselves, a sense of budding spiritual identity, and of embarking upon the quests and challenges of adult life.

Bar/Bat Mitzvah means attaining religious majority.  Until the day of the ceremony, it is the parents’ responsibility to ensure that our children act in an ethical, humane and Jewishly authentic manner.  From this point on, the responsibility is shared fully with our children.

To mark this important religious turning point, it is customary for the Bar or Bat Mitzvah to ascend the Bimah and be called to the Torah.  At Shir Ami, the Bar or Bat Mitzvah is called upon to recite Torah and Haftarah blessings, to read sections of the Torah and Haftarah portions, to lead significant sections of the worship service and to prepare a D’var Torah addressed to the congregation.

We urge you to make this upcoming simcha the occasion for real family sharing and growth.  Here is an opportunity for you to deepen your Jewish knowledge and practice, to share deep-felt emotions and beliefs with one another and to make Judaism a focal point for your entire family.  While it is the synagogue that provides the opportunity to observe the Bar/Bat Mitzvah, it is the family that invests it with real meaning and significance.

We wish you and all members of your family a very warm Mazel Tov and look forward to sharing this rewarding experience with you.

Elliot M. Strom, Rabbi