Bar/Bat Mitzvah Cohort Meetings

Preparation for the Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony is an exciting process.  The skills your child will learn  marks the beginning of Jewish adulthood and will enable him or her to become a mature participant in synagogue life.  This process is not just about the student - it is about the entire family! 

All families celebrating a Bar/Bat Mitzvah participate in our family educational cohort.  The group meets six times throughout the year prior to the Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebration.    The  meetings help begin the discussion of the issues families face as they prepare for a Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebration and help create a close knit community of learners/families who are all on the same path studying towards becoming a Bar/Bat Mitzvah.  The entire family is required to attend these meetings as a way to prepare them for the celebration itself, along with understanding the true meaning of becoming a Bar/Bat Mitzvah.

These meetings will prepare families for participation in social action and social services, engage families in experiencing aspects of Shabbat together, such as lighting Friday night candles or saying the Kiddush (blessing over the wine) and Motzi (blessing over the challah bread) at dinner.  These meetings will also encourage families to take the time to look at their own family tree and history and their connection to Judaism.  

The cohort will reflect on the traditions and rituals of a Bar/Bat Mitzvah.

Bar/Bat Mitzvah Cohort for Fall 2012-Spring 2013 Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebrations will meet on the following dates: Monday, December 5th; Monday, January 9th; Sunday, February 5th; Saturday, March 10th; and Monday, April 23rd.

For more information, please view our Bar/Bat Mitzvah Handbook or contact Associate Director of Education, Rena Kaufmann, R.J.E. at or 212-877-4050 ext 247..