B'nai Mitzvah Program Overview

Temple Judea joyfully prepares our youngest members to cherish being part of a Jewish community.

As B’nai Mitzvah, our students demonstrate that they are prepared to meaningfully participate in different dimensions of Jewish communal life at Temple Judea and beyond.

PRAYER & SPIRITUALITY

• Appreciate the unique role of Hebrew in Jewish life and be able to decode [sound out] Hebrew words.

• Demonstrate the ability to sing and chant core Jewish prayers.

• Learn to reflect on the themes of core prayers and how those themes relate to modern life.

• Articulate Jewish teachings about God and the meaning of life and reflect on how those ideas relate to the student’s personal beliefs.

TEXTUAL TRADITION

• Learn to read and chant sections of the Torah.

• Explore specific sections of Torah and commentaries related to them.

• Articulate how specific Jewish texts relate to modern issues and questions.

PERSONAL JEWISH PATHWAY

As our students prepare to become B’nai Mitzvah, they identify a Jewish pathway that is of particular personal interest and design and complete ONE of the following projects:

• Mitzvah Service Project - B’nai Mitzvah students initiate or participate in one or more activities that will meaningfully help someone in need.

• Tikkun Olam Social Justice Project - B’nai Mitzvah students design or participate in one or more activities that will meaningfully address an issue close to their hearts.

• Tzedakah Fundraising Project - B’nai Mitzvah students raise money for a purpose close to their hearts.

• Talmud Torah Study & Teach Project - B’nai Mitzvah students choose a subject related to their Jewishness to study and teach.

B’nai Mitzvah students share the nature of their projects, their projects' rationale, and the project outcomes at their B'nai Mitzvah.