B'Nai Mitzvah Family Journey

Intro

Bar and Bat Mitzvah are a Jewish milestones that provide for us a meaningful way to mark sacred time. They offer us a special avenue for learning and grant us a unique opportunity to bring family and friends together in celebration. The main goal of B’nai Mitzvah Family Journey is to enable your family to prepare and celebrate Judaism’s most unique and beautiful rite of passage, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, in a culturally sensitive and meaningful way.  All of us at COJECO look forward to guiding you through this special time in the life of your family. Our goal is to have each of you look back on the process with a deep sense of pride and accomplishment. We are excited to do all that we can in order to prepare you for the day, both in mind and in spirit: we are here to guide you through your learning and to help you along the way. We wish you much mazal as you work towards this joyous occasion.

Privilege and Responsibility of Bar/Bat Mitzvah

We view Bar/Bat Mitzvah as one of the eternal moments in the life of a child and his/her family that marks the transition from Jewish childhood to the next stage of Jewish life. Bar/Bat Mitzvah is both a privilege and a responsibility. By offering your family the opportunity to participate in the pilot year of B’nai Mitzvah Family Journey the Jewish community shows you a lot of trust and hope and one of the highest honors that it can bestow upon a person: the opportunity to read from the Torah, to lead and to teach the community, to confirm their commitment to Jewish people. It is important for all of us to communicate the expectations and responsibilities that come along with this opportunity. Students and parents who wish to receive the privilege of Bar/Bat Mitzvah are required to make a prior commitment to:

• Complete all elements of the program  (attend sessions, host and attend at least one the cohort’s Shabbat dinners, complete Mitzvah project requirements)
• Attend (child and at least one parents’ attendance is a requirement) at least 80% of all sessions
• Take seriously all course assignments (complete readings for all sessions, sessions’ assignments and presentations, self-assessment test and quizzes, and make –up work for missed classes)
• Participate in at least one of the options of the year-end ceremonies