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If the regular schedule of bar and bat mitzvah classes and Shabbat service requirements don't fit your busy schedule, if a gala bar or bat mitzvah party seems out of step for your family, consider this: A 2-week backpacking expedition through the wilderness of Colorado followed by a group Bar and Bat Mitzvah ceremony. (individual ceremonies also available)

We condense all the learning from our year-long Bar and Bat Mitzvah program into a 2-week of intensive journey. Then families and friends are invited to come and join us as we celebrate together with this tight-knit community.

Learn about yourself, your community, the wilderness, and Judaism.

How the program works:
The Wilderness Bar and Bat Mitzvah Trek is led by Rabbi Evon Yakar.

Step 1: Hebrew
For the year leading up to the summer expedition, you will complete your Hebrew requirements. We have found that one-on-one Hebrew tutoring is the most effective path to learning your Hebrew. Hebrew studies can be done over Skype. Just imagine - no more carpooling! The student just sits down in front of the computer! Rabbi Evon checks in monthly, which also helps him begin to create a relationship with the student. Preview Hebrew Prayer Requirements

Step 2: Expedition
Rabbi Evon Yakar and additional AR Staff will lead this awesome expedition into the wilderness, the place in which Judaism began. As we explore hidden trails through Rocky Mountain National Park and the Buffalo Peaks Wilderness, we will also explore what it means to be Jewish in the year 2012. How can Judaism help equip us for the challenges of the turbulent teenage years ahead? How can becoming a bar or bat mitzvah prepare us to make good choices about what to post on Facebook and what to text? What can our ancient Jewish wisdom teach us about how to deal with mean classmates and to engage peacefully with our parents?

We learn how to pitch a tent, cook over a camp stove, carry a backpack, and navigate with map and compass. Our new found skills allow us to access pristine wilderness and it is in this gorgeous setting that we study ancient texts and learn what Judaism can teach us about low impact camping and the treatment of the earth.

Shabbat, a day of rest, takes on a new meaning after days of exertion. We will celebrate two Shabbats in the backcountry, a welcome respite and chance to quiet of minds and still our bodies. We carry a backpacking Torah on our backs that we read on Shabbat. Suddenly the prayers that we have studied all year become infused with meaning.

Join us as we present Judaism in a new accessible and relevant manner. New friends, new sights, new understandings about ourselves and the world we inhabit await you.

Step 3: Group Bar and Bat Mitzvah Ceremony
Families are invited to join the students in Colorado for the group B'nai Mitzvah ceremony. Bar and Bat Mitzvah is supposed to be about becoming part of the larger Jewish community. How odd it is then, that Bar and Bat mitzvah have become focused on the individual,rather than the community. Our unique shared celebration highlights relationships within the group and the power of individuals working together.

The students will write the service during their expedition and take turns leading the morning service, including reading from our special backpacking Torah.

Step 4: (optional) At home add-ons
Some families add second ceremonies once they return home to include family and friends who couldn't join us. Rabbi Evon is available to help with these additional ceremonies.

Ready to apply>>

Sound good? Here are the details:



Fee:
The fee is $4,000 ($500 camperships are currently available)
(Does not include transportation to Denver)
Includes monthly check-ins before the trip, the 2.5 week expedition and the shared celebration. Individual ceremonies are extra. Monthly payment plans are available.

About Rabbi Evon Yakar:
Rabbi Evon lives in South Lake Tahoe, California. He specializes in youth education and is an expert at making Judaism relevant and meaningful to 12 and 13 year olds.

He is passionate about sharing Judaism with his students and loves the opportunity to personalize the program according to the interests of each of his students.

Rabbi Evon recently built a new road bike and can often be found riding the beautiful roads and trails near his home in South Lake Tahoe California. Rabbi Evon works part-time for the Adventure Rabbi Program and part time as the Rabbi at Temple Bat Yam. Rabbi Evon also loves skiing, hiking, and playing ice hockey. In his free time you can find him hiking with his wife Rachel and their dog Sasha.

More about Hebrew:
What Hebrew prayers will the Bar or Bat Mitzvah student learn?
Our emphasis is on prayers we think every Jew should know for general Jewish living. Among other prayers such as Barchu, Shema and V'ahavtah, you will learn the full Friday night Kiddush, Kaddish (seldom taught to Bar and Bat Mitzvah kids but probably the most widely needed Jewish prayer). Students should be prepared for a serious year of Hebrew study and able to commit time to this aspect of the program. Most students meet with their tutor once a week for 10 months. View videos of the prayers here>>

How about Torah?
Most of our students chant or read 3-6 verses of Torah. We ask for equal effort, not equal product, so some read more and others less. You will be reading from our Backpacking Torah.

What are the Hebrew requirements to get into the program?
Many of our students have no Hebrew background while others have been attending Jewish Day School for years. Either way, because the Hebrew is done individually,we can make it work and we will create a program that is appropriately challenging.

How will the Bar or Bat Mitzvah student learn their Hebrew?
Each student works with a private Hebrew tutor. Fees for this are not including in the basic program fee. Most students meet with their tutor once a week for 10 months. Occasionally students require 2 times a week, and others only occasional meetings. In the Boulder area, fees are generally $30-$45 an hour. Outside of Boulder they are typically $50 -$85 an hour.

How do we find a tutor?
If you would prefer not to leave the comfort of your keyboard, we can recommend a great tutor who will teach your student via Skype. We also have access to a network of local tutors in Boulder. Hillels, JCCs, and synagogues are a great sources for tutors. We've had great success working with Janine Starr>>

After reading through this information, if you feel an Adventure Rabbi Bar or Bat Mitzvah will be a good fit for your family, please either:

• Ready to register and sign click here>>
• Call Rabbi Jamie Korngold at 303.417.6200
• Click here to have us contact you now.

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