A Modern Jewish Coming of Age Ceremony
Do you want your son or daughter to have a:
- Jewish Coming of Age Ceremony
- Connection to Jewish Heritage
- Opportunity to Celebrate with Friends and Family
- Generational Continuity
- Abundant Choices in Study and Ceremony
Are you not ready or able to commit to a time-intensive Bar or Bat Mitzvah program that requires weeks of Hebrew tutoring, months (or even years) of religious school and countless weekends spent in a synagogue? If so, then our Bar or Bat Yisrael ceremony may be the right alternative for your family.
This is an ideal program for families who like the concept of Bar or Bat Mitzvah, but just don’t see how learning Hebrew will help their son or daughter be better equipped to deal with the world
Highlights of Bar Yisrael and Bat Yisrael:
- Focused on Tikkun Olam/ Community Service project
- Opens the door for future involvement with Judaism
- Helps develop Jewish identity
- Includes independent investigation of one Jewish topic
- Appropriate for 12-16-year-olds
How does it work?
Your student can either join our Online group class, our in-person Mitzvah Class or opt for private bespoke lessons. In addition, they will participate in a Tikkun Olam/ Community Service Project, Independent Learning Project, and a Shabbat Project.
This process culminates in a private ceremony at the venue of your choice.
Please enjoy exploring the detailed descriptions below. After we receive your registration, we will mail you a binder complete with all of your learning materials.
Bar and Bat Yisrael Details
Independent Learning Project:
As a Bar or Bat Yisrael student, you will choose one area of Judaism you wish to learn about or experience. The choice of what to study is yours! You will devote at least 10 hours to your studies. If you choose the Bespoke lessons, during your meetings, you will discuss what you are learning and have an opportunity to ask lots of questions. At your Bar or Bat Yisrael Ceremony, you will share a presentation with the community about what you have learned.
Examples of Past Projects:
- Jewish Roots of Reggae
- Challah: Baking Challahs from Around the World & Sharing them at a Retirement Community
- Why are so Many Comedians Jewish?
- Learning the Hebrew Alphabet
- Learning about the Student’s Jewish Family Through Interviews with Family Members
- Tour of Jewish Boulder: Visiting Jewish Organizations in Boulder and Learning about Them
- The Maccabiah Games: A Quiz Show with Fun Facts and History
- Comparing Jewish Immigration to Rome and California
- Stop motion videos of Jewish Legends and Monsters (The Golem)
Tikkun Olam/Community Service Project:
You will devote ten hours to working on a Tikkun Olam / Social Action project of your own design. During your meetings, you will learn how this particular project illustrates a Jewish value and discuss your experiences with the project. You will track your progress and learning in a journal so that you will be able to share what you have learned in a speech at your Bar or Bat Yisrael Ceremony.
Examples of Past Projects
- Trail work (Durango, CO)
- Graffiti Removal (New York City)
- Building Homes (New Orleans)
- Organizing a Neighborhood Park Clean-Up (Denver, CO)
- Helping Prepare Meals for Koko the Signing Gorilla (California)
Shabbat Project:
Students celebrate Shabbat 8 times. They get to choose how. For example consider a Shabbat hike, reading a book to a younger sibling, calling Grandpa, lighting candles, or baking challah to name a few. The goal is to help the student and their family develops a Shabbat practice that is meaningful, realistic, and sustainable.
Also Available in a Class Setting:
If your child would like to engage with other students, we offer this program in a group setting, online. Read more here>>
Hebrew:
You will memorize some short, basic prayers, which you will use for your service and for Sabbath dinner at home. These are easy, enjoyable and useful prayers that will enable you to be part of the Jewish community wherever your life takes you. You will not need to be able to read them in Hebrew.
Schedule and Attendance:
If you opt for bespoke lessons, you can schedule your classes during times that suit you! We had one student who attended boarding school and so scheduled all his lessons and work to be completed when he was home for school breaks. For students who prefer the class setting, classes will be once a month for 8 months.
Admission Requirements:
There are no requirements for admission. Students must be 12 or older by the time of their ceremony.
Ceremonies:
You have the ultimate choice in where to host your ceremony! We have lots of suggestions, but the choice is yours. The Rabbi will arrive with a sound system, guitar and prayer books. The rest is your choice! On a hike? In a fancy hotel? In your backyard? On horseback at a ranch? In Israel at the Wall? On a beach in Hawaii? We’ve done it all.
Students are eligible to have their ceremonies once the class is completed. Since there is not Torah reading, the service can be any day of the week.
Local venue suggestions>>
Tuition:
-Class Fees start at $3,600 for members
-Second student at the same time with a shared ceremony receive a $1,000 discount
-Ceremony Fee starts at $3,600
