B’nai Mitzvah

At Temple Hillel B’nai Torah, bar and bat mitzvah celebrations are an integral part of congregational life, recognized as central milestones of Jewish life. The entire community is invited to join in your simcha (joyous occasion), which takes place as part of a Shabbat morning service and is open to anyone. Our goal is to create a spiritual experience that you and your child will remember as a joyous milestone in his/her Jewish journey, while recognizing your child’s new role within, and responsibilities to, the wider community.

In our practice, bar and bat mitzvah is a process that begins more than one year prior to the actual date of the service. By attending Saturday morning services on a regular basis and participating in the Rabbi’s “Leaving the Garden” group, students become more familiar with our Shabbat practices and learn the meaning of this core ritual. We require families preparing for bar or bat mitzvah to be members in good standing. All students must be enrolled in a Jewish education program (in addition to private b’nai mitzvah tutoring) in order to have the privilege of celebrating a bar or bat mitzvah at HBT.

Read some Divrei Torah from some recent HBT B'nai Mitzvah below.To learn more about bar and bat mitzvahs at HBT, read the attached flyers, join us on Shabbat morning (see our calendar for b'nai mitzvah schedule) or contact Rabbi Penzner at rabbi@templehbt.org.