Spring ‘25/Summer ‘25

One of the best things about being a Cantor —- besides getting to sing our beautiful prayers to God every week— is getting to prepare our 13-year-old students to become a Bar or Bat Mitzvah.

I work individually with each one of them for roughly one year— teaching them to chant from the Torah - the Five Books of Moses —-and Haftarah, the words of our holy prophets.

It’s a lot of hard work, but I try my best to ensure that this is a happy and meaningful experience that will propel them towards living a proud Jewish life.

Life is all about change and making wise adjustments as we go along.

But some basic truths remain the same.

For Jewish parents, one of the biggest thrills is still seeing their child take their place as an adult in the Jewish community by becoming a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, which means son or daughter of the commandments.

Besides chanting their Torah and Haftarah verses, each student is required to give a short speech explaining the deeper meaning of their portion.

Contrary to popular belief, the Bar or Bat Mitzvah service is not a private affair just for the family.

It is a Shabbat service open to the public—- and everyone is welcome to attend!

Try coming to one of our Bar or Bat Mitzvah services this year.

You’ll be glad that you did!