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B'nai Mitzvah Clergy Message
Exciting times ahead
Dear Friends,
Your beloved child who was born almost thirteen years ago will soon enter the congregation of Israel as an adult member. By doing so, your family is affirming a tradition that has lasted thousands of years, adding a link to the chain of Jewish history, and taking a big step towards ensuring that our rich heritage will continue to flourish in the future. This is both a privilege and a responsibility. We share your pride in your child’s accomplishments and look forward to seeing your child as he/she continues to grow and reach their full potential.
A young boy will be known as a “bar mitzvah.” According to our earliest rabbis, a male child upon reaching puberty at the age of “13 years and a day” could be counted in a minyan, be a witness in court and sign a contract. In other words, at 13 and a day, a boy was considered to have reached the age which he could function as an adult.
The term “bat mitzvah” was first used in 1922 when the daughter of Reconstructionist Rabbi Mordechai Kaplan chanted from the Torah before her father’s congregation. With the advent of the feminist movement, liberal Judaism began to encourage girls to become bat mitzvah in the same way as their male counterparts.
Parents are the most powerful teachers and role models for their children. We hope that you will teach them that their Jewish learning does not end at "13 + a day." Judaism presents a unique opportunity to facilitate lifelong learning, engagement, social justice, and community building. It is our hope that you will encourage your child to continue his or her education through confirmation and to become active in youth group programs of learning and leadership.
As your family embarks upon the journey toward your child reaching adulthood, we encourage you to learn together, to enjoy our synagogue community together, and to make yourselves known to each other and to our community so that when your child becomes a bar or bat mitzvah, the experience will be richer and more meaningful for all of you.
We look forward to getting to know you and helping you along the way!
MAZAL TOV!
Rabbi Jennifer Jaech
Rabbi Wendy Pein
Thu, February 13 2025
15 Sh'vat 5785
Temple israel Happenings
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Sunday ,
MarMarch 2 , 2025Book Discussion with Rabbi Shai Held
Sunday, Mar 2nd 10:00am to 11:00am
Rabbi Shai Held-- philosopher, theologian, and Bible scholar, President and Dean at the Hadar Institute will speak about his new book, "Judaism is Love" -
Monday ,
MarMarch 3 , 2025Sisterhood Book Group "Lily's Promise"
Monday, Mar 3rd 7:00pm to 8:30pm
Lily's Promise by Lily Ebert and Dov Forman. It is a life affirming memoir of a Holocaust survivor and a tale of resilience and resistance. -
Thursday ,
MarMarch 6 , 2025Community Service Through Flowers
Thursday, Mar 6th 11:00am to 12:30pm
The program promotes a sense of peace and unity within our community and beyond through acts of loving kindness and social justice. Our goal is to bring joy into the lives of the elderly by creating floral arrangements which are distributed to local nursing homes and to build community among volunteers through this process. -
Sunday ,
MarMarch 9 , 2025Temple Tots
Sunday, Mar 9th 9:30am to 10:30am
Families with young children connect on Sunday mornings and Friday night dinners throughout the year (no membership is required!). All families with young children (ages 5 and younger) are encouraged to attend our interactive Jewish experiences. Older siblings and friends are welcome.
Events
Today's Calendar
Tu BiSh'vat |
Friday Night
: 7:00pm |
Shabbat Day
: 9:30am |
Upcoming Programs & Events
Feb 16 |
Mar 2 |
Mar 2 |
Mar 3 |
Mar 5 |
This week's Torah portion is Parashat Yitro
Shabbat, Feb 15 |
Tu BiSh'vat
Thursday, Feb 13 |