Welcome to the new Or Shalom B’Mitzvah Program!
We are so excited to have you!
This program is designed for students in 7th grade in the 2023–2024 academic year, and includes both participation in regular Or Shalom Community School programming, as well as additional special programming for b’mitzvah students and families.
This program will consist of six primary components:
- Participation in Or Shalom Community School, which includes 3 Tuesdays/month studying as a class with Rabbi Faryn and 1 Sunday/month of Family Education (with the entire school)
- Quarterly Havdalah Family Education sessions with Rabbi Faryn (previously called "l’dor v’dor")
- 3 one-on-one sessions with Rabbi Faryn
- 16 one-hour sessions with an Or Shalom-provided private tutor to teach your child how to read Hebrew and to chant their Torah portion
- Up to 3 family meetings with Rabbi Faryn to vision, plan, and rehearse the service
- Family attendance at a minimum of 3 Friday evening Shabbat Services and 5 Saturday Morning Learning Services prior to your ceremony
In Or Shalom Community School, students will:
- Learn prayers and how to lead prayer with R’ Faryn
- Receive general Jewish Education focusing on Jewish identity formation during this rite of passage with R’ Faryn
- Study each other’s Torah portions and help to develop each others’ critical thinking with R’ Faryn
- Plan and execute a collective 7th-grade Mitzvah Project with R’ Faryn
- Participate in family programming with the rest of the school one Sunday/month
With private tutors, students will:
- Learn to read Hebrew
- Learn how to chant Torah
- Learn how to chant their own individual Torah portion
One-on-One with R’ Faryn, students will:
- Study their Torah portion and mining it for meaning
- Write and edit their d’var Torah
In Family Education, families will:
- Learn collectively about relevant Jewish topics to prepare the family for this rite-of-passage ceremony
In Family Meetings, families will:
- Design and plan the service with R’ Faryn to meet both the student’s and family’s specific needs
- Explore any issues for the family related to the b’mitzvah process
- Rehearse for the B’Mitzvah
Our base expectation is that for a student’s b’mitzvah service, the student will chant at minimum one aliyah of their Torah portion, write and give a d’var Torah, and lead a few prayers. Other than these elements, the service will be personalized to support a student’s individualized interests and needs, including additional prayer leadership, additional aliyot, the haftarah reading, participation in the Friday night service, or additional alternative offerings of your choosing. We accommodate all learning needs and will adjust our base expectations accordingly.
Cost of B’Mitzvah Program
The cost for the B’Mitzvah Program is $3,000, which includes both enrollment in Or Shalom Community School and all the special services provided to b’mitzvah students and families, including 16 private tutoring sessions.
To enroll, please complete the Member Enrollment form and select the 7th Grade and Tuition option.
