WHAT'S A BAT MITZVAH?

We are so happy that you will be joining us as Bay becomes a Bat Mitzvah! It’s such an important day for our family, and we are looking forward to celebrating with you. We have cherished family and friends in attendance from all different backgrounds and from all over the country, so we thought it would be helpful to share some information about the ceremony, our synagogue, and some general logistics with you.

What is a Bat Mitzvah?

Bat Mitzvah means “Daughter of the Commandments” and is a coming-of-age ceremony in Judaism, which marks the transition into adulthood. It usually takes place when a Jewish child is 12 or 13 years old.  After this ceremony, Bay will be considered an adult member of the Jewish community, with all of the associated rights and responsibilities. 

What will Bay do? 

Bay will do 4 big things - she will be announced for the first time as an adult in synagogue, read from the Torah and Haftarah (in Hebrew), lead part of the services, and give a speech on her assigned Torah portion for that week.

Bay has been preparing for this day for many years, and has been attending Hebrew School since Kindergarten. She has worked specifically over the last year to lead us in the Torah service, where she will read from the Torah for the first time, which is the focus of the Shabbat (Saturday) morning service. She has studied the meaning of her Torah text, and will give a speech on her interpretation and application of this Torah portion in what is called a “D’var Torah."  She also learned to read a longer accompanying portion called the Haftarah. As a Bat Mitzvah, Bay will receive her first "Aliyah," which is the honor of being called to the Torah by her Hebrew name. This is a big milestone in becoming a Jewish adult.  

When should I arrive?

Bay’s Bar Mitzvah is part of the weekly service, not separate from it. Services start at 9:15 am, but it is common and acceptable for temple members and our guests to arrive a little later, closer to 9:30 am. Bay’s portion starts at approximately 10:00am. You are welcome to sit anywhere in the sanctuary. The service usually ends around noon.

Our Synagogue’s Customs

To honor Shabbat, please refrain from photography, and the use of any electronic devices, including cell phones, during your entire time in the synagogue. Please also make sure that your phone is silenced. Again, please do not use your phone or take any pictures at synagogue. Thank you! If you do need to use your phone please step outside of the Temple Israel building.

There is no eating or drinking during religious services. You may excuse yourself to use the restroom or get up and stretch your legs out in the lobby if needed - services are nearly 3 hours long! You will see people entering and exiting the sanctuary throughout the entire service.

What should I wear?

People generally wear dresses, suits, or business casual.  Please dress modestly, including having your shoulders and midriff covered.

People of all genders are invited (no matter if Jewish or not) to wear a head covering called a kippah or yarmulke. We will have special kippot that we have ordered just for this event, and you can keep them after this event as a keepsake. 

Jewish adults of all genders are invited to wear a prayer shawl, called a Tallis or Tallit.  Our non-Jewish friends and family should not wear a prayer shawl. Bay received her first tallis for this special event.

What should I do during the service? 

We have many family and friends who will be in attendance who are not Jewish. We are honored that you are joining us, and we want everyone to feel comfortable. Please know that you are welcome here, we are celebrating Bay! Nearly half of this service will be in Hebrew, the other half or so is in English. You are not expected to know Hebrew or to participate, and many of the Jewish attendees do not know all of the parts of the service either. We are just happy that you are here!

Jewish worship services are filled with instructions to stand or sit for particular prayers. Take your cue from the other worshippers or the Rabbi’s instructions. However, this can be tricky, because during some parts of the services, some people will choose to sit or stand and not everyone will do the same thing -- this is based off of what their family's tradition was to do during certain parts of the service. There are also times when worshippers will bow at certain parts of the service. Please feel free to do whatever makes you most comfortable. 

Please note that Hebrew is read from right to left and so prayer books open opposite from books written in English. On most pages of the prayer book, you’ll find Hebrew on one side of the page and the English translation on the other side. You can follow along with the English side of the prayer book if you’re curious about what is being said during the service.  Again, many of our friends and family who are Jewish will also be following along in the English!

When Bay is done with her big events, there will not be clapping.  Members of the synagogue may say phrases in Hebrew such as "Yasher Koach" which means roughly "great job!"  You will also be invited to throw candy at Bay and then the children will pick up the candy and can eat it during services.

What happens when the service is over? 

Once the religious service has ended, we will all move to the social hall in the temple for a luncheon. Typically, this lasts approximately one hour and wraps up by 1:30 pm. This luncheon will be for Bay's guests as well as any temple members who would like to stay after and celebrate.