Download Bar/Bat Mitzvah is one of the most important times in the

Bar/Bat Mitzvah is one of the most important times in the life of every Jewish family.
Bar Mitzvah means "son of the commandment," and Bat Mitzvah "daughter of the
commandment." Both terms imply the assumption of adult Jewish responsibilities, a
public and conscious affirmation of our covenant with God and with the Jewish
community.
Bar/Bat Mitzvah is also the time when our children begin to feel the stirrings of a new
maturity within themselves, a sense of budding spiritual identity, and of embarking upon
the quests and challenges of adult life.
Bar/Bat Mitzvah means attaining religious majority. Until the day of the ceremony, it is
parents’ responsibility to ensure that our children act in an ethical, humane and Jewishly
authentic manner. From this point on, the responsibility is shared fully with our children.
To mark this important religious turning point, it is customary for the Bar or Bat Mitzvah
to ascend the Bimah and be called to the Torah. At Shir Ami, the Bar or Bat Mitzvah is
called upon to recite Torah and Haftarah blessings, to read sections of the Torah and
Haftarah portions, to lead significant sections of the worship service and to prepare a
D'var Torah addressed to the congregation.
We urge you to make this upcoming simcha the occasion for real family sharing and
growth. Here is an opportunity for you to deepen your Jewish knowledge and practice, to
share deep-felt emotions and beliefs with one another, to make Judaism a focal point for
your entire family. While it is the synagogue that provides the opportunity to observe the
Bar/Bat Mitzvah, it is the family that invests it with real meaning and significance.
We wish you and all members of your family a very warm Mazel Tov and look forward
to sharing this rewarding experience with you.
Elliot M. Strom, Rabbi