Aliyah - Bnei Mitzvah Programme Launch

ALIYAH means to ‘go up’.

An Aliyah in Synagogue is the primary aspect of the B’ Mitzvah (Bar or Bat Mitzvah) whereby a young adult is called to the Torah for the first time to recite blessing over an Aliyah to the Sefer Torah. Other meanings relate to the Aliyah that one can make if one moves to Israel.

We run fully inclusive curriculum for all Bnei Mitzvah children in order for them to become Bnei or Bar Mitzvah'd at EBMC.

MONTHLY SHABBAT SERVICES BEING THE FIRST OF EVERY MONTH WILL BE HELD IN COLLABERATION WITH NOAM YOUTH.

OUTLINE

Classes included one class on a Shabbat and one class on a Sunday. The program will be run for a series of 12 classes. Students will attend these 12 classes during the year of their B’ Mitzvah.

At the moment the idea is to run each class every two weeks – that each month there would be a Shabbat class and a Sunday class running alternately.

Each class would have a class preparation assignment of 20/ 30 minutes.

Layout and classes will be as follows:

SHABBAT CLASS

- One parent expected to attend with B’nei Mitzvah child

12:30-13:10 communal lunch and bensching after community kiddish – all welcome

13:10-14:00 learning, B’nei Mitzvah families only

SUNDAY CLASS

Children only, the Sunday class is run in compliment to the prior Saturday class.

16:00 – 18:00 hosted by families in peoples homes

1. Saturday – Meaning of B’nei Mitzvah – tradition, responsibility and what to expect

 Ice breaker, get to know you and expectations for the course ahead

 What is ideal community?

2. Sunday – Masorti Judaism – role in the community, women in Masorti, what is different at EBMC?

3. Saturday – Becoming adult – greatness and troubles in the world, what is my role?

 Roles and responsibility, respect for mother and father, Ten Commandments.

4. Sunday – Family Tree ¬– bring scrap books, photos and information on the history of your family

 Present material on your family and where it comes from – speak to parents/ grandparents/ cousins.

5. Saturday – What is Judaism? – story of Adam/Eve, Abraham/Sarah, Moshe/Miriam, what do the key characters of our Jewish story have to tell us about

 Diverse communities – where did all of our Jewish communities end up and what makes them different?

6. Sunday – Different communities and food

 A cooking seminar, with tastes of different communities

7. Saturday – Don’t go there - What is Shabbat? What is the idea of the day of rest? Dos and Don’ts, including a look at halacha, Shabbat and the discipline of Jewish life.

8. Sunday – Challah Bake and Shabbat Prep – preparation for the Shabbat is of real importance. We will learn how to plat challah and also do prep for Havdalah.

9. Saturday – Reading Torah – what is the Torah reading cycle and why have Jews read this book for so many generations?

 How does Torah reading connect to B’nei mitzvah in content and meaning.

10. Sunday – Visit a Sofer – learning about how Sifrei Torah are written and about the nature of Shema, Mezuzah and Tefillin.

11. Saturday – Festivals – Judaism is a religion of the calendar, marking each month and each season in its own special way. Stay Jewish, celebreate with us throughout the year.

12. Sunday – A Party – Celebrate the end of this course of learning.

 Theme: the three foot festivals on three tables. See and taste the festivals in action.