Becoming a Bar or Bat Mitzvah at Or Ami: An Emotional Journey

As a family, you are about to experience one of the most significant Jewish highly spiritual adventures of your lifetime as your son or daughter becomes a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. This is a highly emotional journey and, as such, will be filled with some anxiety, but mostly joy. At Or Ami, our rabbi, cantor, B'nai Mitzvah teacher and the entire staff relish our time together with you as we create a joyous and uplifting simcha experience.

Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremonies present a wonderful opportunity for Jewish families to celebrate the emergence into adolescence of a daughter or son. This is a classic rite in the tradition of Judaism. It emphasizes learning, prayer, and public competence as demonstrations of maturity.

Of course, preparation for Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremonies takes hard work, sacrifice, and commitment. However, the completion of a successful Bar/Bat Mitzvah process affirms the self-esteem of an emerging adolescent Jew and his/her family. We are here to help you along the path. 

• Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation commences seven months prior to the service when students meet weekly with Diane Townsend, our B’nai Mitzvah teacher.
• Later students meet individually for five to eight weeks with Rabbi Paul Kipnes to develop the rabbi-student relationship, to study the Torah portion and to prepare the D’var Torah (speech).
• Cantor Doug Cotler rehearses every student to offer helpful advice even as he helps reduce the level of anxiety.

With personalized attention, the rabbi, cantor and Bar/Bat Mitzvah teacher of Congregation Or Ami are ready to assist all families of the congregation to maximize their Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremonies as authentic and meaningful religious experiences.