B’NAI MITZVAH LOGISTICS & FEES

When should the ceremony occur?
The bar/bat mitzvah ceremony should take place in the week of your son/daughter’s Hebrew birthday. Some things you might also take into account when deciding on a date:
a. Hebrew skills - Students who began Hebrew studies more recently may benefit from more time to study and learn.
b. The Torah Portion - The student will prepare a short Devar Torah explaining and reflecting on the Torah Portion of the week. Students may find a particular portion or upcoming holiday of particular interest.
c. Availability of the Service Leader, please check with her before solidifying any arrangements.
d. Ithaca weather and conditions -Winter makes travel in and to Ithaca difficult. The temple can be very hot in the middle of the summer. The weekend of Cornell graduation is not a good time to find hotel rooms for out-of-town guests.

Where’s the celebration?
This is up to you. Our beautiful synagogue is available for celebrations for a small rental fee. The Women’s Community Building, Foundation of Light, local hotels and restaurants, and sites at Cornell have served our families well in the past. Small celebrations at home with just immediate family and friends are also appropriate.
We do ask that the celebration be in keeping with Jewish values and the spiritual importance of the event.  Many families follow the tradition of donating a percentage of their cost (roughly three percent) for the food for the event to Mazon, a Jewish organization that battles hunger, or a similar organization.

What ritual objects do we need to have?
There are a number of Jewish symbols that are associated with the preparation and ceremony of becoming a bar/bat mitzvah. Buying your child a kippah, for example, is one way to encourage your children to foster a relationship to prayer.

The bar/bat mitzvah is the first occasion at which a Jewish child wears a tallit. After this age, all Jews are expected to wear a tallit during a morning service. The tallit, with its fringes, is worn as a reminder of our responsibility to act ethically, as well as being an aide to prayer.

There are several Judaic vendors from whom we order wholesale ritual items, such as tallitot, Shabbat candlesticks, Kiddish cups, etc. Speak with the Religious School Director about ordering these gifts.

Tips from other parents:
Challah
Kosher challah-Cornell Kosher Dining Hall (272-6907)
Non-kosher challah (Kosher ingredients but not baked in a kosher oven) is available from Ithaca Bakery (one week’s notice for large challah) and from Wegmans.