BMitzvah

Congregation Tikkun v’Or is proud to have a dynamic and highly individualized BMitzvah program, led by Michael Margolin, along with teacher Kenny Berkowitz.  Students meet on Sunday morning and Wednesday afternoons. Study includes Jewish history, Torah, mitzvot (commandments), ethics, rituals, holidays, and Hebrew.  In the Wednesday JLE classes, students develop Hebrew reading and prayer skills and prepare for becoming b-mitzvah.

Our small classes allow for each student and family to choose a date and parasha (Torah portion) close to the actual Hebrew birthday. About 6 months before the ceremony, students start working individually, learning to chant the Torah parasha and the Haftorah. Most students also prepare to lead many sections of the Friday night and Saturday morning services. Each student studies the meanings and commentaries on the parasha, and writes a d‘var Torah (commentary) of their own.

For more information, or for the most updated copy of our Guide to B-Mitzvah Celebrations, contact info@tikkunvor.org.

Tikkun Olam Projects

Students also each work on a tikkun olam project, as a way to focus on how each of us can do mitzvot (commandments) and gemilut chasadim (loving kindness) and tzedakah (acting righteously in pursuit of justice) in order to bring tikkun olam (repair of the world). Recent projects included:

  • Packaging teas to support the OJI:SDA’ Sustainable Indigenous Futures (Nora)
  • Working with younger students through The Learning Web (Gefen)
  • Making garden spaces at Lime Hollow (Drew and Rennie)
  • Building a website to help youth and teens with depression (Ruby)
  • Creating a video game about climate change (Elijah)
  • Stocking shelves at a food pantry (Coco)
  • Helping animals at the SPCA (Kayla)
  • Assisting new immigrants (Yordi)
  • Baking challah for others in the community (Menzie)
  • Making soup and distributing food to others (Lilliana)

Click here for the Tikkun Olam Project Proposal Form.

Deciding when to have your b-mitzvah