| Introduction: |
At Chabad, our primary goal is to prepare each child to live a Jewish life with pride, knowledge, and enthusiasm. When your child reaches the age of Bar Mitzvah, we share the privilege and responsibility of welcoming him into the adult Jewish community with your family. Together, we hope to instill the meaning and significance of the occasion, to celebrate appropriately, and to honor your child's place among the Jewish people. At Chabad we have prepared the following guidelines to assist you in planning for this joyous occasion.
| Who can be Bar Mitzvah at Chabad? |
In order to hold your child's ceremony and/or celebration at Chabad, the following requirements must be met:
1. Your child must be Jewish according to the Halachic guidelines that have been in place for thousands of years.
2. Upon receiving a date for the Bar/Bat Mitzvah, we encourage the family to participate in Chabad programs and events whenever possible.
3. We recommend that both the Bar Mitzvah boy and siblings be enrolled in the Hebrew School in order to include the whole family in the Bar Mitzvah experience.
| Age and Dates: |
Bar Mitzvah is the day on which a Jewish boy becomes responsible for Mitzvot and accountable for both positive and negative behaviors under Jewish law. According to the Talmud, this milestone takes place at the age 13. This happens automatically on their Jewish birth date, regardless of the way that the day is marked. The ceremony and celebration should take place as close to the Jewish birthday as possible. The Jewish calendar is lunar and represents the years from creation. The secular calendar is based on the solar cycle. As a child grows, the Jewish and secular birthdays may move weeks apart. To determine your child's Jewish birthday, a two hundred year calendar must be consulted with the Rabbi's guidance.
While planning and preparation takes about one year, it is important to get the date on the Chabad calendar to avoid any conflicts. To choose a date, set up an initial meeting with the Rabbi to determine your child's Jewish birthday. Your child's Bar Mitzvah must be in the year following that date, as close as possible to the date but not before it.
| Bar Mitzvah Club with Rabbi Spiero: |
The Bar Mitzvah club is for boys ages 12-13. The club is designed with your son in mind. It includes discussions and hands on activities related to the meaning and significance of becoming a Bar Mitzvah.
The boys learn how to put on Tefillin, the accompanying blessings, its meaning, makeup, and relevance.
Click here for the Bar Mitzvah Club Curriculum.
Click here for pictures of the Club!
| Bar Mitzvah Celebratoin with Rabbi Yossi: |
Rabbi Yossi will meet with each Bar Mitzvah boy separately to study part of the weekly Torah portion which will be read, as well as assist in the writing of the Bar Mitzvah "Dvar Torah," which is the Bar Mitzvah speech.
Tefillin will need to be purchased through the Rabbi before the Bar Mitzvah. The Tefillin will be ordered from New York by an expert scribe who offers us wholesale prices.
There are several ways to honor this special occasion with the child. Families may choose to celebrate over the weekend with a Kiddush on Shabbat or a Sunday brunch. The party must be one at which the food that is brought in meets our Kashrut standards. Chabad approves certain caterers, meats, and bakeries. Please speak to Rabbi Yossi or Rebbetzin Goldie for ideas and suggestions in this regard.
| Fees and Donations |
Bar Mitzvah Club: $650 + $125 registration fee
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER for the Bar Mitzvah Club!
Bar Mitzvah Preparation with Rabbi Yossi: please email for fee
Additional tuition for the Torah reading: please email for fee
Tefillin will need to be purchased before the Bar Mitzvah and can be ordered for $750 from New York by a scribe who offers us wholesale prices, or purchased from a vendor approved by the Rabbi.
Hosting the celebration at Chabad: There is a $450 fee to use the Chabad facilities to host the celebration. This includes janitorial expenses. Catering not included. Chai Club Members: in appreciation for your continued support, there is a discounted price of $250 to use the facility.
In addition, a donation to Chabad for $360-$500 is requested in honor of this special occasion. Many families choose to dedicate books in our library or new Chumashim or Siddurim in honor of the Bar Mitzvah boy and his family.
At Chabad, our primary objective is that every Jew should have the ability to experience and learn about their heritage. No one is ever turned away due to lack of funds.
For additional information or to schedule a Bar Mitzvah, please call Rabbi Yossi at 916.608.9811 or email at [email protected]
