Bar/Bat Mitzvah

Celebrating becoming a Bar or Bat Mitzvah (being a Jew who reaches the age of thirteen) is an important milestone in the spiritual growth of a young Jewish adult. It signifies that a young person has not only reached the age of thirteen, but is ready to assume greater responsibility in Jewish life.

Students deepen their relationship to Judaism, often by leading a Shabbat service, reading and teaching Torah to the congregation, and participating in a mitzvah project. For students with disabilities, Temple Beth Orr is eager to work with them and their parents to mark this milestone in a way that is appropriate and fitting for them and their personal development.

The journey to becoming a Jewish spiritual adult (a bar/bat mitzvah) is a partnership between parents and the synagogue: providing engaging Jewish activities such as holidays, Shabbat, life cycle celebrations and services in which to participate. Participating in Jewish learning and synagogue life is an important component of this journey as it is here that one learns about the value of Jewish community, learns about the Jewish tradition and heritage, and learns Jewish music, prayers, and rituals.

A Bar/Bat Mitzvah may have the honor of officially marking their becoming Bar/Bat Mitzvah at a TBO service only after having completed at least three (3) consecutive years of religious school at our congregation. For those students with special needs that pose difficulty to participating in religious school, we can work together with the parents, the student, the rabbi, and the educator to design a curriculum and timeline that meets the needs of the student and fulfills the religious aspects of the celebration.

For more information on our Jewish learning program and the journey to Bar/Bat Mitzvah, contact our office at [email protected]