Rodef Sholom: A Reform Jewish Congregation in Marin County, California

2012 B'nai Mitzvah Fee letter

Whom to Contact

Synagogue Usage
a. Food, Beverage, and Set-Up Information
b. Synagogue Usage Form for Communal Kiddush Lunch & Set-Up Diagram
c. Synagogue Usage Form for Afternoon (after Communal
Kiddush) or Evening Celebration & Set-Up Diagram
d. Kashrut Policy
e. Social Hall Facilities Rental Fee Schedule
f. Flowers
g. Photography, Video and Cell Phone Policy

Timeline
a. Consolidated Timeline of Experience Leading up to the B'nai Mitzvah
b. B'nai Mitzvah classes with the Rabbis
c. B'nai Mitzvah Retreat at Camp Newman
d. 9 Month Family meeting with the Rabbi
    1. Review Torah Portion
    2. Review B'nai Mitzvah Process
    3. Discuss Mitzvah Project
e. 7 Month Family meeting with the Cantor
    1. Preparation of prayers, blessings, and haftarah portion
    2. D'var Torah Preparation
f. Home Preparation
g. Weekly meetings with your tutor
h. Weekly meetings with the Cantor
i. 2 Month Family meeting with the Rabbi
    1. D'var Torah Preparation
    2. Family Aliyahs
j. Ushering at Services
k. Get together with the Rabbi
l. B'nai Mitzvah Rehearsal
m. Friday Night Service
n. Day of Bar/Bat Mitzvah
o. A Path to Holiness - Additional B'nai Mitzvah Requirements

Frequently Asked Questions
a. What is a Bar or Bat Mitzvah?
b. When can my child become a Bar or Bat Mitzvah?
c. Why should my child become a Bar or Bat Mitzvah?
d. What is my role as a parent and how may my family
participate in this special ceremony?
    1. Candle Lighting
    2. Passing down the Torah
    3. Aliyah
    4. Parents' blessing
e. Who can have an aliyah?
f. What if I, or a member of my family is not Jewish?
g. What is a kippah and a tallit? Does my child need to wear
one for his/her ceremony?
h. What if my child has special learning needs?
i. What is the difference between a double and single Bar/Bat
Mitzvah?
j. Invitations
k. Bima arrangements
l. Ritual items
m. Other Issues to consider regarding food

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Parental Blessings

a. Parental blessings instructions
b. Parental blessing samples

Shabbat Blessings (Candle lighting, Kiddush, Torah blessings, etc.)

Prayers
a. List of Prayers the B'nai Mitzvah will Learn
b. Timeline for Prayers

Mitzvah Project
a. Mitzvah Project Description
b. Mitzvah Project Form

Shabbat Services
a. Times
b. Explanation of Prayers and Shabbat Services

Forms to be returned
a. Bar/Bat Mitzvah Family Questionnaire
b. B'nai Mitzvah Aliyahs and Honors
c. Synagogue Usage Form for Communal Kiddush Lunch & Set-Up Diagram
d. Synagogue Usage Form for Afternoon (after Communal
Kiddush) or Evening Celebration & Set-Up Diagram
e. Kashrut Policy

Copy of Child's Binder
a. Owning My Parsha
b. D'var Torah Preparation
c. Haftarah Study Guide
d. List of Prayers
e. Torah and Haftarah for B'nai Mitzvah
f. A Path to Holiness - Additional B'nai Mitzvah Requirements
g. Consolidated Timeline - Deepening the Path - A Timeline of
Experience Leading up to the B'nai Mitzvah

Glossary

Additional Materials

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