Study programs

The blessing "Blessed are we that we have been spared this one's punishment," which the father blesses during the Bar Mitzvah ceremony in the synagogue, represents in Jewish tradition the transfer of responsibility from the parent to the adult girl and boy. The combinations "Bat Mitzvah" and "Bar Mitzvah" signify for us a ceremony of transition from the world of childhood to the world of adulthood. In the Jewish world, the transition from childhood to adulthood means a personal commitment to Jewish tradition and adolescents' acceptance of responsibility for their actions. Although in modern society the age of acceptance of responsibility is later, the challenges of adulthood are already upon young people at the beginning of their second decade of life. 12-13 year olds begin to shape their relationship with themselves, their family, and the community around them. They make decisions regarding the continuation of their educational path, how they will spend their free time, and more. In the Bar Mitzvah program, we seek to mold Jewish-social content around the concept of "responsibility." We will examine the significance of the responsibility that stems from reaching the age of mitzvot, both in studying Jewish sources in an active way, in which students take responsibility for their learning process (Beit Midrash), and in social action within the family and among the community.