Life Cycle

Bar / Bat Mitzvah

Becoming Bar/Bat/B’nei Mitzvah is such an important milestone in a Jew’s life.

Traditionally, young people celebrate becoming B’nei Mitzvah when they turn 13. It is a way to rejoice in the transition to adulthood.

In Reform Judaism, we insist on equality for all children, regardless of gender, so we do all Bar/Bat/B’nei Mitzvah celebrations at the same stage.

For many young people, that means a party and presents. But, at SWESRS, becoming B’nei Mitzvah is far more than that.

We pair students with a peer mentor - a teenager in the community who has been through the same process. We offer individual tuition for every student in their Torah portion at no extra cost. We offer exciting trips, like bowling and cinema.

Students come every Saturday morning for exciting learning on Jewish tradition with our rabbis.

The students begin the programme when they enter school year 7, and stay with us until they celebrate their Bar/Bat/B’nei Mitzvah.

Most of our students learn to read and translate Torah, they lead the whole community in prayer, and give a Dvar Torah to the congregation.

We are also proud to be an inclusive and diverse community, so we can offer specialist provision and options based on your child’s educational needs.

If you would like to find out more, email Rabbi Lev Taylor, lev@swesrs.org.uk

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