Thursday, April 18, 2013

Eco-friendly aspects of the simcha can elevate a young person’s conscience

By Elyse Glickman

Given that many high-profile celebrities expound on the virtues of their environmental involvements (among them, Natalie Portman and Alicia. . .

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Party planning from A to Z

By Rebecca Steinberger

Preparing for a bar or bat mitzvah is hard work, involving years of intense study and the courage to lead an entire congregation in prayer.. . .

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

A survival guide for parents of b’nai mitzvah kids

By Nancy Sokoler Steiner

So you’re planning a bar or bat mitzvah? Mazel tov! You may feel overwhelmed by decisions and details. I certainly did when it was time for my son,. . .

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

A gift of hope

by Malina Saval

Cotton caps in shades of pastel pink and sky blue are standard go-to gifts for a newborn baby. But for Steven and Jodi Zimelman, whose. . .

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Bat Mitzvah at the Kotel: Is it possible?

by Michele Chabin

Every week, dozens of bar mitzvah boys from Israel and the Diaspora celebrate their rite of passage at the Kotel, also known as the Western Wall,. . .

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

The sky’s the limit

by Julie Bien

Preparing for the complete bar or bat mitzvah experience — the ceremony, the food, the entertainment — can feel like a three-ring circus. So. . .

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Creating inclusiveness at interfaith b’nai mitzvah

by Arlene Chernow

For interfaith couples who choose a Jewish identity for their families — even ones who have shared holidays with their extended families and. . .

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Including peers with special needs can be part of a teen’s transition from child to adult

Room for one more

For many teens, a bar or bat mitzvah is not just a rite of passage and an embrace of a community’s Jewish values; it also is an opportunity to make. . .

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Making mitzvahs feel authentic

by Julie Bien

Jack Kessler, 14, completed his mitzvah project last summer by working at a Friendship Circle camp for teens on the autism spectrum. He says the. . .

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Bar mitzvah honors child Holocaust victim

By Ryan Torok

“I’m just one of more than 18,000 young people in over 750 congregations worldwide becoming a keeper of the flame of memory in the first. . .

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

What happens to a Hebrew-School dropout?

by Beth Leibson

My 11-year-old son, Ari, is now a Hebrew-school dropout. I am aware that that's the name of a comedy act and a line of T-shirts. But, for me, the. . .

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Words from the heart

by Olivia Gingerich, Contributing Writer

The nerve-wracking morning of a bar or bat mitzvah will eventually be all that's left standing between a student and his or her catered night of. . .

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Snail mail or e-mail: How will your next invitation be sent?

by Suzanne Kurtz, JTA

My bat mitzvah invitation had bright purple embossed text on a hot pink card with my name enlarged in decorative script at the top and daisies. . .

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Barmitzvahman — Hero for more than a day

by Edmon J. Rodman

Who is the hero of a bar or bat mitzvah? It’s the 13-year-old, who, after a day of chanting, speaking and being bear-hugged by distant relatives,. . .

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Raising the bar brings zest, creativity to rite of passage

By Rachel Heller

At his recent bar mitzvah, Noah Genco-Kamin managed to tell one of the most well-known stories in the Jewish canon — that of the Israelites. . .

Thursday, February 16, 2012

The mirth of the Bar Mitzvah

by Stephen Whitfield, JointMedia News Service

Think of what might happen to the Jewish calendar if literary scholars got their hands on it. Tisha B’Av would be classified as a tragedy, Tu. . .

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

The double Bar Mitzvah — partners in time

by Edmon J. Rodman

Forty-five years after his bar mitzvah, Edward L. Moskowitz could not find the photos. They were lost in his garage, in a box, among shelves of such. . .

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

A small voice with a big message

by Lauren Gold, Contributing Writer

Jacob Tragarz didn’t take the easy route when it came to his mitzvah project — he went big. The 12-year-old student decided to raise awareness. . .

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Have internet, will tutor

by Evan Henerson

Some people live miles away from a synagogue that shares their philosophies and values. Others might have no shortage of resources but have. . .

Monday, April 25, 2011

Trading iPods for machetes

by Olivia Gingerich

While most teenagers are notorious for clashing with parents over their perceived rude behavior, Jonah Li-Paz may actually draw more sighs from his. . .

Thursday, April 21, 2011

‘Schindler’s List’ producer to mark belated Bar Mitzvah at Auschwitz

By Tom Tugend

Branko Lustig, 78, two-time Oscar-winner for “Schindler’s List” and “Gladiator,” will celebrate his bar mitzvah on May 2 at Auschwitz, in. . .

Thursday, January 27, 2011

The last Bar Mitzvah

by WENDY JAFFE

The following is a random sampling from my e-mail inbox: From synagogue: Did you receive the form for the Oneg Shabbat luncheon, which will follow. . .

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Ready for their bimah close-up [VIDEO]

By Ryan Torok

Indeed, bar or bat mitzvah training today has become increasingly reliant on technology to complement learning — from YouTube videos of kids. . .

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

A powerful way to make a point

by Betsy Rosenthal

With apologies to Monty Python, the day can best be described as, “And Now for Something Completely Different.” The guests started filing in,. . .