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

Published on April 17, 2013

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 a mark socially by inviting BFFs and other classmates.

What happens to a Hebrew-School dropout?

Published on June 27, 2012

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 phrase is not a punch line, but a punch in the gut. I imagine my response was just like parents whose kids drop out of high school: disbelief, sadness and helplessness followed quickly by a healthy dose of Jewish guilt. "Where did I go wrong?" "What did I do to cause him to reject my contribution to his heritage?"

Words from the heart

Published on June 27, 2012

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 extravagant partying. The b'nai mitzvah coach already has helped detangle the Hebrew and trope, but the pressure of reading the Torah portion and haftarah, as well as delivering a speech in front of hundreds of family members, friends and congregants, might make even a usually unassuming bimah look terrifying.

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

Published on June 27, 2012

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 adorning the bottom. Twenty-plus years later, I remember eagerly waiting for my friends to receive the invitations and running home weeks later to check the mailbox for the return of the RSVP envelopes. Secured in a scrapbook, the invitation is a treasured memento.

Extravagant Jewish celebrations — Have we gone too far?

Published on July 19, 2011

A wedding that costs $100,000? A bar mitzvah that costs $20,000? When did extravagance and luxury become such primary Jewish values? I can’t remember the last simcha (Jewish celebration) I attended at which there were not tremendous amounts of wasted food, overly expensive napkins and bands large enough for a royal banquet.

She’s writing the book on Bat Mitzvah projects

Published on February 14, 2011

Alexandra Kukoff was recently given a chance to share her outlook on life during her bat mitzvah meeting at Temple Etz Chaim in Thousand Oaks. Had her outlook seemed a little jaded, few would have blamed her: She is deaf in her left ear, missing three essential bones since birth. When prompted to speak about her struggle, Alexandra replied cheerfully, “It could have been worse — I could have been deaf in both ears.”

The Circuit

By Norma Zager
Published on March 2, 2006

Circuit