Bar/Bat Mitzvah Handbook - Temple Sinai

INFORMATION FOR FAMILIESDuring midweek services, young men and those youngwomen who have chosen this obligation are expected towear tefillin.Bar/Bat Mitzvah families are asked to sponsor thebreakfast which follows the morning minyan. If you wouldlike to sponsor breakfast, please contact the synagogueoffice 1 month in advance.Families whose Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony will takeplace on Saturday afternoon at a Mincha/Ma’ariv/Havdalah service have a different timetable formorning minyan participation; please consult withCantor Freedman.SHABBAT BROCHUREInformation for the Shabbat brochure should be submittedto the synagogue office 4 (four) weeks prior to the Bar/BatMitzvah date. A sample copy of the Shabbat brochure isavailable in the synagogue office upon request.Grandparents, family members, and friends areencouraged to make donations in celebration of thesimcha. All donations will be listed in the brochure. If youare sharing a date with another family, reciprocaldonations are common. Many parents wish to expresstheir appreciation to synagogue professional staff for workdone in preparing their child for his/her Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Adonation to a synagogue fund is an appropriate way toexpress this appreciation.TORAH HONORSTorah honors will be given to you and those adult Jewishmen and women you designate. The person called to theTorah must be able to read or recite the Torah blessings.If any person to whom you wish to give a Torah honorneeds assistance, please call the office, and the blessings(in Hebrew and transliteration) will be sent to you. If thosecalled to the bimah have small children, please assurethem that children are welcome on the bimah as long asthey are orderly and well behaved. A maximum of 6 adultscan come up together for an aliyah.Specific honors information can be found on the honorssheets included in this handbook.If members of your family are not Jewish, please consultwith Rabbi Wohlberg as to how they might be honoredduring the service.TORAH READERSTemple Sinai encourages family members of the Bar/BatMitzvah who are comfortable doing so, to read a portion ofTorah at the Bar/Bat Mitzvah service. We will be glad tosupply a recording if needed. Those who wish to readTorah will be required to have their Torah portion readingsapproved by the Torah Reading Coordinator. Plans forTorah reading by family members should be initiated nolater than 6 (six) months prior to the Bar/Bat Mitzvahservice.TIME OF SERVICESOur Friday night service customarily begins promptly at6:00 P.M. and concludes at about 7:00 P.M. The serviceis followed by an Oneg Shabbat consisting of lightrefreshments to which the entire congregation is invited.All families celebrating a Bar/Bat Mitzvah areexpected to attend Friday night services the weekendof the simcha. Extended family and friends are welcomeas well.Our Shabbat morning service begins promptly at 9:30A.M. and concludes at about noon. The Bar/Bat Mitzvahfamily is requested to arrive no later than 9:15 A.M. and totake their seats by 9:25 A.M. The service is followed by akiddush to which the entire congregation is invited andwhere the congregation may extend good wishes to theBar/Bat Mitzvah family. Families that choose to celebratein the synagogue with a kiddush luncheon are asked toinclude the congregation in their Se’udat Mitzvah (Meal ofCelebration).If the Bar/Bat Mitzvah is being celebrated at a Minchaservice, the starting time is determined by the RabbiWohlberg based on the time of Friday night candle-lightingthat week. The service lasts about one and one-quarterhours.The Sunday morning Rosh Chodesh, Chol HaMoed orChanukah service begins at 10:30 A.M. and concludes atabout 12:00 P.M.5