bat mitzvah
Bat Mitzvah
At SUJC we treat Bat Mitzvahs with great importance.
According to Jewish law, once a girl turns 12 years old, she is obligated to observe all the mitzvot; hence the term Bat Mitzvah (daughter of the mitzvot).
Until fairly recently, the United Synagogue did not celebrate Bat Mitzvahs. Instead, it held a Bat Chayil (Daughter of Valour) ceremony when girls graduated from their final year at Cheder. This ceremony involved recitals and performances by the entire class, usually on a Sunday afternoon.
SUJC seeks to reclaim the Bat Mitzvah and celebrate it as a religious milestone in each individual girl's life.
The Bat Mitzvah ceremony is usually held on a Shabbat, just before the end of the morning service. Alternately it can be held on a Sunday.
The format of the Bat Mitzvah involves:
- Delivering a D'var Torah (Torah discourse) in front of the entire congregation
- Follows this with the recital of a special Bat Mitzvah prayer.
- The parents are then invited to bless their daughter and offer thanks to the Almighty for this milestone in their lives.
- The rabbi then offers a Torah thought and some personal remarks, and the Bat Mitzvah girl is presented with a book and certificate.
The entire service lasts between 20 minutes and a half hour.
It is necessary for the girl to follow guidelines for preparing a D'var Torah and to study with a competent tutor to help her construct her D'var Torah. Please contact secretary@shenleyunited.org for additional information.
