Aaron’s Bar Mitzvah

 
 

WELCOME

Friends and loved ones, we are so pleased to have you with us in person and on Zoom as we celebrate Aaron’s bar mitzvah. Thank you so much for sharing the occasion with us!

Zoom link for 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 26: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/4068114051

So, what is a bar mitzvah?

A bar mitzvah is a coming-of-age ceremony for a Jewish child, the point when they are recognized as an adult in their community. Jewish adulthood brings with it the honor of being able to lead services and read from the Torah (the first five books of the bible, as well as the scroll upon which they are written). 

After leading services today, Aaron becomes a “son of the commandments.” As an adult in the Jewish community, Aaron will accept new responsibilities.

  • He will wear a “tallit” or prayer shawl today for the first time. The fringes that hang from the four corners symbolize the 613 mitzvot or commandments. 

  • Aaron will lead us in the service today, including many traditional prayers. 

  • He will chant from the Torah as well as the Haftarah, which is another portion from the biblical books of the Prophets. 

  • In addition to these things, Aaron will teach us about today’s reading by delivering a d’var torah (“words of Torah” or a sermon) and conveying what this experience means to him. 

If I haven’t been to a bar mitzvah before, what do I need to know?

The service will begin at 9:30 a.m. It is unmistakably a religious ceremony. If you wish to read along with the service, you are welcome to. The siddur, or prayerbook, contains English text, Hebrew text and transliterated Hebrew, written so it can be pronounced by English speakers. Because Hebrew is read from right to left, the siddur follows suit: Page 1 is in the “back” of the book. The service will be a mix of English and Hebrew, and we usually remember to call out page numbers. If you just want to sit back and watch and listen, that’s great too.

There will be a fair amount of singing and chanting. Sometimes we stand up and pray, and sometimes we remain seated. Sometimes we’ll burst into song seemingly randomly (like a musical), and often we repeat things. If you like to sing and you don’t know the words, feel free to sing “lai lai” to the tune we are singing. If you don’t want to sing, you don’t have to.

What else do I need to do?

  • Remember to turn off your cell phone and other electronic devices as these may not be used in the sanctuary. We have a photographer covering the event, so you won’t need a camera either.

  • Relax, have fun, and enjoy yourself. Aaron has worked hard to get to this point and is so excited about sharing his special day with you.

THE SERVICE

The Morning Service – Shacharit 

The Shacharit section of the service begins with several prayers. Among these prayers is the recitation of the Shema. The Shema is a statement of Jewish faith, reflecting that there is an eternal covenant which connects us to G-d. The English translation for the Shema is “Hear, O’Israel, the Lord is our G-d, the Lord is One.”

The Amidah 

The Amidah is a prayer that Aaron will lead. Afterward, the remaining part of the prayer is said silently to oneself while standing. This is the part of the service where we reflect on the greatness of G-d as well as our human needs, as we present our silent petitions. 

The Torah Service

Aaron will receive the scroll that contains the Torah, which consists of the five books of Moses and is the most treasured possession of the Jewish people. Each Shabbat (Sabbath), Jewish congregations around the world read or chant the same parsha (portion) from the Torah. In many ways, this ties us together as a Jewish community. This week’s parsha is Shemini, from the book of Leviticus. Today it will be Aaron’s turn to be called to the Torah to chant his portion. 

To begin this part of the service, the Torah is removed from the Ark and is symbolically passed down through the generations of our family. Aaron is then given the honor of carrying the Torah around the sanctuary, where members of the congregation will “greet” the Torah scroll by kissing the edge of their tallit (or prayer shawl) first and touching the Torah or by kissing the edge of their prayerbook and then touching the Torah in that way. Feel free to participate in this tradition if you like, depending on your comfort level. 

The reading of the Torah portion is broken into seven sections. Before and after each section is read, a blessing is recited by a family member or friend. This honor is called receiving an aliyah. The last section read from the Torah portion (technically the eighth), is called the maftir, and Aaron will chant it.

After he finishes chanting his Torah portion, those who want to participate can help wish him a sweet life by tossing candies (provided by his sibling and Sunday school classmates) at him. Please allow him time to cover his face before throwing, and don’t throw too hard.

The Haftarah 

Next, Aaron will chant the Haftarah, which is also from the Bible and from a section we refer to as the book of Prophets. The prophets, by example, are authors such as Isaiah or Ezekiel. Aaron’s Haftarah is from the book of 2 Samuel.

D’var Torah 

Aaron will conclude the final requirement in our synagogue of a bar mitzvah as he delivers a sermon, or his D’var Torah, teaching us something about the portion that he chanted in Hebrew.

Presentations and Speeches

This will be followed by speeches by Aaron’s parents, Judah and Sarah.

Concluding Prayers 

The service concludes with returning the Torah to the ark, followed by additional prayers, including the Aleinu and the Mourner’s Kaddish (remembering those who have passed away). 

THE ALIYOT AND HONORS

Ark opening and closing: Henia and Shoshana Blythe

Aliyot: 

1. TBD () 

2. TBD () 

3. Members of the Temple Beth Sholom board of trustees 

4. TBD (religious school teachers)

5. TBD (bar mitzvah teacher)

6. TBD (family friend)

7. Judah, Sarah and Echo Kelber (parents and sibling) 

8. Aaron Kelber 

Hagbah (lifting the Torah): TBD

Glilah (dressing the Torah): TBD