East End Temple, New York, NY
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May 18, 2012   26 Iyyar 5772
 

Becoming a Bar/Bat Mitzvah at East End Temple


Introduction  
It is important to take a moment to understand how we at East End Temple view the b’nei mitzvah in the greater context of one’s Jewish life and Jewish education.  Rather than approaching this as an ending point, we view it as a significant marker in the education and Jewish life of our students.  The emphasis of the experience is put on the learning process, on the weekly accomplishments of the students, on their pride in working diligently and thoughtfully on learning prayers, blessings, Torah and Haftarah portions as well as the d’var Torah.  This process is made richer and more meaningful by family participation and involvement.  Studying the portion together helps to emphasize the value of lifelong learning and models to our students the true lessons and values within the Torah.  We emphasize the excitement and pride we feel in each student and that each student feels in him/herself. Students should be congratulated for having engaged in significant studies, for being able to confidently and competently lead services and for reading from the Torah. In this way, it is the quality and experience of learning that each student undertakes, not only the performance, that we celebrate on the day of the b’nei mitzvah.
 
7th Grade Mitzvah Projects  

7th Grade Mitzvah Project Details

Who? – 7th Grade Students at East End Temple

What? – Through thirteen hours of direct community service, you will have the opportunity to question and consider how we can better live together in more just and humane ways. The project contains four signature experiences:

  • Work directly to address a social problem that concerns you
  • Perform a minimum of thirteen hours of community service
  • Present your experience to your family and peers
  • Complete a Mitzvah Project Page to be in used in the East End Temple Mitzvah Book

Where? - Team up with an organization, school, hospital, or any individual in need of your service. You may choose to volunteer for an organization with which you have a relationship, or we have many ideas we can suggest for you.

When? – Your Mitzvah Project will be completed during your seventh grade year. Here is a timeline showing how you will monitor your work:

  • September/October– Start thinking about what problem you want to address during thirteen (or more) hours of community service.
  • November - Turn in your Mitzvah Project Plan 
  • January – Update your teachers about your project.
  • April – Update your teachers about your project. Complete the remaining hours of your project. Begin working on your presentation.
  • May – End of school year– Give a presentation of what you did for your mitzvah project and what you learned. In addition, turn in a completed mitzvah project page for our book where we are keeping record of all the projects completed by students at East End Temple.
  • Ongoing – Continue volunteering because it is a lifelong Jewish value.

Why? – It is our responsibility to work to make our community a better place for everyone. Through this process, we all will gain.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MITZVAH PROJECT

How will I choose what to do for my project?
Think about the types of activities you enjoy and what you are good at doing. Then think of ways you can use your interest and skills to help make our world a better place. There are no limits on what you can do. (For example: if you love to cook, maybe you will help cook meals for a soup kitchen. If you love to play sports, you could teach children at a youth center. You love to read, why not read books to someone in a hospital?)

I thought about all those things and I still don’t know what to do. Who can help me?
Find a time to come talk to Sara. She will help you come up with something exciting. Also, look at Areyvut for more ideas.

I decided what I want to do, now what?
Now, put your ideas into action. Call the organization/person with which you want to volunteer, propose your plan, and set a time to start.

I already have a community service requirement from my school. Can the hours that I log in towards my school community service project count towards my East End Temple mitzvah project as well?
Yes. However, the hours need to be completed in your 7th grade year. You cannot count hours of community service that you have done in previous years toward the mitzvah project expectations.

Can I work thirteen hours in different places?
No. In completing your mitzvah project, you are to learn about a chosen social problem and build community with a group of people grappling with this problem. So that you may grow in this way, all hours are to be spent in one site.

How many visits should I make?
This is completely up to you. You can spend one weekend someplace and complete all thirteen hours at once. Or, you can return to one site two or three times spending seven or eight hours during each visit. Or, you can visit a site thirteen times and only spend one hour each time.

Can I complete a mitzvah project with a group of friends?
Yes. Many organizations would actually prefer if you visited and worked with them when a part of a team of people. In order to do this, you should find out who else in your class is interested the same type of mitzvah as you are. Then, you can research to find a site that would welcome a group of you to come at the same time. Sara is also happy to help you find a group with whom to work.

 
 
 

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