Becoming Bat/Bar/B’nei Mitzvah is a bold step in joining the 3,000-year conversation about living Jewishly.

Requirements for becoming Bar/Bat/B’nei /Mitzvah at Temple Beth El of Hollywood

At Temple Beth El of Hollywood, the Bar/Bat/B’nei Mitzvah experience is a sacred and meaningful journey—an important milestone in a young person's Jewish life and identity. We are honored to guide each student and family through this transformational process.

To become a Bar/Bat/B’nei Mitzvah at Temple Beth El, the following requirements must be met:

1. Temple Membership

   Bar/Bat/B’nei Mitzvah is a covenantal celebration shared by our congregational family. Therefore, your family must be active members in good standing of Temple Beth El of Hollywood for at least one year prior to your child’s ceremony.

2. Religious School Enrollment & Completion

   1. Students must be enrolled in and successfully complete our Religious School program through 7th grade. This includes:

      • Consistent attendance and active participation in class

      • Completion of all classwork and assignments

      • Demonstrated engagement with Jewish learning and values

      3. Hebrew Proficiency

      Students must attain a level of Hebrew proficiency that allows them to:

      • Read from the Torah and Haftarah

      • Lead key prayers from the Shabbat service

      • Demonstrate understanding of the texts and their meanings

      Hebrew tutoring and small group instruction are provided to support this learning.

      4. Shabbat & Holiday Participation

      Regular attendance at Shabbat and holiday services is an essential part of spiritual preparation. Students are expected to attend a minimum number of services in the year leading up to their ceremony, including family and student-led services.

      5. Tzedakah & Mitzvah Project

      Each student will undertake a Mitzvah Project—an act of social responsibility aligned with Jewish values. This project encourages students to explore ways to give back to their community and reflect on what it means to live a life of meaning, justice, and compassion.

      6. Family Participation

      We believe this journey is one the entire family takes together. Parents are expected to participate in:

      • Orientation sessions

      • Family education workshops

      • Meetings with the Rabbi and Cantor

      This shared experience strengthens family bonds and deepens the spiritual significance of the celebration.

      7. Clergy & Tutor Meetings

      In the months leading up to the Bar/Bat/B’nei Mitzvah, students will meet regularly with our clergy and tutors to rehearse their Torah portions, refine their D’var Torah (speech), and prepare for leading the service with confidence and pride.

• A no-strings-attached program designed for busy Jewish families who want to celebrate this important milestone without joining a temple. If you’re interested, call the office at 954-920-8225.

Confirmation

After becoming a b’nei mitzvah, students continue their studies in Confirmation class. Students reconfirm their commitment to a life of Jewish learning in their 10th-grade year of study with Rabbi Aaron and our Religious Director, Barbara Regal.

All those who complete Confirmation are invited to join the March of the Living trip!

Adult B’nei Mitzvah Program

The Adult B’nei Mitzvah Program at TBE provides an intimate and supportive community for students to study liturgy, Hebrew, trope (Torah chanting), and write a d’var Torah, or teaching, with our Clergy. Participants forge close bonds with one another and TBE Clergy in a powerful and empowering experience of reading from the Torah in our Sanctuary. All members who have not yet gone through the ritual of Bat/Bar/B’nei Mitzvah are eligible for this program.

When a child is called to the Torah for the first time, it is a simcha, a joy, for the entire community. The Bat/Bar/B’nei Mitzvah calls upon our young adults to read and teach from the Torah and touches on our physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual selves in the most meaningful of ways as we recognize a young person’s entrance into adulthood. TBE’s clergy works closely with families in this process, ensuring each Mitzvah is special and deeply meaningful.

Questions? Contact Cantor Manny at mota1231@gmail.com