This gallery of B’nai Mitzvah Innovations profiles cutting edge approaches to B’nai Mitzvah.
First, begin your exploration of our six areas of experimentation with a button below.
Second, enjoy browsing through each of the snapshots in the collections.
Brit Atid
Brit Atid (Covenant of the Future), an aspect of the Jewish Journeys Project, is a yearlong learning experience designed to explore what coming of age means for a young person’s relationship to self, family, and community. The program includes monthly one-on-one learning sessions with a Jewish educator, monthly family learning sessions, and participation in a class community service project; children are also expected to participate in courses offered at the JCC. The program culminates with a communal celebration with all families together, at which time children present projects they have created in response to a Torah portion.
Lessons Learned
This communal celebration of coming of age has lifted some of the communal pressure off of families to throw large b’nai mitzvah parties. Families appreciate that the focus of the celebration is on the community of families, rather than on one child in particular.
Program Info
Grade levels: 7
Learners: Children (pre-B’nai Mitzvah), Parents
Families may choose to participate in the Brit Atid program as a supplement or an alternative to a synagogue based Bar/Bat Mitzvah
Year Implemented: 2013
Areas:
- Repairing the World
- Participating in Community
About Us
JCC Manhattan
New York, NY
B’nai Mitzvah each year: 8