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.
Team Tzedek
At the end of 4th grade, students and their families chose among three tracks (My Israel, My Personal Prayer Journey, and Team Tzedek) to becoming b’nai mitzvah. In Team Tzedek, students and families create a community committed to improving the world through acts of loving kindness, community service, and advocacy for social change. Each student learns as part of a chavurah of 7-10 families. These chaverot will study together, participate in social action projects together, and create community together. The students celebrate their B’nai Mitzvah as part of a group ceremony, in which they read Torah, share what they learned about the Jewish value of giving, and explain how engaging in gimilut chasadim has impacted their lives.
Lessons Learned
This track is the most “revolutionary” and it takes children and parents who are willing to buck the conventional B’nai Mitzvah model, in a community that places high value on the status quo. This track is the one which families have been hesitant to embrace. Children want B’nai Mitzvah similar to their older siblings and friends. Parents want their children to be the “stars” for the day.
Program Info
Grade levels: 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th
Learners: Children (pre-B’nai Mitzvah), Parents
Year Implemented: 2016
Areas:
- Family Engagement
- Innovative Ritual
- Participating in Community
- Repairing the World
About Us
Congregation B’nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim
Deerfield, IL
1100 family units
Reform Congregation
B’nai Mitzvah each year: 100+