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OHT HATORAH

B'nei Mitzvah: Planning Guide
» The Service and its Logistics

  • Ohr HaTorah encourages families to hold the Bar/Bat mitzvah service at the regular Shabbat morning service. Because of the communal nature of our congregation, congregants are eager to share in the mitzvah of witnessing the rite of passage of a member of the community.
  • Generally, the Bar or Bat Mitzvah will do the following:
    • Lead parts of the service. The prayers may include V'ahavtah, Avot/Gevurot, Shma Echad, Aleynu, V'shamru- Kiddush, Motzi and others, depending on each student's abilities.
    • Say the blessing for Tallit.
    • Chant the Torah blessings and all of the 10-12 assigned verses of their Torah portion. At Ohr HaTorah we read each Torah portion, one aliyah per year. The portion chanted by a Bar or Bat Mitzvah is determined by the date of the service and by the aliyah our community is reading.
    • Chant the Haftarah blessings and all of the 10-13 assigned verses of the Haftarah (the prophetic section of the Bible) linked to their Torah portion.
    • Present a drash (speech) dealing with the significance and meaning of some issues from anywhere in the Torah portion, regardless of which part of the portion the student actually chants.
  • The service itself remains the same from week to week. The extent to which a student will lead prayers in the service will be determined at the discretion of the Director of Education and B'nei Mitzvah Tutor. Determining factors will include the child's readiness, abilities and knowledge as well as the Bar/Bat Mitzvah's progress, Hebrew ability, and musical skills.
    Clergy Participation
  • In addition to the Rabbi, Ohr HaTorah will provide the Cantor/s and Pianist for the ceremony. Because your Bar/Bat Mitzvah service is taking place in the context of our regular Shabbat services, if you desire to engage a Cantor or Pianist from outside of the Ohr HaTorah Community, it is our policy to engage only those familiar and fluent with Ohr HaTorah services. Please check with the Executive Director for guidance on this.
  • Many families want to provide a gesture of thanks to the Rabbi, Cantor, and Pianist. For the Rabbi, families may choose to make a donation to the Rabbi's Discretionary Fund or give him a personal gift in his name. For the Cantor and Pianist, a donation may be made to Ohr HaTorah for their participation in the morning service.
    Liturgy
  • For the Shabbat Morning service, Ohr HaTorah uses Siddur Hadash, prepared under the supervision of The Center for Contemporary Judaica, 1992. For the chanting of the Torah and the Haftarah, the Stone Edition Tanakh published by Mesorah, Ltd., 1992, is used.
    Service Schedule
  • The Shabbat Morning service schedule is as follows:
      8:45 AM Birkot Hashachar (morning prayers)
      9:00 AM Rabbi's Study Session
      9:45 AM Prayer Services begin
      10:45 AM Torah Service
      11:30 AM Torah Study Session
      12:30 PM Kiddush, Hamotsi and Lunch
    Facilities
  • The Shabbat morning services are held in the sanctuary at Ohr HaTorah in Los Angeles, on the corner of Venice Boulevard and Barrington Avenue.
  • The address is:
    • 11827 Venice Boulevard
      Los Angeles, CA 90066
    Facility Decorations
  • If you choose to decorate the sanctuary, please have the decorations reflect a sanctuary environment. An example would be the use of flowers and foliage arrangements. Placement of the decorations must permit comfortable walking access to and from the bimah and for the Torah procession.
    Video and Still Camera Photography
  • Please be aware that in general, video and/or still photography cameras, and/or any recording devices are not permitted in the sanctuary. This holds for Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremonies as well. Based on past experience and our interest in accommodating the understandable desires to record/capture the simcha, Ohr HaTorah has developed very specific policies with the aim of also preserving the sanctity of the service.
  • These policies may be reviewed here. Please give these guidelines to both your photographer and your videographer, have each sign the agreement to abide by the policies and forward a copy of the signed agreement to the B'nei Mitzvah Program Director. If you or they have specific concerns that are not addressed in the policy, please have them contact the Executive Director.
  • We recommend that you refer them to OHT policies as part of your selection process so there are no last minute surprises regarding expectations on either side. In addition, we suggest that you check with the Executive Director before you hire him/her or sign a contract so that we may alert you to any potential conflicts that past experience may intimate.
    Invitations
  • Since Ohr HaTorah does not have a permanent facility, it is important to include wording on the invitation that denotes Ohr HaTorah as the congregation with which the Bar/Bat Mitzvah and family is affiliated.
  • Please refrain from using the words "Bar/Bat Mitzvah" as a verb. For example, we hear parents say that their son /daughter was "Bar/Bat Mitzvahed." The words Bar/Bat Mitzvah are nouns, referring to "Jewish adults." An example of appropriate wording on the invitation could be stated as "[name] becomes a Bar/Bat Mitzvah," or "[name] is called to the Torah as a Bar/Bat Mitzvah."
  • Ohr HaTorah requests that the invitations reflect the religious and spiritual nature of the ceremony. Invitations decorated with symbols of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah's favorite sport or type of car would be considered inappropriate. Sample wording for invitations and parking instructions can be found in the B'nei Mitzvah section of the OHT website.
  • Because of the restricted parking near Ohr HaTorah, parking directions must be included with the invitation for a morning service.
  • We strongly encourage inviting all students in the class to both the service and the reception. This guideline is in keeping with our philosophy of community cohesiveness and showing the utmost consideration to the sensitivities and feelings of our students at this tender age. Please send class invitations through the mail rather than passing them out during Religious School.
  • Please send invitations for the Rabbi and Rebbetzin to the Ohr HaTorah office.
  • Please Note: It is customary for the family to sponsor the congregational Kiddush after the service. A donation of $180 will cover the cost for the Challah and wine as well as extra for kippot for your guests. If you choose to purchase special kippot for your simcha, remember to include the congregation at large in your total count.
    Participation of Family and Friends
  • It is customary to honor family and friends by designating various components of the Torah service to them. The Rabbi will be glad to counsel you in the handling of the number of people you wish to honor as well as with special family situations such as interfaith marriage, divorce and remarriage, and involvement of significant others.
  • Below are the specific roles available to designate to your honorees.
      Presentation of Tallit
    • The tallit may be presented by anyone the family chooses. Should the presenter wish to say a few words, please keep the presentation to ONE minute. Samples of wording for the tallit presentation and parental blessings (samples are below).
      Taking out the Torah and the Hakafah
    • The Rabbi will pass the Torah through the generations of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah's family, from grandparent(s) to parent(s) to the Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Non-Jewish parent and grandparents will stand behind the Jewish parent and grandparents and will not pass down the Torah. Male non-Jewish parents and grandparents (and female non-Jewish parent and grandparents, if they choose to do so,) will wear a kipah, but not a tallit. As the Bar/Bat Mitzvah carries the Torah through the congregation, the parent(s) and grandparent(s) follow the Torah. When the Torah is brought to the Rabbi, the relatives return to their seats. Two sifrei Torah will travel through the congregation at the Morning service. The Bar/Bat Mitzvah will carry one Torah; the second Torah scroll is reserved in case our congregation has someone to honor. If Ohr HaTorah will not need to use the second Torah, you will be informed and this honor may be given to someone in your family. At the Afternoon service there will be one Torah that the Bar/Bat Mitzvah will carry through the congregation.
      Aliyot
    • At Ohr HaTorah, the Torah reading is divided into three aliyot. For the first aliyah, the family of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah may choose family members and/or friends to honor. The second aliyah is reserved for the parent(s) of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah, and the last aliyah (maftir aliyah) is reserved for the Bar/Bat Mitzvah.
    • In the calling up of aliyot, the order from first to third aliyah progresses from those more distantly related to the Bar/Bar Mitzvah to those most closely connected through family relationship. The family may choose to honor single persons or groups of people (couples, such as a grandmother and grandfather), cousins (together in a group), etc. Those called up to chant the Torah Blessings must be Jewish and 13 years of age or older. It is recommended that they have had a Bar/Bat Mitzvah service. They may chant or read the blessings in Hebrew. It is expected that the Hebrew will be read correctly.
    • The Gabbai will call each honoree to the bima by his/her Hebrew name. Fill out the Service Honors Form with the English and Hebrew names of your honorees and forward a copy of the completed form to the B'nei Mitzvah Program Director.
    • With respect to non-Jewish participants, for the second aliyah, a non-Jewish spouse will accompany a Jewish spouse to the bimah, but will not chant the Torah blessings. For the first aliyah, non-Jewish family members will accompany Jewish family members to the bimah, but will not chant the Torah blessings. The non-Jewish spouse and non- Jewish family members will be called up by English names only.
      Hagba'ah
    • This is the honor of lifting the Torah. The Magbihah is the person designated to lift the Torah.
    • The honoree faces the table holding the Torah; takes the bottom handles of the Torah; bends his/her knees slightly and lifts the Torah; turns around so the Torah writing is facing the congregation and the honoree has his/her back to congregation. Next, he/she opens the Torah so at least 3 columns of writing are showing. Keep the Torah open as the congregation sings V'zot HaTorah for the first time. The Rabbi or the Gabbai will help the honoree sit down with the Torah, so the gollel/gollelet can redress the Torah.
      G'leelah
    • This is the honor of dressing the Torah.
    • The Torah is dressed in the following manner: the Rabbi or Gabbai will help you roll the Torah scroll together. The girdle (band holding the Torah scrolls together) is clipped or tied. The mantle (cloth cover) is put on the Torah. The chain of the silver breastplate is placed on top of both of the wooden handles and the yad (pointer) is placed atop one wooden handle and the breastplate. Last, the 2 rimmonim (crowns with bells) are placed, one on each of the two wooden handles of the Torah.
      Holding the Torah during Torah and/or Haftarah Reading
    • One honoree will sit and hold the Torah (if the family is given both Torah scrolls to carry) while the Bar/Bat Mitzvah chants both the Torah and the Haftarah. The second honoree will sit and hold the Torah from which the Bar/Bat Mitzvah has just chanted while the Bar/Bat Mitzvah chants the Haftarah. Once the student completes both the Haftarah and the drash, the Rabbi or the Gabbai will guide the Torah holders through the process of returning the Torah scrolls to the Ark.
      P'tichat Aron
    • This is the honor of opening and/or closing the Ark. There is an opportunity to open the ark at the beginning of the Torah service and to close it upon returning the Torah scrolls to the ark.
      Gifts from the Synagogue
    • These are presented by the Rabbi or the president of the congregation.
      Parent(s) Blessing(s)
    • Parents will bless the Bar/Bat Mitzvah at the podium. It may be given privately, publicly, or as a combination private, then public message. Please limit the blessing to ONE minute. Please do not use this time to describe the Bar/Bat Mitzvah's qualities in detail (please save this speech for the reception). Rather, we ask that you focus on a blessing for your child that encompasses his/her strongest characteristics, talents, and/or interests. We ask that these guidelines be especially honored at a morning service. Guidelines provided by the Rabbi for the Parents Blessings are provided below.
    • Parents have the opportunity to do two personal blessings during the service, first at the presentation of the Tallit, and then again at the end of the service. The blessing should not take longer than about a minute to say; any longer and it becomes a speech. These words are a guideline only. Please feel free to adapt or change them.
    • Sample Tallit Presentation:
      This tallit represents a history of tradition that goes all the way back to our ancestors in the Sinai Desert. As you wear this tallit, you are being wrapped in that tradition. We pray that the Jewish tradition always brings you nourishment and light.

      This tallit also represents the embrace of your family. We watch you now with awe and pride as you enter young woman/man hood. We pray that as you wear this tallit, you will always remember the love of your family.

      The fringes on this tallit represent the commandments of God to live in holiness. We pray that as you look upon these fringes, you always remember to walk in the ways of holiness, truth and righteousness, and that God's love and blessing accompany you your whole life through.

    • Sample final blessing:
      [Name]: You have blessed us since the day you were born, and you continue to bless us today. You have honored us with your dedication to study, your true search for meaning in your Torah portion, and the grace and perfection in your leading of the prayers.

      We pray that God continues to bless you with all the things that you treasure: love of family and friends, joy in life and good times, the time for good books, the inspiration for your drawing, insight for your deepening mind.

      We pray that God guides you on a path of righteousness and goodness. You have brought so much to us and to all who know you. We know you will fill the world with your light and work.

      And we pray that God will guide you toward deep fulfillment from your Judaism, from study, from prayer, from community, and from that special feeling you have when honoring God through the commandments.

      You have been a blessing, and we pray that your life be blessed.

  • In the Appendix of this Guide you will find Ohr HaTorah's Guidelines for Behavior in the Sanctuary. Please share these basic rules of decorum with your guests (they are especially appropriate for teens who are not familiar with Jewish practice or may not be aware of Ohr HaTorah's guidelines). Please share these guidelines for behavior in the sanctuary). These basic rules of the synagogue decorum may not be known by all.