bar mitzvah

Could an aliyah be a way to honor the sacrifices of a non-Jewish mother who raises a Jewish child?

An overview of this Jewish rite of passage for 12- and 13-year-olds.

Suggestions for adding social action to this rite of passage.

Mitzvah projects are often part of the bar/bat mitzvah observance .

What to expect and how to behave at a bar/bat mitzvah service.

The defining moment of the ceremony is the child's first aliyah, but children may also play additional roles in the service.

Interfaith families should ask the rabbi about synagogue policies and honestly examine both parents' attachments to Judaism.

Divorced parents must rise above their own differences and make the day special for the child.

Parents, educators, rabbis and student must work as a team to adjust the ceremony to the student's learning style and capabilities.

Practical aspects of bar bat mitzvah