Never been to a Bat Mitzvah? You're not alone -- most of our guests are not Jewish! Here are some more details about what will take place.
"Bat Mitzvah" literally means "daughter of the commandment". For boys, it is called a "bar mitzvah". It signifies that Julia is old enough to be counted as a full member of the Jewish community, and can read from the Torah (bible) in Hebrew. Though sometimes people say that Julia is "having a bat mitzvah", the most correct way to say it is that she is "becoming a bat mitzvah".
This rite of passage usually takes place on or just after a child's 13th birthday. Traditionally it was said that a boy became a man upon becoming a bar mitzvah, but realistically we know that a 13-year-old is not really an adult yet, so it is just one of the many steps along the road to adulthood.
Since it's a big party as well as a religious service, it is appropriate to be dressy. Women should try to avoid wearing short skirts or being sleeveless in the temple santuary, but otherwise any nice clothes are good.
Some men (and occassionally even a woman) may choose to wear a kippah, also called a yarmulke, which covers the top of the head. Since this is a Reform temple, this is totally optional. (Conservative and Orthodox temples have more traditional rules.) Likewise some may wear a tallis, or prayer shawl, but many will not. If you would like to wear a kippah, there will be some available as you enter.
The service will begin promptly at 10:30 at Temple B'rith Kodesh, 2131 Elmwood Ave., Rochester, and will last for about an hour and a half. This is a regular "shabbat" (sabbath) service, which takes place every Saturday morning. It is not like a wedding, by contrast, which takes place at a separate service.
The service includes readings and prayers in both Hebrew and English. You can follow along in the siddur (prayer book). Hebrew is written from right to left. Like Hebrew books, the siddur opens "backwards" (with the spine on the right). The service is led by a rabbi and a cantor, who leads the singing. They do a great job of telling you what page we're on and when you are supposed to sit or stand.
The first half of the service includes traditional sabbath prayers, and the second half focuses on the Torah reading. In many of the prayers you will hear "Adonai", which is a name for God. You may also notice that in referring to God, our temple uses gender-neutral terms and avoids using "him", "king", etc. Like in many services of other religions, there are times when the group can respond to the rabbi, but participation is optional. These responses are generally indented in the prayer book.
In the prayer book you will see dots and lines below and above the letters, and these are actually the vowels. The Torah is handwritten without vowels, so learning to read it takes quite a lot of preparation and practice. The Torah, which contains the first five books of the Christians' Old Testament, is read in an annual cycle with all Jews worldwide reading the same portions every week. Julia will read seven sections from her portion, which is about the last three plagues in Egypt before the Pharoah frees the Jews.
Before and after each section, people will come up to say a prayer. This is called an Aliyah and is an honor bestowed upon Jewish family and friends. Julia will read some verses, and chant others in a traditional pattern that must be memorized.
After that, Julia will chant a portion from the Haftarah, which is other holy text by the prophets. She will then deliver a "D'var Torah" which is a discussion about the meaning of her Torah portion, and how it pertains to her life and preparation as a Bat Mitzvah.
After the conclusion of the service, we will go out into the lobby where there will be wine/juice and challah bread. Please wait a moment for a quick blessing before drinking juice or wine. Then, in addition to bread, cookies will be served. This festivity is called the "Oneg Shabbat" which means the "joy of the sabbath."
When we are ready to depart, children who are attending without their parents can get a ride with Julia's parents or aunt to the Burgundy Basin, where the party will begin! See directions to 1361 Marsh Rd., Pittsford.
At the reception, a DJ will keep things fun for both the kids and the adults. After Julia makes her entrance, we'll dance the traditional Jewish Hora, which a simple and fun dance in a circle, during which Julia will be lifted and bounced around on a chair! After that, we'll enjoy a buffet lunch before returning to the dance floor for popular dance songs and a couple of games.
Since it also Julia's birthday, we'll be enjoying birthday cake and an ice cream sundae bar.
The party will wind down between 4:30 and 5:00. Kids can be picked up at the Burgundy Basin around that time. The Burgundy Basin is on Marsh Road right off of Route 96.