Bar/Bat Mitzvah FAQs

For students with basic Hebrew reading skills, lessons generally begin anywhere from six to eight months (not including the long summer vacation) before the Bar/Bat Mitzvah. For students with little to no Hebrew background, we will begin up to one year in advance. With so many years in the business, I am used to making accommodations for busy and changing schedules, summer camp, vacations and unexpected circumstances. Please feel free to discuss your child’s needs and desires with me.

Most synagogues will schedule Bnai Mitzvah dates anywhere from two to four years in advance. If the Bar Mitzvah ceremony will be held at a locale other than a synagogue, you of course may schedule it at your convenience.

I have tutored students from every possible background with great success, from those that are fluent in Hebrew to those who do not know the Hebrew alphabet! The learning plan is customized to meet the Bar/Bat Mitzvah’s background, skills and learning style. Students with little to no background in Hebrew will be taught basic Hebrew reading. If necessary, we may also utilize transliteration.

Lessons are held once per week. Typically, the first lesson is for one hour and the following appointments will last 30 minutes. As the date of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony gets closer, we may increase the lesson time to 45 minutes up to one hour.

Student lessons are billed at the rate of $100/hour. Package arrangements are available for additional help in planning and leading your service.

Traditionally, boys become Bar Mitzvah at age 13, and girls become Bat Mitzvah at age 12, but anyone can become a Bar/Bat Mitzvah at any age older than that as well.

Every family has different expectations and hopes for what their child’s Bar/Bat Mitzvah experience will entail. Together we can best determine what will be taught during the lessons. For a typical Shabbat morning service, your child can be taught to chant from the Torah and Haftarah, and to lead various parts of the service. In addition, I can assist your child in preparing a D’var Torah (the Bar/Bat Mitzvah speech). For a Shabbat afternoon service or weekday morning service, we will focus on chanting from the Torah and leading parts of the service.

Yes. I have extensive experience working with and training children with a broad range of disabilities (ADD, Dyslexia, Autism, Williams Syndrome, etc.). Based on your child’s specific needs we will develop a lesson plan and service that will enable you and your child to have a meaningful and comfortable Bar/Bat Mitzvah experience.

Yes.

Yes, Yes and Yes. If the service will be held in the child’s synagogue, lessons and materials taught will be in line with the host synagogue. If the service will take place outside the synagogue, I will work with the family to create a meaningful service experience tailored to their needs and desires.

I use and teach a simplified Ashkenazic trope melody. It is important that the student be able to master the tropes and ultimately feel good about his/her accomplishments.

Generally all that is required is a computer, webcam and microphone. I will provide mp3 files of melodies, readings and prayers as well as PDF’s of all required texts. If you or your child desire to use a computer based program to supplement my materials, I will provide details about such a program at the appropriate time.

Yes! Click here to see the benefits of online Bar/Bat mitzvah tutori

All sessions are conducted live via webcam.