B’nei Mitzvah Program | בני מצוה

When a young person reaches the age of 13, they are expected to assume the religious responsibilities of an adult in the Jewish community. At Congregation Emanu-El, this is marked by participating in a Shabbat morning service and reading from the Torah on or after their thirteenth birthday. Students also have an option to participate in an inter-generational trip to Israel and to celebrate becoming B’nei Mitzvah during that trip. We are happy to create individual B’nei Mitzvah experiences for students with special needs. Please contact Rabbi Leo Fuchs for more information.

Students prepare for B’nei Mitzvah by developing skills to lead the congregation in parts of the Shabbat morning service, by learning to chant from the weekly Torah and Haftarah portions and by creating a D’var Torah, an individual interpretation of the weekly reading.

In order to become B’nei Mitzvah, a student must be enrolled in our B’nei mitzvah Youth and Family Education Program for at least two years prior to the event. Families must be members of the congregation and students must participate in the Youth and Family Education program as well as B’nei Mitzvah preparation classes.

If you have questions regarding the timeline of the B’nei Mitzvah journey after a date has been selected, please contact the B’nei Mitzvah Coordinator, David Wolk.

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B’nei Mitzvah Process & Logistics

Click each link below to learn more:
B’nei Mitzvah Family Information Packet (Red Binder)
B’nei Mitzvah Preparations Timeline
Guidance on Gender-Expansive Celebrations and Language from our partner organization, Keshet
Additional Information for Brandeis Families
Sample Parent Blessings
B’nei Mitzvah Honors Sheet

Materials for Learning B’nei Mitzvah Prayers

Click each link below to learn more:
B’nei Mitzvah Mechina Prayer and Blessings Packet (text and audio)
Recordings of B’nei Mitzvah Mechina Prayers and Blessings (audio only)
B’nei Mitzvah Mechina Prayer and Blessings Packet (Blue Book) (PDF, text only)
Before and after Torah blessings with transliteration

Materials for Choosing and Learning Torah and Haftarah Portions

Click each link below to learn more:
Suggested Torah and Haftarah Readings
To access resources for the Jewish calendar, Hebrew-English Bible, Jewish texts, and Torah portion translations, click here.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Is it necessary to be a member of Congregation Emanu-El for our child to become B’nei Mitzvah?

Yes. Your family does need to have a current membership for your child to become B’nei Mitzvah.

Other than being members of the congregation, what are the other requirements?

Along with being members of the congregation, students do need to be enrolled and active in our youth and family education (YFE) program. The only exception is if your child attends Brandeis Day School. Our Brandeis students join YFE in the 6th grade.

Is there a fee to be part of the B’nei Mitzvah program?

There is no additional fee to have your child become B’nei Mitzvah at Emanu-El.

What is the timeline of preparation?

Our B’nei Mitzvah program begins three years before the 13th birthday when families are assigned their dates. Within the year of their B’nei Mitzvah, our students attend an 8-week blessings class, work with a Hebrew reading coach for 8 weeks, have weekly chanting lessons for 6 months, and work with their guide rabbi once a month for 6 months.

How long is a B’nei Mitzvah service, and when does it start?*

Our B’nei Mitzvah service begins at 10:30 am and is an hour and a half on Saturday mornings.

Which rabbi and cantor will officiate at our service?*

We’re glad you asked! Your cantor will depend on which sanctuary you choose to have your child’s B’nei Mitzvah. If you choose the Main Sanctuary, your family will work with Cantor Luck, and if you choose the Martin Meyer Sanctuary, your family will work with Cantor Attie.
Your rabbi will be assigned just about one year in advance of the B’nei Mitzvah.

In which sanctuary will our child become B’nei Mitzvah?*

Great question! You will receive a date request form with the available dates for your child’s cohort. You will have the option to select dates in either sanctuary.

How do we get a date for our child’s B’nei Mitzvah?

Your family will be invited to our date-setting meeting three years before your child’s 13th birthday. At this meeting, you will receive a form that has available dates to select from.

Do all services take place at Congregation Emanu-El, or can we have a service outside or somewhere else?

All services with our clergy will be held at Congregation Emanu-El.

Some of our family members aren’t Jewish. Does that affect anything?

This is another great question. For family members that are not Jewish, the only limitation is which blessings they are and are not able to say on the bimah.

* This information is true for 2026 forward. We will be under construction from 2023-2025 and will only have the Main Sanctuary available. Our cantors will be alternating weekends and there will be back-to-back services at 9:00 am and 11:15 am.

Logistics & Information (Red Binder)

Torah and Haftarah Resources

Prayers Text & Recordings (Blue Book)

Adult B'nei Mitzvah Program

Emanu-El Remembers

B’nei Mitzvah Program | בני מצוה

Frequently Asked Questions

Congregation Emanu-El