B'nei Mitzvah
The B'nei Mitzvah is a community celebration, as we welcome the young person into the Dorshei Tzedek community as a Jewish adult—to be counted in our minyan for prayer, and to be called upon to read Torah and take on other responsibilities.
The young person’s B'nei Mitzvah is an opportunity for the whole community to celebrate each individual child.
Our services are intimate, meaningful and spirited, filled with music and inspiring teachings. The young person leads the service, chants the Torah and Haftorah, gives a d’var torah, and the community kvells. We hope that this ceremony becomes a gateway to the young person’s involvement in the life of the congregation in new ways.
In-Person B'nei Mitzvah Services
last updated December 8, 2021
Thank you for your partnership and patience as we work together to celebrate safely. Because the situation with the pandemic is constantly in flux, please know that we will revise these guidelines as circumstances change, and be in touch with Melissa Colten if you have any questions.
Pre-registration of all in-person guests is required. We need to know who is attending and in which pod they are to be seated, and request that our B'nei Mitzvah families share that information with the office one week prior to the ceremony. Guests will find seats within their designated labeled pod when they arrive.
All guests must be informed by the host family that they should attend only if they are fully* vaccinated and are symptom free (without elevated temperature, sore throat, nausea, muscle aches, cough, respiratory symptoms, unexplained rash, and loss of smell or taste) and have not been in contact with anyone with COVID. *Fully vaccinated is defined as having had 2 shots (or 1 J&J) plus a booster for those aged 18+, and having had 2 shots plus 2 weeks for those aged 5-17.
Please note that all services will also be live streamed via YouTube for guests and congregants. This is an exciting time and we all want to celebrate safely!
For more information, see our non-COVID B'nei Mitzvah In-Person Guidelines and logistics and other guidelines. We also encourage you to visit our community shared folder full of helpful COVID-19 Zoom B'nei Mitzvah tips.
The CDT Sanctuary
The CDT Re-entry Protocol Committee had recommended seating be at 30% of full capacity for indoor spaces. So, the CDT sanctuary can now safely accommodate 45 - 60 persons, depending on the size and number of pods. Before finalizing your invitations, please speak with Melissa (857) 228-0228. Rabbi Toba and all staff are fully vaccinated, and we require all in attendance to be vaccinated as well.
The set-up in the sanctuary will be as follows
- Rabbi Toba, who will have taken and received a negative result from an at-home COVID test, will be on the bima, and will be unmasked only during the service. If her test result is positive, we will move to Zoom.
- Dennis Maler, CDT A/V technician, will be masked throughout the ceremony, and will be sitting at the tech table in the back corner.
- The immediate family of the b-mitzvah and their pod will sit up front, near the bimah, and will remain masked throughout the ceremony, with the exception of when she/he/they is leading prayers or chanting from the Torah on the bimah, and when the parents go up for their Aliyah and to give their child a blessing. We request that they also take and received a negative result from an at-home COVID test before attending if they chose to be unmasked at any time. If any test results are positive, we will move to Zoom.
- Designated guest pods will be socially distanced from one another. Fully vaccinated attendees may form a large pod, sitting together without being socially distanced, if the family chooses to do so. Families of the B Mitzvah, once they have a list of those planning to attend in person, should call Melissa to arrange a time to come to the sanctuary. At that time, the family will arrange the seating to their specifications.
- Guests must remain masked throughout the ceremony. Masked family members may come up on the bimah for Torah honors, but again, can only be unmasked on the bima if an at-home or PCR COVID test result is negative with 2 days of the ceremony.
- The family and guests will be asked to sing softly.
- After the ceremony, the immediate family is welcome to move downstairs to the Parlor to connect, over Zoom, with those guests attending virtually, if they wish to do so.
- Windows are to be open and the fans on and set in reverse.
- Masks are required and will be maintained for the duration of the service, even if all attendees are fully vaccinated.
- Other than those of the immediate B Mitzvah family, children below the age of 5 will not be permitted in the sanctuary.
- Food will not be allowed in the sanctuary, and we will not have kiddush luncheons in fellowship hall.
Costs and Contributions
Indoor Ceremony
Each B'nei Mitzvah family, while we are unable to have a community kiddush after the Shabbat morning service, will be charged $250 to help offset the increased A/V and covid-prevention costs.