B'nei Mitzvah Logistics

Detailed Logistics Information Packet  
includes all service and kiddush logistics information, Tikkun Olam information, and instructions for caterers

Choosing a Date

To balance the needs of our B'nei Mitzvah families with other needs of the congregation, we strive to carefully schedule our B'nei Mitzvah celebrations. While it is traditional to hold the B'Mitzvah ceremony on a Shabbat closely following the young person’s 13th birthday, any time after that birthday is appropriate. Traditionally girls become adults at the age of 12, not 13, and so there is some flexibility in scheduling a bat mitzvah before a girl’s 13th birthday. 

Rabbi Toba contacts families two years before their child turns 13 to schedule their ceremony date. This happens approximately every August/September (for fall/early winter dates) and January (for late winter/spring dates). B'nei Mitzvah are not scheduled for the month of July. CDT policy is that there can be no more than two B'nei Mitzvah ceremonies in a row, and only 3 out of every 5 Shabbatot. We do our best to make sure everyone gets one of their top two or three choices of dates. 

Fees 

Each B'Mitzvah family will be charged $450 to cover the rental cost for the Kiddush space and the set-up and clean-up for the service. In order to avoid problems of non-payment, Dorshei Tzedek will bill you for this well in advance of your event and payment is due 3 months before your scheduled date. If payment is not made in a timely manner (or some other arrangement made), we will not be able to hold your B'Mitzvah celebration on the scheduled date. If the rental fee is prohibitive, please be in touch as soon as possible with the treasurer or with Rabbi Toba in order to make another arrangement. 
 

Ritual items 

Dorshei Tzedek has kippot (yarmulkes) and tallitot (prayer shawls) available, although some families choose to have special kippot made for the occasion (you can call the Israel Book Shop or Kolbo in Brookline for this).
 

The Site

All Dorshei Tzedek services are held at our prayer space at 60 Highland Street, West Newton, MA 02465. Our sanctuary has 120 permanent chairs, and an additional 70 folding chairs. If you are expecting more than 190 guests, we are able to squeeze in a few more seats on the side.

Physical accessibility into and around the building:
     ‣ The spaces in Second Church used by CDT are mostly accessible for wheelchair users and those who have difficulty climbing stairs, with the exception of Rabbi Toba's personal office and the all-gender restroom.
     ‣ The accessible entrance to the building uses an automatic door that is located on the Chestnut Street parking lot side at 61 Chestnut St, Newton, MA, 02465. Please let us know in advance if you will need to use this door so that a staff member can show you how to access it. There are handicapped parking spots in both lots.
     ‣ There is an elevator up to the prayer space on the far side of Fellowship Hall. We also have a portable ramp which can be used in our sanctuary to give access to the bimah. Please let us know in advance (by the Wednesday before your simcha) if you or one of your guests will need to use this. 
     ‣ There are two restrooms (a two-stall women's room and single-stall men's room) that don't require stairs to access, both located on the first floor. 
     ‣ To see our full Inclusion & Accessibility statement and policies, please visit dorsheitzedek.org/inclusion--accessibility.html. 

There are parking lots and building entrances on both sides of the church (on Highland Street and also on Chestnut Street), and an additional entrance on the Mass Pike side of the building. The entrance to our prayer space is on Highland Street.