Hachnasat Orchim (Welcoming The Stranger)

Hospitality and warmth are important values at Temple Emanu-El, and greeters for bnai mitzvah services help ensure that everyone who comes to Temple on Shabbat feels welcome and comfortable in the service. Sixth graders and their families are encouraged to welcome guests at the ceremonies of their friends and other members of the class. Responsibilities include arriving early, saying a friendly “Shabbat Shalom” to those arriving for the service, handing out prayer books, inviting people to choose a seat and staying in the lobby or foyer for the first few minutes after the service begins to welcome latecomers, before going into the service themselves. 

Once you sign up to participate in this part of the Community Movers program, you will get an email 10 days before the service with a friendly reminder and more details about the role.

Students are required to greet visitors at two bnai mitzvah services during the 6th grade year. 

To sign up for your Hachnasat Orchim dates, email B'nai Mitzvah Coordinator, Hallie Weiner. 

Community Movers 

Community Movers is the program encompassing the entire 6th grade experience at Temple Emanu-El. There are three pillars to the Movers year: Family tikkun olam projects, the YL+E Sunday program and the Bar/Bat Mitzvah experience. In addition to the Sunday program and individual tikkun olam project dates, there are three Sunday morning sessions that are part of the Movers program: one in the Spring of 5th grade and two during 6th grade. These are intended to help families connect and bond in a spiritual way, as well as learn about the importance of Jewish values in family life.

Facility Rentals (coming soon!)

Practice Expectations and How To Practice

Parent Resources

• @13 podcast-a six-episode podcast series  for parents and pre-teens going through the sometimes confusing, likely emotional, and certainly triumphant process of planning and becoming a Bat or Bar Mitzvah. We hear from rabbis, authors, comedians, psychologists, parents, and teens about the ancient roots and modern realities of this Jewish rite of passage. And we consider how to infuse meaning and connection into the process of becoming and parenting a teen. Listen now on iTunes or anywhere fine podcasts are served!
• Bim Bam-videos on each Torah portion 
• Union of Reform Judaism Torah portions
• Honors available for family and friends in the service
• Guidelines for parent blessing (coming soon!)
• Book reccomendations 
  • "Putting God on the Guest List: How to Reclaim Spiritual Meaning of your Child's Bar or Bat Mitzvah," by Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin
  • "Make Your Own Bar/Bat Mitzvah: A Personal Approach to Creating a Meaningful Rite of Passage," by Rabbi Goldie Milgram
  • "Bat Mitzvah: A Jewish Girl's Coming of Age," by Barbara Diamond Goldin
• If you are interested in joining a small group, otherwise known as Sh'ma Emanu-El, with other bnai mitzvah families in your cohort, please contact Alexandra Horn.  What is Sh'ma Emanu-El? Small groups of individuals, couples or families that help to make our big community feel small. They help to deepen your connection with others who share similar interests or life stages. They enable you to share Jewish experiences, conversations and celebrations with others.
• The difference between the morning and afternoon services