Bar & Bat Mitzva
South Hampstead enjoys a number of Bar and Bat Mitza each year. Each bar or bat mitzva is held on its own so that every young person has their own day and special time. A consequence of this is that the calendar gets crowded. There are a number of ways to obviate this:
- Barmitzvah boys can attend the morning service on a Monday or Thursday closest to their 13th birthday by the Hebrew calendar. They are called up to the Torah for the first time and recite the short blessing that they have already learnt for their big day. A little l'chaim is said after the service and there is an opportunity for family photos. The Shabbat celebration can then take place within two or three months of this date.
- For girls, South Hampstead has pioneered bat mitzva ceremonies on Friday night or Havdalah as Shabbat goes out. These make for lovely ceremonies in the presence of family and friends. Alternatively the bat mitzva can be celebrated on Shabbat during the service.
Book your bar or bat mitzvah date through Rachel Perez-Arwas in the synagogue office 020 7722 1807
For barmitzvas the Office is able to recommend a number of teachers. Instruction should not begin more than a year before the date of the barmitzvah.
For batmitzvahs please arrange to meet with Lauren Levin a year before the batmitzvah to talk through the various options and the appointment of a teacher.
To find the Hebrew date of a bar or bat mitzvah use the Date Calculator link below:
For details of SHY (South Hampstead Youth) activities, look on the SHY page.
