Grade 7 Mitzvah Maniacs

This amazing and unique program is offered to students entering Grade 7. Whether your child is new to DJCS or continuing, this program provides a foundation for Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation. It helps build a sense of community amongst participating families in the program and prepares students for future involvement in Jewish life.

 

The Ten Mitzvot project fulfills students’ mitzvah requirements for Bar/Bat Mitzvah at the First Narayever Congregation and other synagogues.    
Mitzvah categories include Torah (Jewish Learning), Avodah (Jewish Worship) and Gemilut Hasadim (Deeds of Loving Kindness).  Among the hands on “10 Mitzvot” that students have participated in are:
 

• Cooking traditional Jewish holiday dishes.

• Attending a baby naming

• Making a tallit and learning how to tie tzitzit

• Organizing a clothing drive for the homeless

• Volunteering at our community Purim carnival

• Intergenerational seder

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This program helps to ease the academic burden Grade 7 students often feel.  The main objective, however, is to make students’ Grade 7 year an experiential and meaningful Jewish experience, independent of which synagogue (if any) families attend.

 

Details

The original meaning of Bar/Bat Mitzvah has nothing to do with a party, or even a service.  Bar/Bat Mitzvah is a Hebrew term which means “one who is subject to the commandments.”  This suggests that students becoming Bar/Bat Mitzvah begin to take on certain responsibilities to their families, to their community, to their tradition, and to God. The fulfillment of those responsibilities is the way in which we actualize the true meaning of Bar/Bat Mitzvah.

To help convey this important message, we have established a project called “Ten Mitzvot”. These mitzvoth fall into three general categories:

1. Torah (Jewish study)

2. Avodah (Jewish worship),

3. Gemilut Hasadim (deeds of loving kindness).

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This project is an integral part of many Bar and Bat Mitzvah programs. DJCS works closely with Downtown synagogues and communities to fulfill the educational requirement. This is done by doing journal reflections on each area of learning to document what is taught and learned. At the end of the program, students have a journal of their thoughts and experiences about the topics studied.

 

Grade 7 Tallit Workshop

DJCS School offers an annual Tallit Making Family Workshop for Grade 7 students & their parents.  We hope you’ll all join us for this unique opportunity to create an heirloom quality kosher tallit together as a gift for your child bar/bat mitzvah or for another friend or family member. The workshop includes all the essentials necessary to successfully complete your tallit. It includes a beautifully pre-sewn bar/bat mitzvah size tallit garment (made of luxurious Faux-Silk), clip art and blessing patterns, fabric markers, and wool tzitzit (which you will learn to tie). No experience or artistic talent is necessary.  The process used for creating these magnificent heirlooms is so simple everyone can do it.

 

Registration is limited to DJCS Grade 7 Students and one Parent or Grandparent.  An adult family member is required to attend all three sessions.