Ritual

Original file as published in the ecumenical Living Pulpit Magazine is attached as a PDF file for your convenience.

The environmental impact of your rite of passage, celebration and even your thank you notes is worthy of serious consideration since there are lots of ways to have a wonderful bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah while also being gentle on the environment. Here's how:

One year while studying another of the themes of Sukkot / Sukkos - fragility of life and concern for her ecosystems - I gave permission to the children to invite one mystery guest to dine in the sukkah each night.

First they drew numbered slips from a bowl to determine whose turn would be first.

They would decorate a chair in the sukkah as a seat of honor for the guest. Part of learning and practicing the mitzvah of "hachnassat orchim" - welcoming of guests.

We begin with a short mitzvah story about yizkor and yarzeit, the Jewish memorial spiritual practices for a loved one that take place annually on the anniversary of the person's death, as well as on specific holidays. This article will then continue with how to enter into yartzeit and yizkor as spiritual practices for both home and synagogue.

This ritual also has many components that can be incorporated into a two partner Jewish baby-naming:

Mother repeats after the rabbi:

Hineini muhana u’mzumenet l’kayeim et mitzvat asei sheh-tzivanu l'hachnis et ha-bat sheli labrit
Here I am ready and prepared to fulfill the positive mitzvah of entering my daughter into the
covenant of the Jewish people.