WISDOM SCHOOL
Bar & Bat Mitzvah Journey with Rabbi Brian Yosef
(B'nai Mitzvah; B'Mitzvah)
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A Message from Rabbi Brian Yosef Schachter-Brooks:
The Bar/Bat Mitzvah is celebrated as a crucial and transformative milestone in the life of a young Jewish person. Traditionally, the ceremony affirms the young person's inclusion in communal spiritual life by being called to the Torah for the first time, chanting from the Torah and leading prayers.
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But, for many Jewish families who choose to do an independent bar/bat mitzvah, the ceremony can end up being a one-time-only performance. And futhermore, learning for a bar/bat mitzvah is often so focused on the many Hebrew words to learn, there's hardly any time to really explore what any of it means. In short, for many, it's a missed opportunity.
A Cure
Wisdom School addresses this situation with deep learning and mindfulness-based Jewish practices, while fostering an experiential connection to Jewish community at that crucial moment leading into the teen years. Wisdom School is the only independent program which allows students to be part of a larger Jewish community, without having to belong to a synagogue. Students will be able to participate weekly in our online services and meditations with the Torah of Awakening community, and over time, they will be invited to lead parts of the services. In this way, they will be able to help lead their own b'nai mitzvah ceremonies with experience and confidence, guiding their friends and loved ones in a ceremony that is fully partcipatory for everyone present, while gaining tools for mental and emotional wellbeing they will use for a lifetime.
A Cure
Wisdom School addresses this situation with deep learning and mindfulness-based Jewish practices, while fostering an experiential connection to Jewish community at that crucial moment leading into the teen years. Wisdom School is the only independent program which allows students to be part of a larger Jewish community, without having to belong to a synagogue. Students will be able to participate weekly in our online services and meditations with the Torah of Awakening community, and over time, they will be invited to lead parts of the services. In this way, they will be able to help lead their own b'nai mitzvah ceremonies with experience and confidence, guiding their friends and loved ones in a ceremony that is fully partcipatory for everyone present, while gaining tools for mental and emotional wellbeing they will use for a lifetime.
Call or send text to: 510-986-4223
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Practical Jewish Wisdom
Hillel used to say: "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for my own self, what am I? And if not now, when?" - Pirkei Avot 1:14
In addition to leading prayers, chanting Torah and meditating together, students will learn the practical, ethical, and spiritual lessons of the Hebrew wisdom tradition. They will foster their own original insights through lively, inspiring discussions and deep exploration. Students are also encouraged to be creative and take on individual projects such as community service, writing, music, or whatever is their interest.
This Program is Different
With Wisdom School, students will:
- Learn to read Hebrew, chant Torah and Haftorah, and lead Hebrew prayers.
- Explore Hebrew wisdom texts through lively, inspiring discussions and deep exploration.
- Learn and practice leading prayers in our weekly online service, fostering connection to community and building a deep Jewish foundation, rather than merely practicing for a one-time performance.
- Learn practical skills for mental & emotional wellness and experience the healthful "high" of meditation.
- Explore their unique purpose with their own "mitzvah" project in the form of volunteer work or other independent project.
- Gain a strong foundation in Torah and Jewish spirituality from an "Integral" point of view.*
* "Integral" means keeping the best from past tradition, while integrating inclusivity, egalitarianism and universalism, transcending dogmas and out-dated belief systems, and fostering an experiential connection with Jewish spirituality based on the cultivation of awareness.