Question: Is a Saturday Night Bar Mitzvah and Torah Reading appropriate?
Answer: You ask about whether it is appropriate to celebrate a young man becoming bar mitzvah or a young woman becoming bat mitzvah on a Saturday night. Different congregations within the Reform Movement set different standards for when their celebrations of b'nei mitvah (plural of bar and bat mitzvah) may be held. However, in general, such services are held at times when the Torah is read, and this oes not include Saturday nights.
First, I should say a few things about what bar and bat mitzvah signify. In Jewish tradition, a boy becomes a bar mitzvah when he turns thirteen years old, regardless of what ritual is used to mark the occasion. Becoming a bar mitzvah means that the boy has become a full-fledged member of the community of Jews who are enjoined to perform mitzvot -- the ritual and ethical acts that Jews perform in response to our relationship with God.
When a boy becomes bar mitzvah, it is customary to call him up for an aliyah to the Torah in the synagogue as his first publicly performed mitzvah. An "aliyah" is simply going up to the bimah to recite the blessings before and after the Torah reading, although b'nei mitzvah are generally asked also to read from the Torah and, often, to read the haftarah portion on Shabbat or a holiday.
In recent decades, it has become the accepted practice among liberal Jews to give the same honor to a girl when she becomes a bat mitzvah. Most liberal congregations observe this when the girl turns thirteen, although some maintain the traditional practice of considering a girl to be a bat mitzvah at age twelve.
The so-called "bar mitzvah service" is really just a regular worship service during which the bar or bat mitzvah is called for an aliyah. One of the oddities of contemporary American Jewish life is that the celebrations of b'nei mitzvah seems to have swallowed the rest of the service. From the perspective of Jewish tradition, though, it would be meaningless to have a "bar mitzvah service" at a time when there is no Torah reading. That would really be putting the cart before no horse at all.
Traditionally, Torah is read in the synagogue on Monday, Thursday, Shabbat and holiday mornings. Torah is also read on Shabbat afternoon. All of these are appropriate times to call up a bar or bat mitzvah to read from Torah, although it is most common to observe a bar or bat mitzvah celebration on Shabbat.
There have been a few Reform congregations that have allowed so-called "havdalah bar mitzvahs," that is, a celebration of a bar or bat mitzvah at the Saturday evening service that marks the end of Shabbat. Some also have allowed Friday night bar mitzvah celebrations, since many Reform congregations do read from Torah on Friday nights. Most Reform congregations have moved away from these practices, however, out of a desire to avoid turning bar and bat mitzvah celebrations into private services. Traditionally, Torah is not read on Friday night or at havdalah.
Occasionally, congregations are asked about celebrating a bar or bat mitzvah on Shabbat afternoon, since this is a traditional time for Torah reading. In the Reform Movement, many congregations have a policy not to celebrate b'nei mitzvah at that time if there are available Shabbat morning services during which b'nei mitzvah could be celebrated. Again, such policies are meant to prevent communal worship from being privatized.
You should, as always, consult with the rabbi in your community for an opinion on these questions. Practices do vary widely in different Reform communities. The Reform Movement does not dictate any particular policy in these matters and gives broad latitude to rabbis and congregations to set policies that meet the needs of their communities and that honor Jewish tradition.
Best wishes,
Rabbi Jeffrey W. Goldwasser
First, I should say a few things about what bar and bat mitzvah signify. In Jewish tradition, a boy becomes a bar mitzvah when he turns thirteen years old, regardless of what ritual is used to mark the occasion. Becoming a bar mitzvah means that the boy has become a full-fledged member of the community of Jews who are enjoined to perform mitzvot -- the ritual and ethical acts that Jews perform in response to our relationship with God.
When a boy becomes bar mitzvah, it is customary to call him up for an aliyah to the Torah in the synagogue as his first publicly performed mitzvah. An "aliyah" is simply going up to the bimah to recite the blessings before and after the Torah reading, although b'nei mitzvah are generally asked also to read from the Torah and, often, to read the haftarah portion on Shabbat or a holiday.
In recent decades, it has become the accepted practice among liberal Jews to give the same honor to a girl when she becomes a bat mitzvah. Most liberal congregations observe this when the girl turns thirteen, although some maintain the traditional practice of considering a girl to be a bat mitzvah at age twelve.
The so-called "bar mitzvah service" is really just a regular worship service during which the bar or bat mitzvah is called for an aliyah. One of the oddities of contemporary American Jewish life is that the celebrations of b'nei mitzvah seems to have swallowed the rest of the service. From the perspective of Jewish tradition, though, it would be meaningless to have a "bar mitzvah service" at a time when there is no Torah reading. That would really be putting the cart before no horse at all.
Traditionally, Torah is read in the synagogue on Monday, Thursday, Shabbat and holiday mornings. Torah is also read on Shabbat afternoon. All of these are appropriate times to call up a bar or bat mitzvah to read from Torah, although it is most common to observe a bar or bat mitzvah celebration on Shabbat.
There have been a few Reform congregations that have allowed so-called "havdalah bar mitzvahs," that is, a celebration of a bar or bat mitzvah at the Saturday evening service that marks the end of Shabbat. Some also have allowed Friday night bar mitzvah celebrations, since many Reform congregations do read from Torah on Friday nights. Most Reform congregations have moved away from these practices, however, out of a desire to avoid turning bar and bat mitzvah celebrations into private services. Traditionally, Torah is not read on Friday night or at havdalah.
Occasionally, congregations are asked about celebrating a bar or bat mitzvah on Shabbat afternoon, since this is a traditional time for Torah reading. In the Reform Movement, many congregations have a policy not to celebrate b'nei mitzvah at that time if there are available Shabbat morning services during which b'nei mitzvah could be celebrated. Again, such policies are meant to prevent communal worship from being privatized.
You should, as always, consult with the rabbi in your community for an opinion on these questions. Practices do vary widely in different Reform communities. The Reform Movement does not dictate any particular policy in these matters and gives broad latitude to rabbis and congregations to set policies that meet the needs of their communities and that honor Jewish tradition.
Best wishes,
Rabbi Jeffrey W. Goldwasser
