Mitzvat HaLev | Connect to the Heart

Chochmat family membership is a requirement for hosting a B’Mitzva ritual during Chochmat services with our clergy and musical team. Families also commit to attending at least one Chochmat service per month for the year leading up to the B’Mitzva.

Leading Services: We have a meaningful service structure for B’Mitzva rituals and do not customize services for individual students. Leading prayers requires tutoring with a member of our prayer leadership team. Choice of prayers depends on skills and previous knowledge of each student.

Drash (Sermon): Students will have dedicated time to work on their drash/sermon as part of the B’Mitzva program.

Torah Reading: Torah reading usually requires dedicated private tutoring at an additional cost. We have a community of Chochmat-affiliated tutors who are excited to work with students on learning how to read Torah.

We hold Shabbat morning services on the second Saturday of every month. You can work with our front office to choose a date once you register for the program.

Program fees cover the two-year learning program, six one-on-one mentorship meetings, as well as clergy and stafftime preparing the B’Mitzva service. Additional tutoring for prayer leadership and Torah chanting will be an additional cost, generally around $50/hour. We also ask families to sponsor the kiddush lunch after services (estimate of $1000 for catering).

Reading from the Torah can often be one component of a meaningful B’Mitzva experience. In the cohort group, as well as in 1-1 meetings with the lead educator, students will practice and support each other in their Torah learning, from understanding of passages to commentary and analysis. We see reading from the Torah as just one component of our multifaceted program.

We see B’Mitzvas as an opportunity for the whole family to deepen their relationship to Jewish tradition and to the Chochmat community. We’ve also found that B’Mitzva students are more likely to have a meaningful experience in the program developing their Jewish identity and experimenting with practices if their families are on-board for the journey.

The education component of the B’Mitzva program will presume students have minimal formal Jewish education. If you are concerned about whether the program is the right fit for your family, please reach out to Amanda at amanda@chochmat.org.

While “mitzva” (as in B’Mitzva) is often translated as “commandment,” the Jewish mystics tie it to the Hebrew word “tzavta” which means “connect.” “HaLev” means “the heart”; it is part of our name, Chochmat HaLev (Wisdom of the Heart). We hope our B’Mitzva students leave this program with a deeper connection to their hearts.

No family will be turned away because of financial need. Please contact Amanda at amanda@chochmat.org to discuss how we can make this program work for you.