TORONTO'S SECULAR JEWISH COMMUNITY SCHOOL
SECULAR B'NAI MITZVAH PROGRAM

There's more than one way to be Jewish!

"Through the program [my daughter] was able to connect to her roots through classes, research and the arts... Not only did this program make my daughter proud of her Jewish side, it also helped her see how Jews have been and will be, contributing members to society as a whole."
Sharon Muzyk, B'nai Mitzvah Program Parent

• Do you want your child to have a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah ceremony, but your family is non-religious or unaffiliated?
  
  
• Are you looking for a non-traditional approach that will allow your child to have a uniquely personal and meaningful rite of passage?
  
  
• Do you need a welcoming program for self-identified Jews, multi-cultural, single-parent and same-sex parented families?
  
  
• Are you looking for a way for your child to have a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah that requires no congregational affiliation and no previous knowledge of Hebrew?

Then have we got a program for you!

Toronto’s Secular Jewish Community School’s (TSJCS) Secular B’nai Mitzvah Program -- B'nai Mitzvah is the Hebrew term for the combination of Bar Mitzvahs and Bat Mitzvahs --is committed to enriching students’ understanding of their Jewish heritage and identity. We define our Jewish identity as cultural, ethnic and historical, rather than religious. Our goal is to foster a strong sense of social responsibility based on historical and contemporary Jewish values.

The Secular B'nai Mitzvah Program provides a rare opportunity for graduating students, parents and educators to collectively shape their secular B’nai Mitzvah ceremony, custom-tailoring it to highlight the specific interests and talents of the graduates. Under staff guidance, students select a Jewish topic of their choice, research it, and present their papers as part of a community ceremony. Former research topics have included: The Kindertransport; The Jewish Road to Hollywood; Kensington Market; Marc Chagall; The Pale of Settlement; Art in the Holocaust and None is Too Many. The Program and resulting ceremony require two full years of preparation and a substantial commitment of time and effort on the part of the students, parents, and the School. This teamwork builds lasting connections between the students, their families, and the School.

The Secular B'nai Mitzvah Program culminates in June of the students' second year with a communal ceremony showcasing the individual talents and group achievements of the students. This unique coming-of-age event produces a joyous and meaningful experience, both for students and their families. Students in the Secular B'nai Mitzvah Program spend two years preparing for their communal B'nai Mitzvah ceremony. The ceremony usually takes two to three hours and includes a number of key components. The students read the Shule Credo, give presentations about their research projects, participate in a candle-lighting ceremony, and work together to produce a group presentation which often includes musical and dramatic components as a framework for their presentations.To add an extra level of depth, students may also participate in The Holocaust Centre of Toronto’s Bar/Bat Mitzvah of Remembrance Twinning Project.

The curriculum taught in our two years of classes is designed to provide students with the resources to answer four key questions:

• What does it mean to be Jewish?
• What makes me personally define myself as Jewish?
• How can I make the world a better place?
• What does it mean to me to become a Bar Mitzvah/Bat Mitzvah?

Our students are provided with the basic knowledge needed to discuss key issues and develop their own opinions. Themes covered include:

• Jewish History: from its mythical roots to the modern day
• Tikkun Olam: (literally “repairing the world”) humanity’s responsibility to make the world a better place
  
• Jewish Values and Ethics
  
• Multiple Ways of Being Jewish: the various streams of religious Judaism compared to Secular Judaism; Jews around the world
  
• The B’nai Mitzvah: its traditions and the Secular approach