As we prepare for your upcoming celebrations, prospective b’nei mitzvah are invited to participate in a group service at Temple Emanu-El on Saturday, June 7, 2025. Alternatively,  you may choose to celebrate at your local congregations – to be discussed with your hometown clergy. For those who are currently unaffiliated and live outside of the NY area, we can match you with a local synagogue. 

 Requirements:

1. Attendance at/viewing of all Yesod sessions. If you missed any, you can watch them here.
2. Submission of intake form by April 1, 2024. Registration is only open to students who are participating in Yesod Year I.
3. Individual intake meeting via Zoom with Cantor Nancy Bach to address questions and personal issues. 
4. Participation in group classes, in-person (available online if you can’t make it), to learn to decode Hebrew and learn basic trope (how to chant Torah). Students should plan to attend all of the following classes: October 23 (welcome dinner following the class), 30, November 6 and 13, 20, December 4, 11 and 18, 2024. All sessions are from 6:00 to 7:30 PM at Temple Emanu-El.
5. Participation in four Introduction to Liturgy classes, offered both in-person and online, with Rabbi Elie Kaunfer of the Hadar Institute on February 25, March 4, March 11 and March 18, 2025 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. 
6. Individual study of your Torah or Haftorah portion from a recording provided to you, with your progress monitored in monthly 30-minute individual virtual check-in sessions.
7. Composition of your own drash (an explanation of/reaction to your Torah or Haftorah portion). These will be collected, published and shared with the group.   
8. A celebratory Shabbat dinner on Friday, March 7, held at Temple Emanu-El (details to come).