The B’Mitzvah Way

You may have heard of a Bat Mitzvah, Bar Mitzvah, and a B’nei Mitzvah…but what is a B’Mitzvah?

In Hebrew, Bat translates to Daughter, Bar translates to Son, and B’nei translates to Child. At the JCC East Bay, we give each tween a chance to choose which fits them best, so our program is not labeled with any of them!

Our focus is on what it means to:

Be Jewish
Be going into adulthood
Be a person responsible for making the world a better place

That is why we are called The B’Mitzvah Way.

In the first year, we will:

• Volunteer in our local community and reflect on how giving to others impacts our self-esteem, identity, and empathy.
• Cook, celebrate, and connect with Jewish holidays and traditions—exploring what they mean to us personally, especially through the lens of our experiences as tweens. 
• Explore the real challenges of this age and seek out wisdom in Judaism that can guide us.
• Learn through hands on projects and games.
• Collaborate with Wilderness Torah to experience Judaism through nature and the seasons.

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In the second year: 

• We offer two distinct pathways for continuing this journey, allowing each tween to shape their own unique expression of becoming a B’Mitzvah:

  • Leading a Service – this path will include learning prayers and the story of their weekly portion, connecting the Torah with their personal story, and writing Dvar Torah that is based on this. All of this will be done while designing the service to the tween and family needs. 

  • Personal project – this path will include designing a personal project, volunteering, art project, and interviews around a topic that the tween is passionate about. Your tween will be able to design the project and reflect on it at the end of the journey.

Year 1: The B’Mitzvah Way program will meet every other Sunday from September 27, 2026 – May 16, 2027. Each meeting will run from 6-7:30pm. 

Year 2: The B’Mitzvah Way program will meet every other Sunday from September 27, 2026 – May 16, 2027. Each meeting will run from 4-5:45pm

Cost:

• Year 1: $2,750
• Year 2: $3,750*

*The second year cost includes personal Be Mitzvah training and the ceremony officiant.

Cancellation Policy 
If you wish to withdraw your child from the program, a Schedule Change email must be submitted to the Manager of Teen Programs. The $500 deposit will be forfeited for any withdrawal before the end of the school year. Any withdrawals will be subject to a prorated refund, at the discretion of the Manager of Teen Programs.

We never want cost to be an issue. Please reach out to us if  you need financial aid or a payment plan (learn more in the Financial Aid tab).

The JCC East Bay recognizes that each family has different needs, and we want to support all families the best we can. Any families in need of financial support can apply for financial support through a confidential process.

Once registration and deposit has been paid, please email Tali Katz (tali.katz@jcceastbay.org) to receive the financial aid application.

Registration is open!

• Year 1 Registration
• Year 2 Registration

All classes will be held at the new Rockridge Campus.

Tali Katz
Teen Engagement Manager
tali.katz@jcceastbay.org