Makom Shalom: Chicago's Original Jewish Renewal Community

PROGRAM VISION

Traditionally, the Bar Mitzvah marked the passage of a young man into Jewish adulthood by demonstrating mastery of prayer leadership. Today, the Bar and Bat Mitzvah service provides the opportunity for the student to explore an emerging relationship with Judaism and personal spirituality, and to add a unique voice to the tradition. The focus of Makom Shalom’s B’nai Mitzvah Program is to create a warm, dynamic, personalized approach to the study and celebration so the student and family are deeply inspired on this Jewish path. At the end of this process, the student will be competent to lead many parts of the service and provide Torah commentary, and will also be encouraged to continue to deepen their spiritual practice to help guide her or him for a life-time.

Who This Program Is For

Families who want a creative, personalized Bar/Bat Mitzvah experience
Children with inter-cultural parents
Children with special circumstances
Children desiring individualized Hebrew instruction geared to their needs and schedule

Program Components

Individual study via phone with Reb Chava (2-3 x a month) focused on spiritual growth, Torah study, crafting the D’var Torah, and preparing the service
In-person group class with Reb Chava (1x a month) addressing Renewal Judaism, support for mitzvah projects, and specific prayers
Private in-home tutoring (1x per week) to learn Hebrew and how to read or chant the Torah portion and prayers
Mitzvah project involving social action or volunteerism.

Program Costs

To be part of this program, families of Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah students must become members of Makom Shalom for the B’nai Mitzvah year. Membership costs are based on a Fair Share price structure according to family income. The family also covers the expenses for Reb Chava’s planning for and participation in the ceremony, as well as her travel and stay in Chicago during the Bar Mitzvah/Bat Mitzvah weekend.

Additional Family Roles

In addition to supporting the student during her or his study process, we also ask our families to demonstrate an active role in fostering connection to the Makom Shalom community. This is done by attending monthly rabbi-led services (after the group class with Reb Chava), by inviting community members to the Bar/Bat Mitzvah service, and by providing a simple Kiddush following this service. Because we want each celebration to be unique and tailored to each family, we ask that the family choose and rent an appropriate space for the service and co-design with the rabbi the service book used for the celebration (based on samples that will be provided). The families are also responsible for printing these service books, allowing for maximum creativity and flexibility.

Additional Support from Makom Shalom

All B’nai Mitzvah families are welcomed into the community and honored at our annual New Member’s Dinner. Families in this program also have the opportunity to host Rabbi Chava for a Shabbat dinner and celebrate Kabbalat Shabbat or Havdallah together. The Makom Shalom community will also provide a gift for the Bar/Bat Mitzvah student at her or his celebration.

The Makom Shalom Community

Makom Shalom was founded on the Jewish Renewal philosophy of infusing Judaism with spirituality and personal meaning. We emerged as a community committed to generating the God-spark in both affiliated and disenfranchised Jews. The B’nai Mitzvah program grew out of this philosophy, welcoming new families and partnering with parents to nurture and support their child as they enter Jewish adulthood. For this reason, we emphasize attendance at services for students and their families. We want this experience to be a time for your family to experience a deepening of their relationships with each other, God, and a loving, caring community.

Rabbi Chava Bahle received one of her Jewish ordinations from the Aleph: Alliance for Jewish Renewal Rabbinic Program. She later received ordination as a Maggid - a sacred storyteller and leader on the path of life. Her unique perspective about and approach to inter-cultural families makes her frequently sought out by families across the country to design unique and meaningful Bar and Bat Mitzvah ceremonies. In her “spare time,” she directs the Or Tzafon Retreat Center and teaches courses in religion, spirituality, and non-profit leadership.

For further information about this program, please contact our administrator, Jaqi Green, at (312) 458-9040, or write to her via our Contacts page on this website.