A LOVE OF

Rabbi Greg Bank of Yeshurun Cheadle & Gatley synagogue looks beyond the façade of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah.

The Jewish simcha is a gathering like non other. Professional teams that crafted the well synchronised schedules at the king’s coronation and the FIFA World Cup would run far away from this ritual that marks the Jewish adolescent’s coming of age. There are indeed so many moving parts and bless us Jews, when it comes to moving, we aren’t known for our agility.

For the newly initiated teenager, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah is at best about overflowing gifts and treats. At worst, it’s a significant life moment that is stained by the stress of stage fright. For parents, it’s about paying off steep bills and being gracious hosts to numerous guests, while for bubbies and zaidies the occasion is exploited to top up the family nachas tank.

Yet, after all is said and done, the weekend comes and goes – it’s pinned, liked, and commented on social media and then it’s left as a souvenir in a forgotten family album.

I tell the Bar Mitzvah boys that I teach to remember two things: (1) live the moment as you only get another crack at having a Bar Mitzvah when you turn eighty-three and (2) to become Bar Mitzvah, the only thing you need to do is to turn thirteen. The call up to the

UJIA Shaliach, Sahar Sazgar Shlichut, fostering a love of

“For the Lord your G-d is bringing you to a good land, a land with brooks of water, fountains and depths, that emerge in valleys and mountains” (Devarim 7:7) shaped my growing up

Torah is important and the celebration gives the day gravitas, but they are not rites of passage. To become Bar Mitzvah, you simply turn thirteen and it’s the days after, the months after and most of all, the years after that will be the litmus test to the success of the day. Antecedence to the values of responsibility, mature decision making, Jewish law and heritage is the crowning consideration for marking this key milestone. These principles are not mere sound bites and clichés that provide religious seasoning to a social gala event, rather, they are the ultimate expressions of celebrating the Bar/Bat Mitzvah.

As a Shaliach that spends most of his time with the young generation of the Jewish community, my primary responsibility is to educate. The real challenge of my Shlichut is the understanding that my role is not just to educate towards a certain formal behaviour, but also to enhance and promote a particular feeling – ‘ahavat ha’aretz’, love of country.

During trips throughout know every mountain and stories and traditions, an integral part of my that Israel is my home enhance my knowledge that formed my identity. and knowledge advances, follows.

In a word, let’s plan simchas to satisfy the educational needs of our kids. Either way, the guests will get in their cars on the way home and do what they do best – be the masters of critique on the disciplines of catering, interior decorating, speech writing, and hairstyling. Don’t try to change that, it would break the ancient Jewish practice of kibbetzing. Instead, let’s make the Bar/Bat Mitzvah about becoming Bar and Bat Mitzvah and look forward to planning the wedding a decade or so down the line.

But how does one educate those feelings and more specifically, a love of Israel? As a young Israeli, a ‘chanich’ in a youth movement and a high school student who was extremely motivated before and during his army service, ‘ahavat ha’aretz’ had been an instrumental value that

Still, the challenge educate young people to love Israel and have towards the Jewish state? unconditional love is accept the occasional I have the privilege Jewish generation to explaining the facts. The perfect country, it’s young learning. At the same accomplished so many last 71 years, a fact that granted.

Fish

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