We’re proud of our students, both bar/bat mitzvah students and our adult learners! And so we’re delighted to share photos from the families (with permission, of course) of their joy at their children’s bar and bat mitzvah celebrations.
Also, occasional news from Jewtor and Jewish holiday news.
Rabbi Heidi Barron Coretz officiated at the bat mitzvah of my student E, a shy but talented teenager. Here is what Rabbi Coretz had to say:
"I just wanted to thank you for your good work with E. She was so well prepared and confident. She chanted beautifully! It was a great experience for her and just what she wanted and needed."
Thank you, Rabbi Coretz! And mazal tov to E!
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M. and I worked hard to get her ready for her bat mitzvah, and the results were clearly spectacular. Mom sent me a note:
Hi Bettina
T., M. and I wanted to send our enormous thanks to you for all of your support and help working with M. to get her ready for yesterday. She did a fantastic job with the service and completely aced her torah portion. She felt confident and really proud for a job well done.
Thank you so much
R.
Mazal tov to M!
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C. is a lovely girl, who learned to sing her Torah portion so beautifully. It was a pleasure to teach her. She just celebrated her bat mitzvah, and her dad wrote to me afterwards:
"Hi Bettina—I just wanted to send you a quick note that yesterday was wonderful. C. did beautifully, so thank you again for all of your work in getting her ready for what was a very special day for all of us!"
Mazal tov to C!
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My student P celebrated his bar mitzvah a while ago, and I forgot to post the pics. What a beautiful place! P worked hard to prepare with me, and also with Rabbi Jason Miller, the Mitzvahrabbi!
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At his first lesson, A told me he's "not really open to learning Hebrew." At the last lesson before his bar mitzvah, he suggested we continue learning Hebrew together.
How satisfying!
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A. just celebrated his bar mitzvah. His mom wrote to me:
It was great! Asher did a great job and it was really lovely to see so much family together in one place, it's been awhile. Don't have the photos from the photographer yet, but will definitely send some along once they're available. Thank you so much for everything ❤️
Mazal tov Asher!
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My student L celebrated her bat mitzvah about a half year ago. Her mom just wrote to me that they went to services last shabat, and L "was so engaged with much of the Hebrew -- it was really great."
In addition, mom tells me her children inspired their cousins to have bar/bat mitzvahs.
What a nice chain reaction!
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My student just celebrated his bar mitzvah. Mom wrote to me: "The bar mitzvah was so perfect. Chace was beyond amazing! Thank you for all your help😄"
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After studying with me for a year, starting at age 10, Lehvy is ready to start his bar mitzvah prep. His mother told me how happy she is that he has this good foundation:
" The history and teaching you have done with Lehvy is amazing and it is because of you that he is able to read and make prepare for his bar mitzvah."
I predict great success for Lehvy!
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A proud and happy father just wrote to me after his son's bar mitzvah last Saturday, parshat Vayikra:
He leyned his parasha and haftorah perfectly: he could not have done it without you. I cannot thank you enough for everything that you did for him. Todah Rabbah
Besides, the Torah service, the whole Shabbat morning service was so beautiful from beginning to end. It gave me (and, if I may say so, everyone else attending the service) so much nachas and pride.
Thank you again
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Judah just celebrated his bar mitzvah in Israel, at the Western Wall. His parents wrote to me:
"Hi Bettina! It was great, Judah did amazing! We are so happy and proud. Israel was beyond incredible, it was so so special. We thought many times about you and how thankful we are for all your help in preparing Judah."
I know that Judah did very well, reading all of the Torah, and leading prayers.
Mazal tov, Judah!
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The twin boys I taught just celebrated their bnai mitzvah. Their mom wrote to me:
"The boys BM was absolutely amazing! They did amazing! People couldn’t stop complimenting them!"
I'm so glad! Mazal tov!
Watch for pics to follow.
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When your synagogue sukkah is on a downtown main street, and someone leaves a broken scooter in it...
Chag sameach!
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My student L celebrated her bat mitzvah recently, and her mom wrote to me:
'It was a wonderful experience - L wants to do it again!"
Mazal tov!
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My student Andrew just celebrated his adult bar mitzvah at the egalitarian Kotel in Jerusalem. He told me he felt confident going into the service, and I was not surprised. I knew he knew his material really well. Mazal tov!
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A has been studying Hebrew with me for four years, throughout high school. Now, she goes off to college, where she will continue her Hebrew studies. Her mom wrote to me: "Thank you for everything over the last 4 years. You have made a huge impact in A's life."
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With several students celebrating bnai mitzvah in September and October, slots will be opening up in the jewtor schedule soon. Book your time, before it's all filled up!
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M.'s mother just told me that M. chanted the Torah and haftarah I taught him for his rabbi, in advance of his bar mitzvah. It was the first time mom heard her son do this, and she was moved to tears when she heard how well he did it. I was moved to hear this, too.
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After I successfully taught her older sister, F.'s parents asked me to prepare F. for her bat mitzvah too. The celebration took place last Shabat afternoon, and Dad was very pleased:
"F. performed admirably at her bat mitzvah and I just wanted to thank you for everything you've done for our family -- would not have been possible without your patient guiding hand."
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At the beginning of a lesson, an adult student sadly told me of her daughter who is estranged from Judaism. Later in the lesson, I taught her Birkat Hamazon, the Grace after Meals. That same evening, my student wrote to me:
"My husband, daughter, and I sang the first part of the birkat mazon after dinner last night (I told them about our class session and filled my daughter in on my learning). She knew the prayer from day school but hadn’t chanted it for years. She requested candles and four benchers to take home to share with her growing circle of Jewish friends and plans to host Shabbat every Friday!!
I am so loving this renewed circle of learning, l’dor v’dor, and am grateful to you for helping make it happen."
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Never having had any Jewish education or bar mitzvah, A watched his children celebrate theirs nine years ago. A has now decided he would like to learn more about Judaism, and celebrate his own bar mitzvah. He is booked for an adult bar mitzvah at the Western Wall in the fall. My job is to prepare him. I love life long learners!
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A proud mother just wrote to me:
"I also wanted to thank you again for your guidance with Matthew. He came such a long way in such a short time- all because of you. It was such a proud moment to watch him recite Torah and then get lifted in the chair during the Hora."
What joy! Mazal tov!
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I taught him. Rabbi Miller did the bar mitzvah.Mazel Tov to Cruz and his family! Cruz did a wonderful job at his bar mitzvah in Scottsdale, Arizona this past Shabbat.
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#barmitzvah #mitzvah #barmitzvahs #celebrate #mazeltov #mitzvahrabbi #jewish
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One of my students celebrated his bar mitzvah last Saturday. His dad wrote to me:
"The Bar Mitzvah went great, C. did fantastic, and the Celebration was filled with a lot of love. Thank you so much for teaching C. Hebrew and all of your tutoring of the past year and a half."
Watch for upcoming pictures!
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The mother of a student of 2 1/2 months wrote to me: Madison said she has learned more working with you than she did the whole time she was in Sunday School (3 years I guess).
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When A was prevented last minute from traveling from Scotland to Montreal to celebrate his bar mitzvah, he and his family got creative: They found a local Torah, and joined the Montreal service via zoom! Well done!
Mazal tov!
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One of my students lives in the Northwest Territories in Canada. His family has a unique way of publicising the Chanukah miracle in their front yard. They call it their Ice Chanukiah!
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World's largest mezuzah? Makes sense at Ben Gurion Airport, as you enter the Jewish home-land.
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So glad to see pics from my student D.'s bar mitzvah! Dad wrote to me afterwards:
"The Bar Mitzvah went great and D. did really well.
Thank you again for your hard work in preparing D."
Mazal tov!
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Mazal tov to Jesse on his bar mitzvah!
His mom wrote to me:
"He did so great I was so surprised that he read with such ease. Thanks to you!"
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Mazal tov to Matthew on his bar mitzvah!
His mom wrote to me after the happy event:
"Matthew did a really great job. He was so confident during the Torah readings and prayers, spoke very eloquently, and presented himself very well."
Click below for a picture.
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After studying with me for about a year and a half, C was ready to celebrate her bat mitzvah. She read parshat Noach in St Andrew's, Scotland, with family and a pandemic-appropriate number of friends present. I can see how happy she looks! Mazal tov!
I will be starting to tutor her younger sister shortly.
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After a year of studying with me, Brandon was eminently well prepared for his bar mitzvah.This is how happy he looked when he celebrated yesterday. His father wrote to me:
"It was a wonderful day. Thank you again for everything."
Mazal tov, Brandon! I knew you would shine!
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B is this great kid I have been working with for a year. He will celebrate his bar mitzvah this week. B is eminently well prepared. His father just wrote to me:
"I wanted to take the time to thank you for all of your hard work in preparing Brandon for his Bar-Mitzvah. He has enjoyed the time he has spent with you."
I wrote back, saying I'd be interested in seeing whatever pics or movies he wants to share from the happy event. I'm excited to hear/see how it went.
Stay tuned for updates from B's bar mitzvah service!
Mazal tov to B!
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I helped L get ready to read Torah at his son's bar mitzvah. L wrote to me after the event:
"I feel very good about my Aliyah. Thank you so much for all your help. I couldn't have done it without you. Looking forward to working with you again for my next son."
I'm glad it went so well, and looking forward to the next bar mitzvah! Mazal Tov!
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Teaching, as I do, to the whole world, affords me some interesting experiences. I enjoy connecting with Jews in remote communities.
S decided to celebrate an adult bat mitzvah. She lives in The Hague, Netherlands, and works from home as a psychologist. I was happy to accommodate her request for a lesson time when she finishes work, around 5 or 6 pm her time, since this is morning time for me. Not a lot of students want morning lessons. I travelled to The Hague to attend her bat mitzvah in the liberal synagogue there, which once belonged to the Spanish and Portuguese Jewish community of The Hague. The building is relatively small, but very ornate, and just the kind of jewel one might expect, with gilt edged columns and crown moulding.
That I have to be aware of time differences goes without saying, but sometimes, I have to remember that even the date may be different for my student. C is an American girl living in Nelson, New Zealand, who decided, quite on her own, that she wanted to explore her Judaism, and prepare to become a bat mitzvah. We set Wednesdays at 1 pm my time as our recurring weekly date. This turns out to be Thursday mornings at 8 am for C. She opted to have lessons with me before going to school in the morning! Impressive! We are currently experiencing an extreme heat wave here in Canada, and I get a kick out of looking at C, dressed for school in her uniform sweater. Yes, it’s winter there now. C was telling me that she just had a little vacation from school, because of the Queen’s birthday. Different countries find different reasons to take off from school!
You can imagine that there aren’t very many Jews in Nelson, New Zealand, but Aberdeen, Scotland, has even fewer. That’s why C’s mother, an American Jew, contacted me about bat mitzvah lessons. C’s father is Scottish. There is a small community of about 250 Jews in Aberdeen, and they are mostly incomers, as they say there.
Also in Scotland, lives A, in the university town of St Andrews, (where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met,) where his father is a professor. The whole town basically consists of the university, and there is no synagogue. Matzah for Passover has to be ordered online. It took three months for A to receive the books I had asked him to get on Amazon, and we had to get creative in order to get him ready for his bar mitzvah in Montreal, where the family is from.
L is a grandpa living in Johannesburg, South Africa, who wants to be able to speak conversational Hebrew to his grandchildren in Israel. He goes on a daily walk with his wife in the early evenings in June, when the winter weather is mild, and then comes home to meet with me online for his Hebrew lesson. Hebrew is not his first foreign language. Living in South Africa, he of course had to learn Afrikaans, but he also speaks another language, the name of which I can’t remember, with his black partner at work.
V and M are brother and sister, living in Uppsala, a university town in Sweden, with no Jewish community. The family had planned a bnai mitzvah for them in Italy, and I tutored them. As in so many cases, I became not just their bar mitzvah tutor, but really their complete Jewish education, a one-person religious school. Sadly, their celebration was cancelled as the Covid pandemic shut down Italy.
K is another student whose plans were cut short by the pandemic. A Canadian boy, living temporarily in Stockholm, Sweden, he had converted to Judaism shortly before meeting me. Again, I became his one-person religious school, as we made our way through the Hebrew alphabet, as well as some Bible studies and Jewish holiday learning. K spoke no Swedish, and attended an English speaking school in Stockholm. It was interesting to hear him talk about his experiences, learning Swedish at the local American School. As the pandemic worsened, he returned to Toronto to celebrate his bar mitzvah.
I feel privileged to have a chance to broaden my horizons through interaction with Jews across the world.
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H. converted to Judaism a few years ago, and learned the Hebrew alfabet. With me, he studied really hard to learn seven aliyot (!) to chant at his adult bar mitzvah on zoom. He also led some of the prayers. So proud of my student who worked so hard! Mazal tov!
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And here is my student Jacob.
Bar mitzvah in Covid times.
On Zoom.
He read Torah beautifully. So proud of him!
Jacob continues to learn about modern Israel, as well as conversational Hebrew with me.
His little sister is preparing for her bat mitzvah with me, too.
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"You are a real miracle worker," said the father of an upcoming bar mitzvah boy to me. Wow!
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I am tutoring K. in Hebrew, as a complement to her studies with Rosen School of Hebrew. K. sent me a message today:
"I am so glad I have you as a tutor.
I had my 2nd Rosen class this week, and if it weren't for practice with you, I know I would have been lost.
Your tutoring is worth every penny."
Thank you, K!
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Sophie's mother contacted me ten days before the bat mitzvah, in a panic, telling me the cantor was threatening to cut her haftarah, because Sophie didn't know it well enough. We set to work in emergency mode, practising everyday. Sophie's mother wrote to me after the celebration:
"I just wanted to let you know Sophie did an amazing job. She was flawless and confident. We couldn't have done it without your help! Many, many thanks!"
I'm so glad for Sophie! Well done! Mazal tov!
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The father of a bar mitzvah student of mine just sent me these beautiful pictures: "Due to covid, we didn't have any guests come in from out of town. He did great putting on his tallit, tefillin, and making the brachot before and after the Torah reading." Mazal tov! I'm so proud of him!
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Positive comments from mothers of bat mitzvah students make me happy:
"F. is not easy to motivate but she never complains about having to do lessons with you, so i know she is enjoying them. Thank you for what you do."
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"She is enjoying your lessons!" says the mother of the non-Jewish 11 year old girl who is studying Hebrew with me.
Good thing to do in quarantine!
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C. is working towards converting to Judaism. She has been taking Hebrew reading lessons with me.
"Bettina is very knowledgeable and patient with her students! She uses a great text that makes it easy to approach the language (that also has some online supplement materials through the publisher that are helpful for own your own practice.) I would definitely recommend Bettina!"
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"Thanks for being such a good teacher," wrote a student who has been with me for 3 years.
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From the mother of siblings I tutored in Sweden: "We are so grateful for all the fantastic lessons, and the children have had such a positive experience with you!"
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I just received a nice comment from the father of a bar mitzvah boy: "We are very thankful for your work in preparing S. to be able to take this next step. He loved working with you and he would not be able to go forward with this without you and your lessons. We appreciate everything you did for us and for
him."
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What with social distancing measures everywhere, I feel very lucky to be able to continue my work exactly as usual. If you're stuck at home, why not sign up for some lessons?
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After celebrating her bat mitzvah, a student sent me this wonderful letter: "שלום Bettina!...Somehow, you managed to make me be completely able to read and... understand Hebrew...For me it is a huge accomplishment to read Hebrew, and now I sometimes do Duolingo to stay good at it. I can't put into words how much you helped me with that because I've been wanting to learn how to read Hebrew for a while now. I also enjoyed learning about the stories on the Torah, which I found very interesting and intriguing. You are an amazing bat mitzvah teacher.... Thank you so much for being a great teacher. " Aren't these kinds of letters what keep us going?
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This is the first time I'm teaching the younger sister of a student I prepared for her bat mitzvah. It's interesting to learn how siblings are similar but not the same. I'm glad to have repeat customers like this family!
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R recently celebrated becoming a bat mitzvah after several months of weekly lessons with me. Mazal tov! I'm looking forward to working with her younger sister who is already signed up for bat mitzvah lessons with me.
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I'm so proud of my newest bat mitzvah student from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. The family traveled to Calgary, Alberta to celebrate, since Yellowknife doesn't have a Jewish community. Her mom sent me these pictures: "Yes we are still basking in the glow of nachas from the Bat Mitzvah! I’m so proud!! Thank you again for the amazing work you did with T." Mazal tov, T!
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A happy father of a bar mitzvah boy: "Thank you very much for working with Paul, he did really well and the Rabbi was happy with your prep work."
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P clearly had a blast at his bar mitzvah recently. I was so glad to hear his father tell me I had prepared P really well. It looks like it was a really beautiful outdoor service. Mazal tov, P!
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After studying with me for 15 months, R celebrated her bat mitzvah last Saturday. Her mom reported to me:
"She was amazing. The whole thing was perfect. I will send you pics and video as soon as I get them. Thank you so much for all your hard work. She couldn’t have been better prepared."
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"Ima" means "mom" in Hebrew. In Sweden, a mom filmed her kids having a lesson with me. You don't see me, but you hear my voice.
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“I have found Bettina to be a patient, gentle and encouraging teacher full of relevant and effective techniques customized for me as a learner. I would highly recommend her to anyone who studies Modern Hebrew at the graduate level.” - rabbinical student
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Right now, I am excited, because this week, parshat Lech lecha, I have not one, but TWO students who will become bat mitzvah! It's such a great parsha, and I can't wait to hear about my students reading it. (Not surprisingly, after spending months teaching this parsha, I felt very comfortable volunteering to read Torah at my own synagogue this week!)
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V. and M. are a 16 year old sister, and 11 year old brother. They live in the medieval university town of Uppsala, Sweden. It has no organized Jewish community. Together, they are studying with me to become b'nai mitzvah. Even though their English is good, they are happy to have found a tutor who can speak to them in their native Swedish. They are learning the Hebrew alef bet, and Torah stories in English. Soon, we will start to study their Torah portion. I couldn't be more thrilled to teach this pair of enthusiastic, lovable kids!
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Mazal tov to P! After studying with me for several months, P. was ready for his bar mitzvah. His dad wrote to me : "Everything went great. P. was very well prepared and everyone had a great time. I will send you some pictures later." Watch for pictures.
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R. was born in the US, to Iraqi born Israeli parents who sometimes spoke Hebrew at home. Now in his 40s, he is great at initiating a Hebrew conversation, (with a great accent,) but gets stuck when people answer him, because he doesn't understand them. He is now taking Hebrew conversation lessons with me. We started at the beginning of the textbook, but are progressing very fast, since he is not a total beginner. I predict great success for R!
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S. is a doctor in his fifties, who used to read Torah as a teenager. Now, he wants a refresher course in Torah trope. Together, we go over the different notes, and apply them to the text. He is learning fast. Fun!
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Last week, I attended the adult bat mitzvah ceremony of Sylvia Silberg, in the liberal synagogue of The Hague, Netherlands. I had tutored her for ten months, and she did a fantastic job, reading Torah and Haftarah! We can both be seen in this picture, up on Bimah during the Torah reading. Here is what she writes:
When I turned 12 in 1974 there was absolutely no possibility for me to do a Bat Mitzwa. At that time my family was a member of the only synagogue in Munich , Germany and that was an orthodox one. Women and girls sat upstairs behind bars and followed the services from up there. Although I was told girls have other responsibilities that are also important, it never quite felt a fair deal. Boys and men were not only allowed to read Torah but could also give their view and interpretation of the Torah portion. Their contributions were celebrated and boys were seen as
“real “ members of the community.
It is that last aspect in particular that motivated me , now 45 years later to do my Bat Mitzwa.I felt women may have a different view on the scriptures and it was therefore important to combine both male and female interpretations to have a more complete body of meaning. In my current conservative synagogue in The Hague , the Netherlands, the services are completely egalitarian and we also have a female Rabbi. So everything is possible for women to do.
Bettina was an excellent teacher, patient and supportive in those moments when I thought I would never pull through. She also accommodated to my work schedule and provided me with excellent recordings of her own beautiful voice. All sessions were done on Skype and that was no problem at all.
Being 57 years old and a psychologist as well as a student of literature allowed me to integrate the Torah into a wealth of knowledge I had no access to as a 12 year old. As we find new interpretations of the Haggadah every Seder Pessach so the Torah portions will light up our intellect as we go through life, every period or year highlighting other aspects of our then present life situations.
I would recommend fellow women who like me were not able to go through this rite of passage in puberty to still take the step up the Bimah now. It is not only a personal enrichment but also allows the community to really receive what women have to offer as well.
Bettina is a great example and a mentor of having studied to become a cantor herself as well as supporting you in all aspects in your delving into your Jewish heritage and your journey towards personal and communal meaning. I can strongly recommend this so enriching process.
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"Eli and Zoe were just beaming. When they read from the Torah there wasn't a closed mouth or a dry eye in the room. We couldn't have done it without you," reports a happy grandmother from Florida.
Another set of twins successfully brought into the community of Jewish adults.
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"You encourage, support, give wonderful expertise and show interest and compassion. Through you, my E. and Z. have been introduced to the 'ways' of Judaism and I will be forever grateful." The words of a happy grandmother.
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The mother of a teenager I tutor wrote to me: "I love your website. If I know anyone looking for a tutor, I will pass your information along to them. So you know, A. LOVES working with you. She talks about you and looks forward to her lessons every week." So nice to hear!
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I recently taught N. and L., twin brother and sister, for their bar and bat mitzvah, which they did on the top of Masada in Israel. Their father wrote, "L. and N. did a fantastic job on their Torah portions... Thank you so much for helping prepare them! "
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As summer break starts, many people go on vacation. But if you take online lessons, Jewish learning doesn't have to stop. I will connect with you, wherever you are! Happy summer!
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My 11 year old student read the Four Questions in Hebrew first time this week, and REALLY impressed her family!
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C contacts me before Rosh Hashana and Pesach, to help her prepare to read Torah for her minyan. She apparently aced it this weekend. This is what she wrote to me: "Thank you once again for your help. The Torah reading went wonderfully!"
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My student J just had his bar mitzvah. His mother wrote to me afterwards: "(He) did so well, it was a wonderful day! He was very nervous at the start, but as he got going he relaxed and he really did a good job. We were so proud of him, and he was very proud of himself.
Thank you so much for all of your help teaching him, for your patience and your kindness. He was very well prepared."
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It's cute to see mother and daughter studying conversational Hebrew together. The daughter is 11, and has no prior knowledge of Hebrew. The mother has Hebrew school Hebrew from her childhood, and remembers a little. This summer, they are travelling to Israel together to attend ulpan, intensive Hebrew training. Good luck to them!
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There is such a variety of students coming my way: They live in Sweden, the Netherlands, all over the US and Canada!
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Who would have thought? A new bat mitzvah student from the city of Yellowknife. In the Canadian Northwest Territories. Jewish population : one family. I'm glad to be of service.
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L and I met while taking summer classes at the Conservative Yeshiva last summer. After we all returned to our homes, she contacted me to tell me she would like to keep up her Hebrew. So twice a week we study online together, using the Brandeis Modern Hebrew textbook. She sets the pace, and I help her fill in the gaps she has from previous Hebrew studies.
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Since A, 14, went to Jewish day school for middle school only, she was constantly behind in Hebrew. The 8th grade graduation trip to Israel turned her on to the language, however, and now that she is in public high school, she wants to study modern Hebrew with me. We meet online twice a week for thirty minutes, and she is filling in the gaps, and progressing quickly.
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I just heard from the mother of a girl I tutored for her bat mitzvah:
Ohh Bettina she was beyond amazing!! She left her mark and set the bar high that is for sure. Thank you so much for all of your hard work and help! We appreciate your tutoring so much and could not have done it without you!!!
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The young woman who is attending Rabbinical school feels she needs some help with her Hebrew class. Twice a week, we study from her textbook to get her caught up.
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May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year. Wishing you a meaningful fast.
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Z & E are twins. A boy and a girl. Their grandmother contacted me about preparing them to become bnai mitzvah. It's fun to see the friendly competition between them as they take turns reading in Hebrew for me.
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K, 11, has been living in Nevada with her family for two years, and they haven't found a synagogue to join. K will be celebrating her bat mitzvah in Israel in the summer of 2019. I am giving her weekly lessons in Hebrew reading and Torah stories. In a few months, I will start to teach her the specific texts she will chant her for her bat mitzvah ceremony.
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