Published: 15 August 2024
Last updated: 15 August 2024
The popular bat mitzvah program for adults run by the Great Synagogue is now being offered across the Sydney community. “Embracing Bat Mitzvah: Sisterhood and Tradition”, for adults who missed the opportunity when younger, is attracting women across generations and religious affiliations, and is now open to non-members.
Specifically designed for adult women, the 12-week program, which starts on September 1, features a range of experienced educators offering Sunday morning classes covering topics such as spirituality, mitzvahs, prophetesses and famous Jewish women, culminating with the group’s bat mitzvah in December.
"Call me selfish, but I’d never had a bat mitzvah and I really wanted to have one."
Caroline Lewis
Coinciding with The Great Synagogue’s ‘Women Of Worth’ (WOW) Weekend in 2019, and with the approval and encouragement of Chief Minister Rabbi Ben Elton, the initiative was launched by the congregation’s then Vice President Caroline Lewis.
“Call me selfish, but I’d never had a bat mitzvah and I really wanted to have one,” Lewis told The Jewish Independent.
“I wanted to know the feeling of walking up on to the bimah, surrounded by friends and family, and to experience the role of a woman in a Shule service.”
It didn’t take long to fill the spots when the program was launched as “12 Over 12” in 2019, Lewis said, as many women had been overlooked for their bat mitzvah.
“When they were 12 it wasn’t deemed fashionable for girls to have a bat mitzvah, or it was simply seen as an opportunity only for a boy’s role. These 12 women wanted to find a way to experience it.”
Comments3
Diane Alperstein18 August at 05:10 am
“Adult women line up for the bat mitzvah experience they missed.”
Dear Paula – I really like this catchy title – certainly sums up the enthusiasm and nature of this experience. What a lively, interesting and informative article. You write beautifully. I feel so lucky to have been so generously included. Most of all, I think the way you’ve captured the whole Bat Mitzvah spirit will go a long way in encouraging other adult women to join up this year.
Thanks again, Paula.
Yours
Di
Fred Morgan15 August at 08:04 am
I love this program, the name is very catchy and of course the opportunity for these women to enrich their Jewish experience is only to be welcomed.
I realise that this kind of thing is highly unusual in the Orthodox world. In the Progressive shuls i’ve served I’ve been offering adult Bnei-mitzvah learning since the early 1980s. It has been taken up largely by women. My oldest bat-mitzvah, in the UK, was 80; she went on to read from and drash Torah in synagogue many times until she reached 100.
This is a true berakhah for the women involved and for the Jewish community as a whole.
Anna Berger15 August at 07:11 am
Thank you, Caroline, for making my bat mitzvah happen a few years ago. It really was a joy.
gratefully,
Anna