The B’nei Mitzvah process may culminate with a ceremony and party, but the best part is the preparation. My students not only learn to chant, pray and lead the Shabbat morning service; they walk away with a strong educational experience that will guide them into their adult Jewish life and beyond. The B’nei Mitzvah journey should be fun and should instill in students a love for Torah, a sense of pride in Jewish heritage and traditions, and a sense of responsibility for this huge privilege. I love to involve family in the process and ceremony as well, relying upon parents, siblings and extended family to guide the student along. By the end of the process, the student will also have completed a Mitzvah Project of communal service that connects him or her to the Jewish tradition of tikkun olam, repairing the world. There’s never a right or wrong time to become Bar and Bar Mitzvah. No matter your age, all you’ll need is a love of learning and you’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish!