Celebrating at Neot Kedumim:

Bar and Bat Mitzvah

One of our greatest joys is helping families celebrate important events in their lives.
Bar and Bat Mitzvah programs at Neot Kedumim are growing in popularity, and with good reason. Celebrations at Neot Kedumim are unique. The real and tangible ties between the family event, the tradition, and the land are inspiring. We keep the children active and interested and the adults engaged. Every program incorporates both hands-on educational activities and serious content. In our experience, the experience abides.

Our watchword is flexibility. Whether it's an intimate family celebration or a gala event for hundreds, a member of the NK staff will work with you to custom-design a program for your needs.

Program modules include:

Guided Tour
This is the heart of the event. The tour can focus on the season, the Bar/Bat Mitzvah's Torah portion or haftarah, a topic the he/she has studied, and of course age-appropriate activities.

At a recent celebration, for example, we journeyed through landscapes representing our history: from Egypt, to the desert, to Eretz Israel. At each point, we took with us a reminder: wool (that we spun into yarn) from when we were shepherds descending to Egypt (Genesis 47:1-4), hyssop (that we made into za'atar spice) that we used to paint the doorposts when we left Egypt (Exodus 12:22), date palm leaves (that we made into rings and bracelets) from where we camped in the desert (Exodus 15:27), and roasted kernels of the wheat we grew when we became farmers in Eretz Israel.

During lunch, the Bat Mitzvah girl delivered a wonderful talk she had prepared on the Song of the Sea, sung by Moses and Miriam at the parting of the Sea of Reeds-plants we had observed beside one of the pools. There we saw why baby Moses' mother hid him among the reeds-a secluded place by the banks of the Nile where the water plants would keep the tiny basket from floating away in the current and where Pharaoh's daughter would be likely to bathe. Miriam watched over her baby brother in the reeds then, and, as adults, Miriam and Moses together led the Israelites across the Sea of Reeds (Exodus 14:21-15:21).

For Bar/Bat Mitzvah persons who wish to present part of the tour themselves, we will send material and help him/her prepare.

Bat Mitzvah
For a Bat Mitzvah, the program can focus on women of the Bible, on eshet hayil (the woman of valor), on the woman's mitzvah of candle-lighting. On the tour, we can "meet" Rivka at the water source, Ruth at the threshing floor, Deborah at the "date palm of Deborah." At the sheep-pen, we can spin wool into yarn as the woman of valor did (Proverbs 31:13, 19).

We can make clay oil lamps, the original ner (usually translated as candle) in honor the girl's joining the countless generations of Jewish women who have performed the mitzvah of kindling lights. With our clay lamps, we can perform a special lighting ceremony, passing the flame from grandmother to mother to daughter, in honor of the Bat Mitzvah's joining the long and wonderful chain of women who have created light in the darkness.

Trails are paved, comfortable, and accessible to baby carriages and wheelchairs. Electric carts and a TourTrain are available.

During the summer months, illuminated trails are available for evening celebrations.

Kerem Mitzvah
Beside a two-thousand-year-old winepress, the Bar/Bat Mitzvah person, siblings, and friends plant a grapevine, joining in restoring the land to its former fruitfulness. Everyone helps draw water from an ancient cistern to water the vine, and we all drink lehaim, to life, with the fruit of the vine that symbolizes joy.

Mezuzah Treasure Hunt
At appropriate locations on the trail, we look for the grain, wine, and oil mentioned in the mezuzah scroll (Deuteronomy 11:14), as well as the vital "rain in season" cited in the verse (in the form of a small bottle of water hidden near a cistern or water wheel). We place these "treasures" in a giant mezuzah and find out why Israel's key ecological elements appear on Jewish doorways around the world.

Torah scribe and calligraphy lesson
Our genial scribe demonstrates his age-old art, and we all try our hands at writing blessings for the Bar/Bat Mitzvah person with a reed pen. By advance order, the scribe can prepare a hand-written, illustrated parchment scroll for the Bar/Bat Mitzvah.

Prayer Service
What could be more inspiring than reading the Torah portion or haftara in its original context, while contemplating the beauties of Creation?

We provide:
• a beautiful indoor or outdoor setting
  
• Torah scroll
  
• facilitation of the service according to your preferences.

Food
From simple to elaborate, your choice. Select a menu from our house caterer or from a kosher caterer of your choice. We provide a beautiful and comfortable indoor our outdoor venue, according to season.

Other celebratory elements
You may wish to incorporate your own family celebration into the meal time-talks, songs, dancing, music. For the latter, we can direct you to local talent.

For information:
hila@neot-kedumim.org.il
ronit@neot-kedumim.org.il
08-977-0770/1