FRS B’nei Mitzvah are unique.  From the way that we prepare at Friday Group and Shabbat Programme to the atmosphere we have at the Friday night service, B’nei Mitzvah are a true example of what makes this community special. 

At the heart of the process is Friday Group.  Anyone visiting FRS on a Friday evening will be struck by the level of concentration and commitment.  With young people working in pairs around the building there is a real sense of a young community learning together.

Rachel Fidler
Director of Education

Friday group is co-ordinated by the Friday Group Co-ordinator together with the synagogue Rabbi Miriam Berger.
If you have any questions or concerns about Bar or Bat Mitzvah preparation at FRS please contact the office on 020 8446 3244

• Friday Group runs from 5.00 to 7.30 on Fridays during term time.  This includes the Friday night service from 6:30-7:30pm. Students must be joined by their families during the service.
• Pupils are assessed and monitored regularly by the Rabbi, Friday Group Co-ordinator and other Friday Group staff.

How Friday Group Works

Friday group is where Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation takes place at FRS.  Friday group is held during term time, although naturally it is expected that students will continue their preparation individually and with their helpers through all holiday periods.

Each student is allocated an individual helper - a teenager who has been through Friday group and who has trained to help a younger person through this process. This pair works together every week at the synagogue, has regular weekly telephone contact, and meets during the longer school holidays. The helpers, in turn, are supported to develop their skills and provide all necessary support.

Pupils and helpers work through a personalised checklist which gives specific target dates by which each aspect of the preparation should be completed including major prayers and the Torah portion and Haftarah.  All the necessary elements of preparation for Bar/Bat Mitzvah are covered in Friday Group.

What does the Student Learn?

Each pair at Friday Group works through a personalised checklist in preparation for their Bar or Bat Mitzvah.  This prepares for the two main aspects of the ceremony at FRS:

• Leading much of the Friday night service
• Introducing their text, then reading from the Torah and the Haftarah on Shabbat morning

The elements of the service prepared and skills acquired include:

For the Kabbalat Shabbat Service

• To be able to recite and sing the Shema and the blessings prior to the Shema,
• To be able to lead and sing the Kiddush,
• To be able to lead the Barachu, and the Amidah for the Kabbalat Shabbat service.
• To sing the songs and sung prayers of the Kabbalat Shabbat service.
• To lead a large portion of the Kabbalat Shabbat service, either independently or with support from a helper or an adult.

The Parental Role

Practice

• It is important that Friday Group students get into a routine of practising as early in the process as possible. 

• It is not enough to come to Friday Group each week – pupils must practice at home. 

• Pupils should concentrate on the pieces of work that they are currently on in the progress checker, but should also look over the work that they have already done, to prevent them from getting rusty. 

Quantity of practice

• We would recommend that during the first month pupils practise at least three times a week, building up to daily practice by the third month.  When working on the portion pupils should aim to do at least 20 minutes a day, five days a week and 30-40 minutes, twice a week. 

Phoning and Meeting

• In addition to meeting at Friday Group, pupils and helpers are also expected to communicate on the phone during the week.  We recommend that pairs arrange a regular time each week when they will speak and take it in turns to call each other.

• Parents should ensure that their children make phone calls when it is their turn and should let us know if the helper is not calling.

• Pupils and helpers should meet regularly during the holidays and parents should facilitate this.

*We advise that Pupils and helpers should not meet without adult supervision.

Induction Evening

• Pupils start Friday Group in ‘cohorts’ at least nine months before their B’nei Mitzvah.

• Prior to starting Friday Group, parents and students are invited to an induction meeting to introduce them to the Friday Group process and their helper.

For more information on Friday Group and the full B'nei mitzvah progamme download this booklet (66Kb) and/or contact Cantor Zöe Jacobs, the Friday Group Co-ordinator bmitzvah@frsonline.org