Emet – SOUL FIRE FARM

Emet’s Bar Mitzvah

Emet will be called to the Torah as a bar mitzvah on Saturday, May 26, 2018! We are grateful that you can join us in celebrating the wonderful young person that he is – enthusiastic mathematician, spirited and talented pianist, Wolff Studios movie producer, next level fitness lover, spiritually connected child of his ancestors, and all around fun, caring human!

Emet has been studying for a long time and will be able to lead the service, chant Torah, and make his own commentary on the text. It is a huge amount of work and takes immense courage to get up in front of so many people and lead.

Erev Shabbat Services led by Emet

A religious service welcoming the Sabbath with Hebrew prayer and song. Congregation Berith Sholom, 167 Third St. Troy NY 12180. Friday, May 25, 2018, 7:00 – 9:00 PM. Followed by a dessert oneg.

Shabbat and Torah Service led by Emet

A religious service including Emet’s chanting of Torah and offering interpretation of the sacred text; his official welcome into spiritual adulthood. THIS IS THE MAIN EVENT! Congregation Berith Sholom, 167 Third St. Troy NY 12180. Saturday, May 26, 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM. (Program Book with Honors) Followed by a light lunch at the synagogue.

Reception and Celebration

Including dinner, performances, and dancing. We will be honoring and celebrating Emet’s spiritual connection to all of his ancestral lineages in this space. Soul Fire Farm, 1972 NY HWY 2, Petersburg NY 12138. Saturday, May 26, Feel free to come to the farm immediately following oneg. Program starts at 2:30 PM, dinner at 4:00 PM, and celebration ending around 6 PM.

A few tips for your time on the farm:

Please bring a pair of rain or work boots to the reception, as well as a jacket. It’s on a farm and there are muddy spots and cool nights.
Please park on the right hand side of the driveway and do not block anyone in. When you need to leave, you can head further along the driveway and there is a turnaround in front to the shop.
There will be an opportunity to share blessings, affirmations, and memories with Emet. Consider what you might want to share.
We may get some thunderstorms on Saturday, but we will be under a tent, so fear not.

Bar Mitzvah FAQ’s

Where should we eat?

Lunch and dinner are provided on Saturday for all of our guests. For additional meals, we recommend the following places. None of them are very fancy or expensive, but all are delicious.

Umana, Albany – international cuisine $$

Shalimar Troy – Pakistani/Indian $

First Choice Caribbean Troy $

Beirut Troy – Lebanese $

Plum Blossom Troy – Chinese $$

Van’s Vietnamese Albany $$

Honest Weight Food Coop Albany – yummy health food cafe $

Should we bring a gift?

Your presence is the most important gift! We will have a blessing basket available where we hope all guests will write Emet a special blessing for his transition to spiritual adulthood. Emet also has a wish list for those interested and able to give materially.

Are there customs we need to observe in your synagogue?

Berith Shalom is a welcoming and inclusive faith community that integrates traditional and contemporary modes of worship. The service is primarily in Hebrew with translation and transliteration available in the prayer book. There is a substantial amount of “choreography” and you can just follow the cues from other worshipers as to when to sit and stand. No one will care if you don’t do it “right” so no worries.

There is no specific dress code and most people choose dressy-casual attire. People of all genders may choose to wear kippot (yalmulkes) and tallitot (prayer shawls) or not.

Please do not applaud during the service – rather we sometimes rub our hands together to show appreciation. Also, refrain from taking photographs.

You can arrive late or leave early if you need to. Feel free to come in and out to attend to the needs of your children. The only time we don’t enter or leave is when the ark containing the Torah scrolls is open.

If you desire to know more about synagogue etiquette, this article is pretty good. Please just come as you are and don’t stress. It’s a relaxed and welcoming place.