Hi, my name is Ezra Fronen. I am so excited to celebrate my Bar Mitzvah at Sinai. I like to hang out with friends, play video games, build Legos, play basketball, and spend time with my family. Since I love to read, for my mitzvah project I will install a Little Free Library in front of my house, to share cool books with my neighborhood. I will also be donating to several charities that are important to me- Unravel Pediatric Cancer, mBOLDen Change, Second Harvest Food Bank, Jewish Family Services, and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum. My parshah is Eikev, which is about Moses telling the Israelites about G-d’s commandments and the story of the golden calf. I am so excited to share this day with my friends, family, and all of the Sinai community. Thank you so much to Doug Brook, Rabbi Berkenwald, and my family for supporting me along the way.
Welcome to Congregation Sinai!
We are excited and honored that you are joining us to celebrate this simcha with our family, as Ezra is called to the Torah and becomes a Bar Mitzvah. Ezra continues a family tradition spanning three generations by having his Bar Mitzvah at Sinai, so it is especially meaningful to share this joyous event with the community here. Bar Mitzvah literally means “son of the commandments.” During today’s ceremony, Ezra accepts the responsibilities of observing and participating in religious traditions and affirms his commitment to morals and values of the Torah. He has worked very hard to prepare for this day, and we are so proud of him. Along with leading parts of the service this morning, Ezra will also chant Torah and Haftarah. Ezra will deliver a speech sharing his insights and modern-day application of this week’s portion, Parashat Eikev, which recounts the lessons the Israelites learned during their 40-year exile and instructs them to follow G-d’s commandments as they enter the land of milk and honey. There is a translated and annotated English version in the larger prayer book for you to follow along. Ezra’s Jewish education began at the APJCC preschool. He has attended Sinai’s religious school since kindergarten, where he continued to learn about Jewish traditions and holidays, and how to read Hebrew and chant Torah. We would like to thank all of his teachers forcontributing to his journey along the path of Jewish learning, and especially Morah Zahava (the incomparable Jean Nassi) who spent the last four years committed to weekly Zoom Hebrew school sessions during which he learned modern Hebrew language skills and a deeper knowledge of prayers and customs. Thank you to Rabbi Berkenwald for your guidance and support, and for helping Ezra write his D’var Torah speech. We are so grateful to Doug Brook for tutoring Ezra and preparing him for today. Special thanks to Joelle Pluemer for graciously helping us coordinate all the event details. You are all a cherished part of our family’s community, and our celebration would not be complete without you. We are so grateful to all our guests for being here with us to share this milestone, and especially those that have traveled from out of town to join us. We feel so blessed to be surrounded by your love and support today and always.
Following the service, please join us in the social hall for a kiddush lunch.
Shabbat Shalom!
Aviva, Josh, Ezra, Leora, and Zev
Aviva Fronen and Josh Fronen invite you to join their family as they celebrate the Bar Mitzvah of their son, Ezra, at Congregation Sinai. Kiddush luncheon, hosted by Aviva and Josh, will follow the service. Please join Ezra and his family for this wonderful simcha. All are encouraged to attend.
SHABBAT MORNING SERVICES CAN BE VIEWED AT HTTPS://WWW.SINAI-SJ.ORG/LIVE. NO ACCOUNT OR PASSWORD IS REQUIRED.
Please note that if you attend in-person, you may appear on-screen. The livestream view will be of the ark, the bima, the podium and the first two rows in the Sanctuary. Anyone whose preference is not to be included in the frame should sit a few rows back and not ascend the bimah.