A student’s family must have been members in good standing
of Congregation Shomrei Torah for at least three (3) consecutive years prior to the date of the service.
The membership year at CST begins on July 1st. If a family has joined
the congregation less than three years before, they can show involvement with
another congregation and religious school program to complete the three-year
requirement. Special circumstances will also be considered and should be brought to the attention of Rabbi Kramer.
Students are required to be enrolled in STaRS beginning at
least three years prior to the Bar/Bat Mitzvah date.
Regular Religious School attendance is essential for students to reach their educational goals at the expected time. Your child will need your support to get to every session.
This commitment will enrich your child’s school experience, promote your
child’s sense of being part of the class community, and give your child a
greater appreciation of your child’s ultimate Bar/Bat Mitzvah goals. Irregular
Religious School attendance is self-defeating as well as expensive for parents
who may have to pay for extra tutoring. If minimum requirements are not being
met, CST may decide to postpone or cancel the service.
Service dates are chosen at the end of the 5th grade year.
A calendar of available dates is sent to families asking them to choose three dates, in order
of preference, for their service. We try to accommodate the desires of the
family as much as is possible when making the final assignment. Clusters of
birthdays, the general calendar of the Temple, the availability of the
Sanctuary, the schedule of the Rabbis, and the Hebrew readiness of the student
are factors that influence date assignments. All financial accounts with Shomrei Torah (membership, tuition, etc.)
must be current in order to receive a date assignment.
Two years prior to the Bar/Bat Mitzvah, each student will
begin his/her fulfillment of the monthly Shabbat service attendance
requirement.
This part of the curriculum is designed to help students and
their families learn the service they will lead in the near future and
experience becoming part of the Temple worship community. It is
particularly helpful for your child to attend as many CST Saturday morning
services as possible, as this is the specific service your child will lead. Parents, please plan to attend services with your child.
Families are required to attend several Bar/Bat Mitzvah
Family Classes.
These classes are designed to demystify the process of preparing for Bar/Bat Mitzvah and take place during the 6th and 7th grade years. These classes
help families choose which verses will be chanted, what Mitzvah project to pursue in our
Mitzvah Project program , clarify family values, deal with the emotional
and logistical challenges which may arise, and build a sense of camaraderie
among the families preparing for Bar/Bat Mitzvah.
Timely attendance at all tutoring sessions (24), sermon meetings with one of the Rabbis (4), rehearsals with one of the Rabbis (3), and service preparation meeting (1) is VITAL.
We cannot provide your Bar/Bat Mitzvah with the full benefit of the curriculum if they do
not regularly attend sessions, practice in between sessions, and have the full
support of their families.
The Mizvah Project is a family centered Mitzvah program, and an important part of our curriculum.
Through this program families use text study, small groups, questions and discussions to learn more about tzedakah (charitable giving),
tikkun olam (repair of the world) and g’milut chasadim (acts of loving kindness). Then they choose a project to accomplish during the B’nei Mitzvah year. This can be a short-term volunteer commitment to a program or organization, or the students may develop
their own project out of a wonderful idea that inspires them. Any project that
enhances the lives of others or protects or preserves the environment is
appropriate. The Mitzvah Project is part of the 7th grade and Family Education programs at CST. All families are required to participate.
All financial accounts with Congregation Shomrei Torah including membership, tuition, and facilities use fees, must be current two months before the service.
If you find you are struggling to meet your obligations, please contact the Executive Director as soon as possible to make
special arrangements.
Make reservations early.
To ensure the availability of CST facilities for your Shabbat dinner, Kiddush lunch, or
evening party, please let us know of your plans no less than four months in
advance. In fact, it is a good idea to check on the availability of the
sanctuary for an evening event a year in advance! The facilities calendar fills
up early and quickly. Member prices are available to B’nei Mitzvah families.
Facilities Use Fees
Security for service $50
Building Liaison (for service and Kiddush Oneg) $35 per hour
Kiddush Oneg/Standing Reception
(Full use of Sanctuary, patio and limited kitchen use) $100
Kiddush Luncheon (full use of Sanctuary, classrooms, kitchen, and patio) $450*
Evening Dinner/Party (full use of Sanctuary, classrooms, kitchen, and patio) $750*
Dinner in Kolbo room (use of Kolbo and kitchen) $150
If desired: florist, photographer, caterer, musicians, D.J.s, and any other needed services are contracted directly by the Bar/Bat Mitzvah family.
You will find published CST policies regarding Kashrut (laws governing
food), still photography, video recording, and use of our sound system on our
Policies Page.