Mitzvah buddy

While studying together during the Mitzvah! program, our mitzvah students build relationships with each other and their community.  This sense of community is valued deeply at JCOGS and we take every opportunity to foster it.

We expect students to: 

• Invite other Mitzvah students to their  mitzvah service and to the celebration afterwards. 

• Attend other Mitzvah! students’  mitzvah services and performing certain duties to help out on the day, such as ushering and handing out prayer books and returning them to the shelves after the ceremony. 

This sense of community-building extends to parents as well. It is important to create connections and a system of support among parents who are going through this significant milestone at the same time. We encourage parents to attend the  mitzvah ceremonies of their child’s classmates and provide volunteer assistance.

We are also aware that many of our members do not have immediate family living nearby who are available to provide help during these milestones. To that end, JCOGS has created a  Mitzvah Family Buddy System where  mitzvah parents are assigned to one other’ family for the purpose of  providing support on the day of the event. Mitzvah Family Buddy matches are organized by the  mitzvah coordinator at the beginning of the Mitzvah! program in September. The kind of assistance Mitzvah Family Buddies can provide for each other will depend on each family’s individual needs.  The Mitzvah Family Buddy will help the mitzvah coordinator ensure that most of the details of the day are attended to.

Mitzvah Family Buddy duties:

Mitzvah Family Buddies are not expected to cater events or take on any financial responsibilities for their buddy family.

Mitzvah buddies should arrive early on the day of the Mitzvah Ceremony to slice challah and get it and the kiddish cup with juice onto the bima,  make sure the candy baskets are filled and on the bima and that the gifts from the synagogue are on the table on the bima as well.  Be available If arrangements have been made with you to receive food or flowers.  Stand at the door before and during the service to unlock the door and welcome guests.