Mitzvah for students

The Mitzvah Program 

The intent of the Mitzvah Program is to create opportunities to enhance prayer and Torah literacy, create a supportive learning community during the preparation period before  the Mitzvah ceremony, enhance the students’ engagement with the JCOGS community, deepen their Jewish connections and identitie

The Mitzvah program design is based on the belief that during the Mitzvah preparation year students should have the opportunity to pray, study, and play together.  To that end the Mitzvah program is on Saturday morning from 10-12.

Each week the cohort will engage in tefillah (prayer time). Once a month this will take place during a regular JCOGS Shabbat morning service with the whole congregation and the Rabbi - with built in time for some discussion about the service. Every other week of the month, the Mitzvah coordinator will lead a service experience, with lay leaders from JCOGS. By including tefillah in every Mitzvah class as well as regular Torah discussion groups, the students should be ready by early spring to start leading the monthly Shabbat services along with the Rabbi and be fully prepared to lead the service during their own Mitzvah ceremonies- as well as be teed up to write their divrei Torah.  

Once a month, the class will engage in a Torah discussion and question asking session which will prepare them for writing their divrei Torah later on.

Once a month, the class will engage in some sort of cultural activity that has its roots in Judaism - it might be cooking, it might be an art project or it might be something that includes music/dance/theater.  

Once a month will be dedicated to learning about JCOGS, engaging in Mitzvah projects, or going on a field trip.  During this  week students will meet and hear from members of the JCOGS Board, chairs of JCOGS committees and other members of the community, who will talk to the students about how they live their Jewish lives and how that impacts the JCOGS community.  This sort of intergenerational interaction will allow JCOGS members to get to know the students and the students to get to know and feel comfortable with the members of the JCOGS community.