Temple Sinai Congregation of Toronto

B’NEI MITZVAH AND BEYOND

Jewish learning and community building continue well after bar/bat mitzvah at Temple Sinai to mentor our youth. Jewish studies, explorations, travel, and opportunities to become a Jewish leader help foster a strong Jewish identity and peer group for students in grades 7 to 12.

Grade 7 – B’nei Mitzvah

At Temple Sinai, bar/bat mitzvah is an important milestone along the way to Jewish adulthood and advanced Jewish learning. Rather than being an exit or a point of departure from our school community, it is the entry point to our young adult programs and pathways to confirmation.

Click here to download our B’nei Mitzvah Guide


School Program

Classes meet Tuesday evenings from 7.00 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. during the school year, a significant shift from Sunday mornings. The B’nei Mitzvah Institute, three Tuesday evening sessions, bring parents and students together, including day school and religious school families. The focus of the year is the “mitzvah” in bar/bat mitzvah. We examine how and why tzedakah (righteousness) is essential for living a Jewish life and helping children learn to make adult decisions.


Lech Lecha – Temple Sinai’s Travel Experience

When Abraham leaves his home to set out on a journey of discovery, he is told lech lecha, go forth. Temple Sinai encourages our youth to set out on their own journey of Jewish discovery by offering unforgettable travel experiences.

Grades 7 and 8 youth travel as one community. We rotate each year between Boston and Southwestern Ontario.

In Boston, we walk the Freedom Trail exploring the idea of freedom as young people. Do we have freedom? What do we do with freedom? How do we help those who do not have freedom? Memorable attractions include Fenway Park, the Great Duck Tour, Harvard University and Max Brenner-The Israeli Chocolate Man.

In Southwestern Ontario, we consider our role in the community through experiencing the Six Nations community and small-town Jewish life. We take advantage of the beauty of Ontario by spending time amongst the trees and rivers. We raft, hike and explore. We work as a team and relax by the campfire. A visit to the Residential School Museum opens our eyes to a part of the Canadian narrative we must work to reconcile. We laugh and play in Niagara Falls and finish at a Jewish dairy farm.


Junior Youth Group (JYG)

JYG is a fun and relaxing way to unwind with your Temple Sinai community. Some favourite activities have been Raptors games, Laser Tag, Ninja Gym and gaming. We focus on building community and a lot of fun!


B’nei Mitzvah Preparation

No matter on which journey your child embarks, they will acquire the skills, confidence and support they need to stand proudly at their b’nei mitzvah chanting Torah and Haftarah. We employ modern teaching techniques and utilize digital media to make learning accessible and engaging. There are two options for education and preparing at Temple Sinai:

Option 1
Kehillah: Temple Sinai’s group learning experience, Tuesdays from 6.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m.
Young people come together weekly for a peer-learning experience devoted to skill building, community building and confidence building. Each class begins with a community-building activity, group learning of blessings and pizza dinner. Youth then break into one-on-one or small-group learning with peer mentors to focus on their specific portion. Peer mentors are post-b’nei mitzvah students who have committed to sharing their chanting skills with new students. Learn more about this exciting program from our youth participants and peer mentors: https://youtu.be/6n_r5BJTuio.

Option 2
One-on-One Lessons:
Tuesdays from 4.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. & Thursdays from 4.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m.
Youth engage in 20-minute sessions with teacher, Aron Katz, to build skills and confidence.

The focus for grade 8 is the core values of Judaism through the exploration of other religious traditions found in Toronto. Students participate in field trips to other religious institutions that offer opportunities to compare and contrast various religious observances and practices. Students also make new connections to Israeli culture by learning about the diversity of religious groups in Israel.

Lech Lecha – Temple Sinai’s Travel Experience

When Abraham leaves his home to set out on a journey of discovery, he is told lech lecha, go forth. Temple Sinai encourages our youth to set out on their own journey of Jewish discovery by offering unforgettable travel experiences.

Grades 7 and 8 youth travel as one community. We rotate each year between Boston and Southwestern Ontario.

In Boston, we walk the Freedom Trail exploring the idea of freedom as young people. Do we have freedom? What do we do with freedom? How do we help those who do not have freedom? Memorable attractions include Fenway Park, the Great Duck Tour, Harvard University and Max Brenner-The Israeli Chocolate Man.

In Southwestern Ontario, we consider our role in community through experiencing the Six Nations community and small-town Jewish life. We take advantage of the beauty of Ontario by spending time amongst the trees and rivers. We raft, hike and explore. We work as a team and relax by the campfire. A visit to the Residential School Museum opens our eyes to a part of the Canadian narrative we must work to reconcile. We laugh and play in Niagara Falls and finish at a Jewish dairy farm.

Junior Youth Group (JYG)

JYG is a fun and relaxing way to unwind with your Temple Sinai community. Some favourite activities have been Raptors games, laser tag, Ninja Gym and gaming. We focus on building community and a lot of fun!

Kehillah Peer Mentor

Youth who have become bar/bat mitzvah are welcome to become peer mentors. They work one on one with upcoming students on chanting, Hebrew, public speaking and confidence building. If you would like to refresh your chanting skills or bring your special talents to the kehillah.

In grades 9 and 10, students focus on current issues that are relevant to them, emphasizing forming strong Jewish identities and decision-making. Understanding how they fit into the local and global Jewish and secular world is also crucial for students who participate in tikkun olam.

Confirmation – Grade 10

Grade 10 students participate in special confirmation programming with our clergy and senior staff during this year. Community is the focus of Confirmation, and this provides opportunities for students to be out in the community both learning about and doing tikkun olam with their friends. Confirmation is also a time for students to reflect on Jewish leadership and individual roles and responsibilities in the Jewish community. It is an integral part and the future of the Jewish people.

Lech Lecha – Temple Sinai’s Travel Experience

When Abraham leaves his home to set out on a journey of discovery, he is told lech lecha, go forth. Temple Sinai encourages our youth to set out on their own journey of Jewish discovery by offering unforgettable travel experiences.

Our High School students travel as one community each year. Our trips include:

New York City — We make that concrete jungle our own! We explore the Jewish immigrant story at the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and Tenement Museum. There is no end to the other activities we can do. Central Park. Broadway show, Times Square. Pack your walking shoes!

Washington DC — We can be change makers! Social Justice is the focus of this exploration from monument to museum. Our time at the Religious Action Center opens our eyes to our responsibilities as young Jewish adults and builds our skills to make a difference.

Israel — Every other March Break, our teens explore their homeland. Our congregation believes so strongly that our teens should experience Israel. Major fundraising allows this trip to be affordable to all of our teens. We visit the major sites of Israel as well as spend meaningful time with Israeli Reform teens. As one community, we develop our leadership skills and understanding of one another’s cultures. There is nothing like an Israel experience. Temple community builds bonds that last a lifetime

League of Temple Sinai Senior Youth (LOTSSY) Group

LOTSSY is led by teens and made for teens. Every Tuesday night (6.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m.), you can retreat to the LOFT. This space is Laughing, Learning, Lounging Only For Teens. Create community. Dine and cook together. Change the world. Relax on a couch. Anything, as long as you’re together.

Kehillah Peer Mentor

Youth who have become bar/bat mitzvah are welcome to become peer mentors. They work one-on-one with upcoming b’nei mitzvah students on chanting, Hebrew, public speaking and confidence building. Contact the Temple office if you would like to refresh your chanting skills or bring your special talent to the kehillah. Students can choose a monetary stipend or service hours.

Madrichim

Be a leader in our community and gain valuable experience working with younger children! Students in grades 8 to 12 can apply to become Madrichim (teaching assistants) in our Sunday morning school program each week for either community service credits or hourly pay. Madrichim participate in leadership training throughout the year and learn valuable skills.

Teens interested in being part of this program are asked to fill out a Madrichim Application form. Please click here to complete the application.

Staycation Creator and Leader

An exciting overnight in downtown Toronto for our grade 6 youth, the Staycation is created and led by Temple’s teens. Energetic and inventive teens can apply to be Staycation creators and leaders. The teen team will work with youth advisor Jesse Primerano for approximately ten hours. Full participation in this program earns all forty service hours.

2017 Teen Israel Trip
2020 Confirmation

Our Team

cantor-lebovitz
Cantor Meara Lebovitz

cantorlebovitz@templesinai.net 416.487.4161 ext. 276

deborah-tameanko
Deborah Tameanko
Executive Assistant to Clergy/B’nei Mitzvah Coordinator

deb@templesinai.net 416.487.4161 ext. 258

brass_bobbielynn_2021
BobbieLynn Brass
Administrative Assistant

bobbielynn@templesinai.net 416.487.4161 ext. 227

Lauren Sharp Bernstein Bio

Lauren Sharp Bernstein
Youth Engagement Coordinator

lauren@templesinai.net
416.487.4161 ext. 244