WISDOM SCHOOL
Bar & Bat Mitzvah Journey with Rabbi Brian Yosef
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A Message from Rabbi Brian Yosef Schachter-Brooks:
The Bar/Bat Mitzvah is celebrated as a crucial and transformative milestone in the life of a young Jewish person. Traditionally, the ceremony affirms the young person's inclusion in communal spiritual life by being called to the Torah for the first time, chanting from the Torah and leading prayers.
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But, for many Jewish families who choose to do an independent bar/bat mitzvah, the ceremony can end up being a one-time-only performance. And futhermore, learning for a bar/bat mitzvah is often so focused on the many Hebrew words to learn, there's hardly any time to really explore what any of it means. In short, for many, it's a missed opportunity.
A Cure
Wisdom School addresses this situation with deep learning and mindfulness-based Jewish practices, while fostering an experiential connection to Jewish community at that crucial moment leading into the teen years. Wisdom School is the only independent program which allows students to be part of a larger Jewish community, without having to belong to a synagogue. Students will be able to participate weekly in our online services and meditations with the Torah of Awakening community, and over time, they will be invited to lead parts of the services. In this way, they will be able to help lead their own b'nai mitzvah ceremonies with experience and confidence, guiding their friends and loved ones in a ceremony that is fully partcipatory for everyone present, while gaining tools for mental and emotional wellbeing they will use for a lifetime.
A Cure
Wisdom School addresses this situation with deep learning and mindfulness-based Jewish practices, while fostering an experiential connection to Jewish community at that crucial moment leading into the teen years. Wisdom School is the only independent program which allows students to be part of a larger Jewish community, without having to belong to a synagogue. Students will be able to participate weekly in our online services and meditations with the Torah of Awakening community, and over time, they will be invited to lead parts of the services. In this way, they will be able to help lead their own b'nai mitzvah ceremonies with experience and confidence, guiding their friends and loved ones in a ceremony that is fully partcipatory for everyone present, while gaining tools for mental and emotional wellbeing they will use for a lifetime.
Practical Jewish Wisdom
Hillel used to say: "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for my own self, what am I? And if not now, when?" - Pirkei Avot 1:14
In addition to leading prayers, chanting Torah and meditating together, students will learn the practical, ethical, and spiritual lessons of the Hebrew wisdom tradition. They will foster their own original insights through lively, inspiring discussions and deep exploration. Students are also encouraged to be creative and take on individual projects such as community service, writing, music, or whatever is their interest.
This Program is Different
With Wisdom School, students will:
- Learn to read Hebrew, chant Torah and Haftorah, and lead Hebrew prayers.
- Explore Hebrew wisdom texts through lively, inspiring discussions and deep exploration.
- Learn and practice leading prayers in our weekly online service, fostering connection to community and building a deep Jewish foundation, rather than merely practicing for a one-time performance.
- Learn practical skills for mental & emotional wellness and experience the healthful "high" of meditation.
- Explore their unique purpose with their own "mitzvah" project in the form of volunteer work or other independent project.
- Gain a strong foundation in Torah and Jewish spirituality from an "Integral" point of view.*
* "Integral" means keeping the best from past tradition, while integrating inclusivity, egalitarianism and universalism, transcending dogmas and out-dated belief systems, and fostering an experiential connection with Jewish spirituality based on the cultivation of awareness.
How Does the Program Work?
Duration: Between One and Two Years
The first year is spent learning and building a foundation, while the second year adds the crafting and practicing for the ceremony. The ceremony can be planned for either after the two years are complete, or for during the second year- your choice. There are no absolute requirements for the students' ceremonies; each student is given the support to decide their own path.
Weekly Sessions:
Students meet as twice weekly, in a larger group on Sundays for a morning service/ meditation session, and in a small group (2-5 students) on a weekday afternoon or evening, all via Zoom. The Sunday service times are:
PT: 9:30 am, MT: 10:30 am, CT: 11:30 am, ET:12:30 pm
The weekday meetings are scheduled according to the needs of each small cohort.
We meet 30 weeks out of the year. All sessions are recorded and can be watched later, so missing class occasionally is not a problem.
For the Sunday service, students participate in morning prayers and meditation with others in the greater Torah of Awakening online community. Over time, students begin to lead different parts of the morning service, preparing them for leading their bar/bat mitzvah ceremony.
For the weekly class, students meet together with me for learning and discussion. Over time, students will gain the life-saving skills of meditation for physical and emotional wellbeing, while learning to lead others in Jewish prayer and ritual.
One-On-One Meetings: Twelve, 60-minute private sessions for guidance in preparing for their ceremony and addressing each student's unique path, scheduled individually.
Custom, In-Person Ceremony: I will travel to you and co-lead your ceremony along with your child. Ceremonies can be on Shabbat, or on Sunday or another weekday. Ceremony planning includes two, 60-minute planning meetings, and as many emails as it takes!
Materials: Students will receive their own siddur (prayerbook), as well as a binder with their Torah portion and materials for Torah study. Siddurim (prayerbooks) for use by your guests are also provided.
The first year is spent learning and building a foundation, while the second year adds the crafting and practicing for the ceremony. The ceremony can be planned for either after the two years are complete, or for during the second year- your choice. There are no absolute requirements for the students' ceremonies; each student is given the support to decide their own path.
Weekly Sessions:
Students meet as twice weekly, in a larger group on Sundays for a morning service/ meditation session, and in a small group (2-5 students) on a weekday afternoon or evening, all via Zoom. The Sunday service times are:
PT: 9:30 am, MT: 10:30 am, CT: 11:30 am, ET:12:30 pm
The weekday meetings are scheduled according to the needs of each small cohort.
We meet 30 weeks out of the year. All sessions are recorded and can be watched later, so missing class occasionally is not a problem.
For the Sunday service, students participate in morning prayers and meditation with others in the greater Torah of Awakening online community. Over time, students begin to lead different parts of the morning service, preparing them for leading their bar/bat mitzvah ceremony.
For the weekly class, students meet together with me for learning and discussion. Over time, students will gain the life-saving skills of meditation for physical and emotional wellbeing, while learning to lead others in Jewish prayer and ritual.
One-On-One Meetings: Twelve, 60-minute private sessions for guidance in preparing for their ceremony and addressing each student's unique path, scheduled individually.
Custom, In-Person Ceremony: I will travel to you and co-lead your ceremony along with your child. Ceremonies can be on Shabbat, or on Sunday or another weekday. Ceremony planning includes two, 60-minute planning meetings, and as many emails as it takes!
Materials: Students will receive their own siddur (prayerbook), as well as a binder with their Torah portion and materials for Torah study. Siddurim (prayerbooks) for use by your guests are also provided.
If you are looking for a meaningful and transformative Jewish rite of passage for your child, give me a call or send me an email – I look forward to talking with you!
All blessings,
Reb Brian Yosef Schachter-Brooks
All blessings,
Reb Brian Yosef Schachter-Brooks
Or, send text to: 510-986-4223
Reb Brian Yosef Schachter-Brooks is a rabbi and a musician. He has been teaching Jewish spirituality to children and adults since 2000, and founded the online Jewish Meditation community, Torah of Awakening, in 2016. He is the author of Kabbalah for Beginners published by Rockridge Press.
Reb Brian Yosef received rabbinic s’miha (ordination) in the Renewal tradition and lineage of Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi z”l through Rabbi David Zaslow and a group of rabbis at Havurah Shir Hadash in Ashland, Oregon in 2023. Prior to that, he received ordination as Minister of Sacred Music from Reb Zalman z”l (2012), Spiritual Teacher from Shaykh Ibrahim Baba Farajaje (may his secret be sanctified) and Rabbi SaraLeya Schley (2012), certification as Teacher of Jewish Meditation from Dr. Rabbi Avram Davis (2004), and holds a Bachelor in Music from the Eastman School of Music (1991).
Reb Brian Yosef received rabbinic s’miha (ordination) in the Renewal tradition and lineage of Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi z”l through Rabbi David Zaslow and a group of rabbis at Havurah Shir Hadash in Ashland, Oregon in 2023. Prior to that, he received ordination as Minister of Sacred Music from Reb Zalman z”l (2012), Spiritual Teacher from Shaykh Ibrahim Baba Farajaje (may his secret be sanctified) and Rabbi SaraLeya Schley (2012), certification as Teacher of Jewish Meditation from Dr. Rabbi Avram Davis (2004), and holds a Bachelor in Music from the Eastman School of Music (1991).