New B’nai Mitzvah books!

Dear B’nai Mitzvah families and tutors,

When a student began their tutoring for B’nai Mitzvah they were given a booklet (blue for Genesis, red for Exodus, and so on) that contained the Torah portion, Haftara portion, Torah and Haftarah blessings and a copy of the Plaut commentary for that portion.

I visited the offices of the Union of Reform Judaism, and were given a sample of the NEW Parashat Hashavua (the weekly Torah portion) Bar/Bat Mitzvah study guide.

The new features include:(this is a copy of the webpage description, the bold is mine)

* Clear, easy-to-read reproduction of the vocalized Hebrew Text
* tikkun text (what it looks like in the Torah scroll; No need to make copies, tutors!)
* English Translation from The Torah: A Modern Commentary, Revised Edition
* Age Appropriate Torah commentary from A Torah Commentary for our Times by Rabbi Harvey Fields
* Related Questions for discussion
* Age appropriate introduction to the haftarah text
* large print haftarah text for pulpit use (and for tutors over 40 years old…)
* “Torah in Action” with suggestions for mitzvah projects
* Additional resources page
* Great map of the area covered in this portion
* To download the chanting of the Torah portion, Haftara portion and blessings, go to their website - no more tapes! straight to CD, computer or MP3.

I have a copy and will bring it with me to the picnic this Sunday, since there is no more Sunday school or mid week Hebrew this year. I will keep the copy in my office in case you want to swing by and take a look, since beginning May 25 all services will be held in the assembly room of the Religious school.

However, the new version is $13 each (as opposed to $10 for the old ones). Since the school still has three or more copies of each parasha (in the old version), if you want your child to work out of the new book you will need to purchase it yourself or I can order it for you. Either way you will need to pay the $13 plus shipping made out to Beth Shalom.

Currently, the only parashot available are for the books of Genesis, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The remaining parashot will be available next fall.

Danielle