Invitations should invite guests to the ceremony in the Temple.

In wording the invitation, it is correct to use phrases like:

Freida will be called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah

Shlomo will become a Bar Mitzvah

and Sara will lead prayers and read Torah and Haftarah.

Shabbat morning services start promptly at 10:30 a.m. We request that you use the directional cards available from the Temple office (and on line) since they explain that students lead the service from its beginning and encourage guests to arrive promptly.

Temple Beth Torah encourages the wearing of kipot by both men and women. There are kipot available at all services.

Families wishing to order inscribed kipot or a specific color for Shabbat morning must provide them privately. (It is inappropriate to choose white, which is reserved for the High Holy Days.)

The Temple’s tallit/kipot rack has two sections to accommodate two sets of kipot (often set up in baskets) if necessary.

The Bar/Bat Mitzvah service includes the presentation of a tallit to all Bar and Bat Mitzvah students. The tallit is presented to the child on the bima at the beginning of the Shabbat morning service. The tallit presentation ceremony is provided by the Temple. You can download it here.

A religious goods store or on-line resources can be used to order kipot and tallit. Please allow six weeks for delivery in your planning.

It is customary, although not required, for Bar/Bat Mitzvah families to provide bimah baskets or flowers in order to enhance the beauty of the sanctuary and in honor of their simcha.

· They should be delivered to the temple Friday between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

· The arrangements should be no more that 48 inches tall (bottom of basket to top of tallest flower).

· Be sure all baskets are sturdy enough to sit on carpet (on step) without toppling or leaning.

Cantor Neff requests that you try to avoid Lillies.  She is allergic.

· Many families choose to supply decorative food (or other special) baskets instead of flowers. The food or books or toys can then be donated to a charitable organization. Our congregants are warmly invited and encouraged to pursue this option, but please decorate the baskets beautifully. The intent of the basket is bimah decoration.

You are welcome to take the flowers with you after the Shabbat morning service. Arrangements may be made (in advance) with the administrator to pick them up as late as Monday afternoon. For the special baskets, you must make appropriate arrangements to get the contents of the baskets to the charity of your choice during the week following the simcha.