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Bnai Mitzvah Program

B'nai Mitzvah & Beyond

Congregation Rodfei Zedek is committed to supporting and celebrating our students and their families upon reaching this joyous milestone. 

Celebrate A Joyous Milestone

We ensure that every child feels confident and has a positive experience of Judaism throughout the B-Mitzvah process, crafting a celebration that is a meaningful acknowledgment of your family's pride in being Jewish and your family's ongoing commitment to the Jewish people.

Practicing on the bimah

Becoming a B-Mitzvah means more than the events of one day. It is a gateway to a lifetime of learning, growth, and connection with Jewish life, past, present, and future. We value the unique diversity of our community, including among our youngest members, and we honor both tradition and innovation. At CRZ, there is room to explore avenues across the spectrum as we work together to create meaning during this important time in the B-Mitzvah's life.

 

To learn more about our options for B-Mitzvahs, please review our B-Mitzvah guide. You can also view previous B-Mitzvah services on our YouTube channel. To begin planning this milestone, email our Director of Visioning and Engagement, Hannah, at dve@rodfei.org. 

Teens & Young Adults

You've celebrated reaching such a joyous milestone - now what? We hope that you and your family stay committed to spending your Shabbat mornings and your holidays with us at CRZ - and maybe even reading Torah! 

 

There are also tons of ways to engage in Jewish life and meet more Jewish teens across Chicago depending on your interests. CRZ is committed to helping families explore these options and get connected with the right people to make engaging as seamless as possible. 

 

Springboard, a community initiative created with the support of JUF, is a great place to begin exploring available opportunities! They have a great Teen Program Guide, and they also offer one-on-one concierge meetings with teens and parents to help guide your search further.

 

No matter how you're looking to grow, what you're looking to learn, or how often you'd like to show up, there's a program for you!

 

We're excited to highlight just a few opportunities that CRZ is most connected to. If there's an opportunity you'd like to learn more about, email Hannah Kaiser and she can connect you to the right person directly! 

 

Youth Movement

  • BBYO - Darom is our Southside Chapter, led by teen members of the CRZ community! 
  • Email Shira, a member of the BBYO staff, to learn more and get involved. 

 

Cohort Program

  • Diller Teen Fellows 
    • Diller is a prestigious yearlong fellowship for 10th and 11th graders interested in exploring the topics of leadership, Jewish identity, Israel, and beyond 
    • CRZ has a member who works for Diller! Email Program Director Tali or CRZ member Hallie to learn more.

Israel

 

For young adults ages 18+

Cohort Experience 

  • Brandeis Camp Institute (BCI)
    • Hosts transformative experiences where Jewish and Jew-ish participants, ages 18-29, come together for multi-day retreats in Southern California 

 

Israel

  • Birthright Israel
    • Birthright Israel invites you to travel to the center of Jewish history for a once-in-a-lifetime 10-day journey.
  • Honeymoon Israel
    • Honeymoon Israel's mission is to provide immersive trips to Israel for locally-based cohorts of couples that have at least one Jewish partner, early in their committed relationship, creating communities of couples who are building families with deep and meaningful connections to Jewish life and the Jewish people.
Mon, May 12 2025 14 Iyyar 5785