Church Visits

By Alan Cecil

ST. MARY'S TODAY

“B’nai Mitzvah & Shabbat Service”...
Ohef Sholom Temple
During the same beautiful weekend in mid June that the internationally famous Norfolk Harborfest celebrated its 30th anniversary, Benjamin Levi and his cousin Matthew Villani formally became young Jewish men in a B’nai Mitzvah held at the magnificent Ohef Sholom Temple.
The program informed all that after their 13th birthday, all Jewish youth become responsible for the performance of the Mitzvah (commandments) or the ethical and spiritual deeds specified in the Torah. To mark this passage of becoming a ‘Daughter or Son of Responsibility’- a Bat (girls) or Bar (boys) Mitzvah-the young Jewish adult is called to lead the congregation in prayer, as well as to read or chant in Hebrew from the sacred text.”
This takes an enormous amount of time and concentration learning a completely new oral and written language. Additionally, as part of their preparation for this occasion, both Benjamin and Matthew participated in Judeo Christian Outreach on Super Sunday and both also gave their time to assemble bags of donations for the homeless while also collecting shredded paper and making homemade doggy treats for the local animal shelter.
On this Saturday morning B’nai Mitzvah (when there are two or more males in the ceremony the singular ‘Bar Mitzvah’ becomes the plural Hebrew ‘B’nai Mitzvah’) Benjamin and Matthew lead the congregation in much of the service that is normally conducted by the Rabbi. Their Torah readings were from the book of Judges, Chapters 13 and l9.
At the beginning of the service the boys were presented with their own Tallit (prayer shaw) and Yad (wooden text pointer and placeholder shaped like a finger) used to point to the text in the Torah scroll) by their parents. Rabbi Rosalin Mandelberg officiated at the service.
“How good it is and how pleasant when we dwell together in unity….” was part of the opening prayer.
Members of both Mitzvah celebrants’ families were also at the bimah (meaning ‘high place’ or pulpit) actively participating in the service. The ark is the repository of the Torah (Torah scrolls contain the five Books of Moses and include the history, laws, and stories of the Jewish people) scrolls and is the main focus on the bimah.
The Torah’s teachings are the ethical commandments where God asks us to treat others with dignity and respect. Above the top of the ark at Ohef Sholom Temple is an ‘eternal light’ symbolizing the fire that burned on the altar in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem. Two, seven-branched, gold Menorah (candelabra) flanked the ark in this temple. They too, symbolize the lighting in the Jerusalem temple of ancient times.
Continuing with the service….”Bless our children oh God and help us to so fashion their souls by precept and example that they may ever love their God and turn from evil...revering Your teaching and bringing honor to their people. May they guard for future ages the truths revealed to our ancestors.”
In a special salute to the Mitzvah boys, Rabbi Mandleberg shared: “ In knowing you it has been a pleasure for Cantor and me to be so proud of you and the way that each of you have ‘raised up’ all of those around you, your family, friends and all that know you!”
In a very significant part of the ceremony the ‘passing of the Torah scrolls” from one generation of each respective family to the next generation and finally to the Mitzvah boys. Enriching the B’nai Mitzvah with her lovely voice and religious commitment was Cantor Jennifer Bern-Vogel.
Ohef Sholom Temple, founded in 1844, is the largest and oldest Reform Jewish congregation in Tidewater Virginia. Non-members are cordially invited to attend the Temple’s regularly scheduled Friday night and Saturday morning services.

Ohef Sholom Temple: Rabbi Rosalin Mandelberg ~ Cantor Jennifer Bern-Vogel ~ 530 Raleigh Ave., Norfolk, Va. 23507 ~ Phone: 757 625 4295 ~ E-mail: ohef@exis.net ~ Starting May 26, 2006, all Friday Night Shabbat Services will begin at 6:00 p.m. through the summer. Saturday Shabbat Services at 10:30 a.m. ~ Web site: www.ohefsholom.org.