Neveh’s teens step into active Jewish life

By Deborah Moon

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During High Holidays at Congregation Neveh Shalom, teenagers have the chance to bring to life the ideal that their b’nai mitzvot serves as a gateway to participatory Jewish life.

Every year 60 or more teenagers lead the entire morning Shaharit service both for the main services in the sanctuary and at the parallel service in Birnbach Hall on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. They also lead the Mincha afternoon service on Yom Kippur and some of the teens also read Torah. 

“In many ways it is a demonstration that they understand the bar/bat mitzvah ceremony that they all celebrated is not a graduation, but a commencement into participatory adult Jewish life,” said Rabbi Daniel Isaak, senior rabbi of the Conservative congregation that has more than 1,000 family and individual members.

“The congregants love the participation of the teenagers and it gets many to come earlier for services then they might have otherwise,” said Isaak.

“The congregation loves it,” agreed Cantor Linda Shivers, who ensures teens are prepared. “Teenagers in shul—what could be better.”

Shivers said that by having teenagers lead the services rather than hiring someone to do it, the congregation is sending an important message to the teens.

“It’s a sign to the teens of how much we respect their capabilities and value them,” Shivers said. “We always say when you become a bar or bat mitzvah, it should be the beginning of Jewish life. I think our percentage of retained teens is pretty high in American Jewish life.”

Shivers has created CDs or MP3 recordings for each section of the services. Shivers and Ilene Safyan rehearse the teens to ensure they are prepared before stepping in front of a crowd of 500 (downstairs) to more than 1,000 in the main sanctuary.

“It’s a fabulous experience for kids to be able to lead services in front of 1,000 people,” Shivers said.

Abigail Axel, 16, who will help lead holiday services for the third year, said that at first it was a little overwhelming. She said it took a lot of time to prepare for the first year, but “it gets easier every year.”

Axel said leading services was a good experience.

“People come up and tell you you did a good job; it feels good,” she said. “I think it’s great our synagogue gives us this opportunity. Bar or bat mitzvah is supposed to be the beginning of our Jewish life and it’s nice that even though we’re not full adults they give us this opportunity.”

Laura Eckstein, 13½, said she helped lead services last year and is preparing to do so again this year because, “It’s really important to me to be a part of my community. This is one way to be a participant in my synagogue’s life.”

Eckstein emphasized her participation isn’t limited to the holidays.

“I am a regular participant at my synagogue—not just during the high holidays,” she said. “I enjoy participating.”
 
Assistant Rabbi Bradley Greenstein said, “It’s amazing to see the youth of our synagogue continuing to draw closer to Torah after their b’nai mitzvot.