Bar Mitzvah

The UJEB program is designed to teach young people about what it means to become Bar Mitzvah. We chose this program for (our son) Oliver as we wanted him to learn about this stage of life, in relation to being part of the Jewish community, and also being Jewish in the wider Australian community. Being part of the program gave Oliver the opportunity to reflect and discuss one’s responsibilities and many other interesting topics, with other Jewish boys of similar age. He participated in the Bar Mitzvah Program in 2020 and I was pleasantly surprised at how Sam (their leader) managed to keep the group of boys not just learning but engaged in conversations online!! I would definitely recommend this to others who are looking for a connection with the Jewish community.

The UJEB program was a fantastic kick start into my son’s Barmitzvah year. The diversity of topics and the connection with other Jewish boys is what initially attracted us to the program and we weren’t disappointed. In particular, my son loved meeting a new group of kids and being able to have discussions he otherwise wouldn’t have had in a supportive environment. From delving into ‘manhood’, learning some Krav Maga and having dinner together in the Sukkah with a holocaust survivor, this program covered a variety of interesting and age appropriate topics. Samuel was fantastic in facilitating this all. Elijah has really enjoyed the past few months – thank-you!

The UJEB program was brilliant for our son, Tal. It’s important to us that our kids find where they fit within the Jewish narrative and community – our family isn’t religious, and our kids attend a public school. Connecting Tal with a group of likeminded boys and going through their Barmi journey was a perfect introduction to what it means to be a good man, and how that fits with Jewish life. You couldn’t ask for a better role model than Samuel, the UJEB Bar Mitzvah Coordinator. He is engaging and kind, and our son was always excited to attend the sessions. Learning the Parsha along with the program gave it so much more meaning. The programme comes highly recommended.

'The barmi program was a great opportunity for the boys to learn about themselves and their communities and ‘what it means to be a man’ in Jewish and social settings. The experience gave him the space to understand himself and his family background and to use this to inform views on who he wants to be and the difference he wants to make in the world.’