One of the concerns I sometimes hear from parents is: “Cantor Ben, my child barely knows any other Jewish kids. How are they supposed to develop a strong Jewish identity?” …
Parents sometimes come to me with a concern that sounds almost apologetic: “Cantor Ben, my child wants a Bar Mitzvah, but they really do not want a huge party. Is …
One of the most beautiful Bar Mitzvah ceremonies I recently had the privilege of officiating gave me an answer to a question more families should probably be asking: “Can a …
Parents sometimes ask me: “Cantor Ben, can our two children have their Bar Mitzvah or Bar and Bat Mitzvah together?” My answer is yes. Absolutely. And in some families, even …
Parents sometimes ask me a question that I absolutely love: “Cantor Ben, my son and his best friend are around the same age. Can they have their Bar Mitzvah together?” …
One of the most painful things a parent can hear is: “Everyone else knows more Hebrew than I do.” Maybe your child has friends who have attended Hebrew School for …
Parents sometimes ask me a question that would have sounded unusual a generation ago: “Cantor Ben, can my child really prepare for their entire Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah online?” …
Preparing for a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah can already involve a lot of moving pieces. But what happens when the child is also moving between two homes? I hear …
One of the great misconceptions about Jewish education is that where your family lives determines what kind of Jewish education your child can receive. I regularly hear from parents who …
One of the biggest concerns I hear from parents is: “Cantor Ben, my child cannot read Hebrew. Can they still have a meaningful Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah?” When I …
When a parent tells me their child is autistic, I do not immediately ask: “How are we going to get this child through a Bar Mitzvah?” I ask a very …
One of the questions I hear from parents sounds something like this: “Cantor Ben, my child has ADHD. They are bright and capable, but sitting still, concentrating for long periods, …