lifecycle.beth-jacob.orgThe Life Cycle Guide

Information on life cycle events at Beth Jacob Congreation in Mendota Heights, MN To Beth Jacob main website » Welcome Wedding Greetings from Rabbi Morris J. Allen Marriage and the Standards of Conservative Judaism and Welcoming the Non Jewish partner Selecting a Date Beth Jacob’s Wedding Coordinator Wedding Location Wedding Officiants Meetings with Rabbi Allen Rituals & Documents for Same-Sex Couples The Wedding Ceremony The Celebration – Se’udat Mitzvah Wrap-Up Bar/Bat Mitzvah Introduction Bar/Bat Mitzvah Scheduling Education The Role of Kehillat Shabbat Tutoring for Bar/Bat Mitzvah Additional Aspects of Preparation Services the Week of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah The Bar/Bat Mitzvah Service The Beth Jacob Community and Your Simcha Kol Ya’akov Bar/Bat Mitzvah Bio Guide Bar/Bat Mitzvah Preparation Timeline Bar/Bat Mitzvah Skills Sheet If You’ve Never Been to a Bar/Bat Mitzvah at Beth Jacob Welcoming a Newborn Beth Jacob, Halakha, and who is a Jew When is the best time to contact the rabbi about welcoming your newborn Brit Milah Simchat Bat Conversion of an infant Se’udat Mitzvah Hosting Shul Events Introduction To Planning Your Event Synagogue Policies on Sponsored Events Synagogue Policies on Kashrut and the Use of Beth Jacob’s Kitchen Building Usage Contract Seating at Beth Jacob How The Social Hall Can Be Set Up for Various Events Food and Serving Guidelines Directions / Web site Hosting Shomer Shabbat guests Hotels Near Beth Jacob Kippot More Resources Website Feedback Search the Lifecycle Guide Search for: The Guide Sections Bar/Bat Mitzvah Wedding Welcoming a Newborn Hosting Shul Events Welcome Since its inception, Beth Jacob Congregation has been a home to many of us who seek a warm and welcoming Jewish community, a place where we can celebrate the milestones in our lives, explore our Jewish identities, and connect with others who share our values and commitments. The values that have always animated this community include embracing diversity, egalitarianism, respect for Jewish tradition, modesty, and a commitment to placing substance over style. We seek to live out these values in our communal lives, in the ways we celebrate, worship and learn together.  Even lifecycle events, which are the most personal of all religious occasions, are shaped by these values when they are celebrated within the community. This Lifecycle Guide is an expression of these values and a guide to celebrating important milestones in your life within the context of this community. Within it you will find much useful information and practical advice offered by our professional staff and by other congregants whose experience, we hope, will be useful as you plan your special events. Here you will find established synagogue policies and practices, together with suggestions for how to make your simcha more meaningful. It is not, and was not intended to be, a comprehensive source that will answer all questions that arise in the course of planning major lifecycle events. It is provided here in electronic format with the understanding that it is sure to be revised and updated in the years ahead, as policies and circumstances change. But many of the most frequently asked questions about event planning are covered here in detail. And, of course, our rabbis and staff are always here to help you with any questions or issues that are not covered here. Photographs on this website were taken by: Aaron Hodge Silver, Geoffrey Marshall, Bill Aron, Vicki Itzkowitz, and others. Website Content ©2024 Beth Jacob | Website design and construction by Springthistle...