Bar/t Families are required to sign a contract agreeing that:

• The Bar/t Mitzvah student and family will attend a mandatory series of classes (approximately 6-8) during the year prior to the Bar/t Mitzvah ceremony. These classes are designed to enhance the Bar/t Mitzvah experience by building community among the families who will be celebrating this significant life cycle event at Etz Chayim. Together, the families will engage in Jewish learning on subjects of particular relevancy for the bar/t mitzvah year.

• The Bar/t Mitzvah student will study individually with the Rabbi to learn the meaning of the Torah and Haftarah portions, the prayers of the service, and what it means to be a Jewish adult. The Rabbi will prepare the student to introduce, speak about and help lead a D'var Torah.

• The Bar/t Mitzvah family will engage the services of a local tutor to help the student prepare the specific text of the Torah and Haftarah to be chanted at the service, as well as prayers to be led. The family will facilitate communication between the tutor and the Education Director. The names of approved tutors used by Etz Chayim students will be available from the Education Director.

• The Bar/t Mitzvah student will designate a project for the betterment of the world (Tikkun Olam). This project will be agreed on by the Bar/t Mitzvah student, the family (who need to enable and support it) and the Education Director who will work with families to assure completion of the project. The project needs to be completed before the student has his first meeting with the Rabbi.

• The Bar/t Mitzvah and family will be regular attendees of Shabbat and Festival evening and morning worship services from the time they accept a date until their own ceremony. It is expected that the family be familiar with the service, its context, and the community who normally attends so that their experience will be consonant with the customs of the community. "Regular" attendance means that in the 18 months prior to the Bar/t Mitzvah ceremony, the family will attend a minimum of 18 Shabbat services (morning or evening) with at least 9 being morning services. It is expected that Bar/t Mitzvah students will be invited to attend B'nai Mitzvot at other congregations. We hope they learn to appreciate the similarities and differences of a variety of services. However, it is important for all students to attend as many Etz Chayim services as possible in order to learn our specific "minhag" or “custom.” Service attendance will be noted by the students in a Service Journal provided by the congregation. These service requirements also need to be completed prior to the first individual study session with the Rabbi.

• The Bar/t Mitzvah student must agree to be in town for the month prior to her/his Bar/t Mitzvah date in order to work with the Rabbi and tutor, except for the month of July when the Rabbi is on vacation. Students celebrating an August Bar/t Mitzvah will be finished studying with the Rabbi by the end of June.

• Any student who does not meet any one of these prerequisites or requirements may apply to the Bar/t Mitzvah Coordinating Committee for a waiver . The Coordinating Committee may approve or deny waiver requests outright or may, at its discretion, assign a special program as a means of compensating for any issues or deficits.

• Please note that if any student, regardless of whether or not she/he has attended the full four year religious school program offered by Congregation Etz Chayim or an equivalent program, is unable to master those skills and selections necessary (as assessed by the Rabbi and Education Director), and/or is unable to fulfill any of the other conditions listed in items above, the Bar/t Mitzvah ceremony may need to be delayed until such time as the conditions can be fulfilled.