Eitan, use this page 3-4 times each week to prepare for your Bar Mitzvah. To ensure simcha success, please use the tools and downloadable items provided here to learn and practice your training assignments between visits with Cantor Daddy. For questions, e-mail me at cantor@kehillatbethisrael.com or call/text me at 613-327-3984. It is your responsibility to check this page to ensure it’s working properly right after each lesson, and let Cantor Daddy know if there’s a problem right away.
VERY IMPORTANT – MUST READ: KBI B’nei Mitzvah Handbook
| DATE/TIME | GOALS | HOMEWORK ASSIGNED |
| Mo, Oct 4, 2021
4-4:30pm |
Intro to B’nei Mitzvah Process
Intro to Webpage Goal Setting Lesson Time Prepare Blessings before and after Torah Reading Preview Torah Trope (3 functions) |
STUDY METHOD (always have your printouts/pages in front of you)
1. In your first homework session, Listen to the assigned audio files, each phrase separately, at least 15 times each. Let it sink in! Best practice is to listen a couple more times in a second sitting before trying to sing along. 2. Sing along with the audio files many times until it is identical, smooth and confident. If there are glitches, use the slider to “rewind” and review a word or two at a time until identical. You’ll know you’re ready for step 3 when the audio recording feels too slow or is ‘holding you back’. 3. Sing the whole assignment without the audio file (as you will in your next lesson). Use this approach every week, and knock my socks off with how well you know it! AND, 4. every week, you MUST review at least once, everything learned to date, and FIX any glitches. Bring a looseleaf binder (with sheet pockets) |
| Mo, Oct 11
Time TBD (around Toronto Travel) |
Review Torah Blessings
Prepare Torah Trope |
NO LESSON – CDN THANKSGIVING |
| Mo, Oct 18
4:00-4:30pm |
Review Torah Blessings
Prepare Torah Trope |
Learn Torah Trope sheet like a song BUT you must look at the SYMBOL, not the spelling of the trope name. |
| Mo, Oct 25
4:00-4:30pm |
Review Torah Trope
Prepare R”Ch Aliya 1, 28:1-2 |
Smooth out trope sheet |
| Mo, Nov 1
4-4:30pm |
Prepare R”Ch Aliya 1, 28:1-2 | Learn Aliya 1, 28:1-2 (folder is below – choose the right mp3) |
| Mo, Nov 8
4-4:30pm |
Review Aliya 1 to date
Prepare Aliya 1 28:3 both ways |
Learn Aliya 1, 28:3
Learn Aliya 2, 28:3 (same as above except music of last 4 words – don’t go high on “yom” Learn Aliya 2, 28:4 |
| Mo, Nov 15
4-4:30pm |
Review Aliya 1
Review Aliya 2 to date Prepare Aliya 2, 28:5 Prepare Aliya 3, 28:6-7 |
Learn Aliya 2, 28:5 and Aliya 3, 28:6-7 |
| Mo, Nov 22
4-4:30pm |
Review Aliya 1 and 2
Review Aliya 3 to date Prepare Aliya 3, 28:8-10 |
Learn Aliya 3, 28:8-10 (MP3) from 0:35 of the audio file. |
| Mo, Nov 29
4-4:30pm |
Review Aliyot 1-3
Prepare Aliya 4, 28:11 |
Smooth out and get confident with aliya 3
Learn aliya 4, 28:11 |
| Mo, Dec 6
4-4:30pm |
Review Aliya 4, 28:11
Review aliyot 1-3 Prepare Aliya 4, 28:12-13 |
Watch out for “chod-shei-CHEM”
Learn aliya 4, 28:12-13 Practice EVERYTHING learned so far! Fix any mistakes. Try it from the left-hand side. |
| Mo, Dec 13
4-4:30pm |
Review Aliya 4 to date
Finish preparing aliya 4 |
Learn aliya 4, 28:14-15 (end)
Review ALL 4 ALIYOT! |
| Mo, Dec 20 | NO LESSON – CANTOR AWAY! 😉 | Keep learning |
| Tu, Dec 28, 10am
10am (home) |
Review all 4 aliyot
Prepare Vay’hi Binsoa |
Smooth out aliya 4, then practice it from the left-hand side |
| Mo, Jan 3
7:45pm (home) |
Review 4 aliyot from STA”M side (done in shul from Torah!)
Review Vay’hi Binsoa Prepare Gad’lu and L’Cha Adonai (all) |
Learn Gad’lu (PDF | MP3) |
| Mo, Jan 10
4:00-4:30pm (home) |
Review 4 Torah aliyot (STA”M)
Review Torah Processional (all) Prepare Chatzi Kaddish (weekday minor nusach) up to but not including Y’hei Sh’meih |
Smooth out the 2nd half of L’Cha Adonai (particularly, the descending scale in the 2nd and 4th to last lines.
Smooth out Ki Kadosh Adonai Eloheinu Learn Chatzi Kaddish 1st section up to (not including) Y’hei Sh’meih (PDF | MP3) |
| Mo, Jan 17
4-4:30pm (home) |
Review Torah processional, including L’Cha Adonai
Review Chatzi Kaddish first section Prepare Chatzi Kaddish from Y’hei Sh’meih to the end. |
Learn rest of Chatzi Kaddish (PDF | MP3)
Fix Rom’mu section L’cha Adonai (downward scales) |
| Mo, Jan 24
4-4:30pm |
Review Vay’hi Binsoa
Review Gad’lu with bow Review L’Cha Adonai, partic. Rom’mu downward scales Review Chatzi Kaddish Prepare Y’hal’lu and Hodo Al Eretz (p76) |
Learn Y’hal’lu & Hodo Al Eretz (Shabbat Style, for singability) (PDF | MP3)
Smooth out Chatzi Kaddish (PDF | MP3) Go back and practice/smooth out all of Torah Processional from Vay’hi Binsoa |
| Mo, Jan 31
4-4:30pm |
Review Torah Processional from Vay’hi Binsoa
Review Chatzi Kaddish Review Y’hal’lu and Hodo Al Eretz (p76) Prepare Ladonai Ha’aretz p76 (“Weekday Torah Recessional (L’David Mizmor) first 3 printed lines, up to bim-kom kod-sho. |
Practice Aliya 3 from Left Hand Side (to force you to learn the right hand side well — use the right hand side to memorize the words and tune)
Learn Ladonai Ha’aretz first 3 printed lines, up to bim-kom kod-sho. (p76, PDF | MP3) |
| Mo, Feb 7
4-4:30pm |
Review Aliya 3
Review Y’hal’lu & Hodo Al Eretz Review Ladonai Ha’aretz first 3 lines Prepare Ladonai Ha’aretz next 4 lines Review Torah Processional |
Learn Ladonai Ha’aretz next 4 lines (MP3) from 0:35 up to “selah“ |
| Mo, Feb 14
4-4:30pm |
Review Ladonai Ha’aretz to date
Prepare Ladonai Ha’aretz next 5 lines, up to milchama |
Set an alarm on your phone to remind you to pack you Bar Mitzvah stuff on Monday mornings
Learn next 6 lines of Ladonai Ha’aretz from 1:10, up to milchama (MP3) Keep reviewing everything else after you’ve learned the new stuff. |
| Mo, Feb 28
4-4:30pm |
(NO LESSON LAST WEEK – SKIING)
Review Ladonai Ha’aretz to date Prepare Ladonai Ha’aretz last 5 lines Review Torah recessional
|
Learn last 5 lines of Ladonai Ha’aretz (MP3) from 1:47 |
| Mo, Mar 7
4-4:30pm |
|
|
| Mo, Mar 21
4-4:30pm |
Review all of Ladonai Ha’aretz
Prepare Hallel B’racha Prepare melody version of Ps 113 (Hal’lu Avdei Adonai), up to sheim Adonai at end of line 3 |
Learn Hallel B’racha (MP3)
Learn melody version of Ps 113, up to sheim Adonai at end of line 3 (MP3) |
| Mo, Mar 28
4-4:30pm |
Review 4 aliyot
Review Hallel to date Prepare lines 4-7 of Hal’lu Avdei Adonai (up to evyon l’…) |
Learn lines 4-7 of Hal’lu Avdei Adonai (up to evyon l’…)
Keep smoothing out all of Hallel to date |
| Mo, Apr 4
4-4:30pm |
Review Hallel to date
Prepare last 3 lines of Hal’lu Avdei |
Learn last 3 lines of Hal’lu Avdei (MP3)
Learn B’tzeit Yisrael / Ma L’Cha Hayam p51 (MP3) |
| Mo, Apr 11
4-4:30pm |
Review Hallel to date
Work on end of Hal’lu and B’tzeit Yisrael |
Smooth out last 3 lines of Hal’lu Avdei (MP3)
Smooth out B’tzeit Yisrael / Ma L’Cha Hayam p51 (MP3) |
| Mo, Apr 18
3:30-4pm |
Review Hallel to date
Prepare B’tzeit Yisrael up to osei shamayim va-aretz |
Learn Adonai Z’charanu up to osei shamayim va-aretz
Practice 4th aliya, v12 – make sure you end the first half on an etnachta trope, and the second half on a sof pasuk trope. |
| Mo, Apr 25
(HAPPY BIRTHDAY!) 4-4:30pm |
Review Hallel to date
Prepare rest of B’tzeit Yisrael Review aliya 4 (partic. for v12) |
Learn rest of Adonai Z’charanu (from HaShamayim)
Eliminate all the mistakes you “regularly” make in Hallel so far. Remember, 1 HOUR of Bar Mitzvah study a week! |
| Mo, May 2
4-4:30pm |
Review Hallel to date (including all ‘sticky’ fixes)
Prepare Ma Ashiv, “Top & Tail” |
Each of the following must be worked on at least 15 times each. Don’t assume it’s in your brain as correct after getting it right just once or twice. Keep coming back to each to make sure they’re staying correct!
P50 – Ram Al kol line – hold last “do” until the end of the measure. Mi comes right on the downbeat. Tap your toe to get it right. P50 – Fix Hamashpili lir-ot (entire line) p51 – Re-learn B’tzeit Yisrael opening line. Particularly transition from previous page p51 – transition from 2nd to last time into last line (ha-hof’chi) p52 – In Adonai Z’charanu, fix v’ha-aretz natan liv-nei adam p53 Learn Ma Ashiv. Take time to pronounce tag-mu-lo-hi properly. (MP3) In your last sitting, use this list as a checklist to make sure you’re ready for your lesson! |
| Mo, May 9
4-4:30pm |
Review Hallel to date (noting all homework items)
Prepare Hal’lu Et Adonai and Hodu Ladonai Ki Tov 1st line |
Learn Hal’lu Et Adonai and Hodu Ladonai Ki Tov (MP3) |
| Mo, May 16
4:05-4:30pm AT HOME |
Review Hallel to date
Prepare Min Hameitzar/Pit-chu Li |
Learn min HaMeitzar top & tail (MP3) |
| Mo, May 23
4-4:30pm |
NO LESSON – EITAN FENCING COMPETITION WEEKEND | |
| Mo, May 30
4-4:30pm |
Review Hal’lu Et Adonai/Hodu
Review Min HaMeitzar top & tail
|
Smooth out ALL of Hallel to date. Make it totally confident. Work on each trouble spot separately |
| Mo, Jun 13
afternoon |
Review Hallel to date
Prepare Od’cha |
Learn Od’cha (melody MP3) |
| Mo, Jun 20
4-4:30pm |
Review Od’cha (melody)
Prepare Ana Adonai Hoshia Na (nusach) Prepare first line of Baruch Haba Review all 4 Aliyot (with blessings) |
Learn Ana Adonai Hoshia Na (nusach)
Learn first line of Baruch Haba (melody) Practice Aliya 4 and make it smooth. |
| Mo, Aug 8
7:10-7:40pm |
Review Torah Processional
Review 4 aliyot Review Torah recessional |
“Gad’lu Ladoani ITI” in Torah Processional
“V’hamit-nasei” – fix this Rom’mu difference. Make sure you stay aware of which one you’re on. Finger on the place!! Smooth out aliya 3. Sing it 2 or 3 times from the right side, then try from the left. Go back and forth completely (not by word) as needed. Aliya 4 – do correct trope for 2 “solet”s (mapachs). Read aliya twice from right, bring it to the left. Re-practice Torah recessional (Y’hal’lu, Hodo al Aretz, L’David Mizmor) |
| Tu, Aug 16
7:45-8:05pm |
Review homework items from last week
Review Chatzi Kaddish (weekday minor) Review Hallel to date
|
Smooth out Chatzi Kaddish (partic: Yitbarach section — Don’t forget Yit-pa-ar; V’yit-HAdar V’yit-ALEH V’yit-HAllal)
Ma Ashiv: sort out melody of B’tocheichi Y’rushalayim Smooth out Min HaMeitzar top & tail Smooth out Od’cha |
| Mo, Aug 22
5:15-5:40pm |
Review tweaks from last week
Review Ana Adonai Review Baruch Haba first line Prepare next 2 printed lines of Baruch Haba (Eil Adonai) |
Smooth out (in Chatzi Kaddish): tush-b’chata line. Get confident.
In pit-chu li, smooth out Zeh Hasha-ar words & melody Learn next 2 printed lines of Baruch Haba. |
| Mo, Aug 29 | NO LESSON – EITAN IN LAKE GEORGE | |
| Mo, Sep 5
7:30 |
UPPER CANADA VILLAGE – NO LESSON | |
| Mo, Sep 12
4:15-4:40pm |
Review homework from last week
Prepare last 2 printed lines of Baruch Haba |
In end of Pit-chu Li, fix Eil Adonai va-YA-eir lanu line.
Learn last 2 printed lines of Baruch Haba Learn opening line of Y’hal’lucha. |
| Mo, Sep 19
4:45pm-5:10pm |
Review homework from last week
Prepare last 3 lines of end of Y’hal’lucha (Ki L’cha Tov) Review All of Hallel Review Torah processional Review Torah Recessional if there’s time, otherwise move to next week. |
Keep smoothing out Baruch Haba paragraph
Learn Y’hal’lucha (top is in 13, ending is in 13b) No lesson next week (RH) |
| Mo, Oct 24
4:10-4:40pm |
Review homework
Prepare Full Kaddish first half |
Learn first half of Full Kaddish (Shaleim) after Hallel (ie., after Shacharit) up to end of tush-b’chata line (PDF | MP3). Please demonstrate choreography (3 steps back, bow left, right, forward, 3 steps forward)
Smooth out end of Y’hal’lucha (end of Hallel) |
| Mo, Oct 31
4:10-4:40pm |
Review end of Y’hal’lucha
Review first half of Full Kaddish Prepare Titkabal paragraph of Full Kaddish |
1. Learn Titkabal Paragraph of Full Kaddish (MP3)
2. Go back and smooth out first half of Full Kaddish (MP3) |
| Mo, Nov 7
4:10-4:40pm |
Review Full Kaddish to date
Prepare rest of Full Kaddish Review Hallel |
Finish learning and touching up the notes of Full Kaddish according to the pencil markings for the notes on your page. |
| Mo, Nov 14
NO LESSON – DADDY IN LA |
Review everything you’ve learned so far. Work out anything that doesn’t go smoothly so that you sound completely confident to me (and to yourself). | |
| Mo, Nov 21
4:10-4:40pm |
Review Full Kaddish after Hallel
Prepare Chatzi Kaddish before Musaf, particularly the ending for R”Ch. |
Finish learning Chatzi Kaddish before Musaf, including the special ending for R”Ch (PDF | MP3) |
| Mo, Dec 5
4:10-4:40pm |
Review Chatzi Kaddish
Prepare Musaf Repetition |
Smooth out K’dusha (using the MP3 in the folder below) and make sure you’re comfortable switching to Rosh Chodesh (R”Ch) nusach at the end of Yimloch. Don’t forget tippy-toes at Yimloch.
Review and work out any kinks for Chatzi Kaddish and the start of the Amida (p103 & 104b respectively, also in the folder. Print out new (correct!) Musaf Service PDF from this Folder |
| Mo, Dec 12
4:10-4:40pm |
Review Musaf to date
Prepare L’Dor VaDor |
|
| Mo, Dec 19
4:10-4:40pm |
Review L’Dor VaDor
Review K’dusha Review Chatzi Kaddish and Musaf 1st page Review Hallel Review Torah Processional Review Torah Readings Review Torah Recessional |
|
| Su, Jan 8, 2023
10:35-11:15am |
Review All to date (we made it up to end of Torah Recessional including Hallel) | |
| Mo, Jan 9
4:10-4:30 |
Prepare Uvnucho Yomar (Portnoy)
Review Musaf to date |
Learn Uvnucho Yomar (Portnoy) (PDF | MP3)
Smooth out Musaf Amida through the end of the K’dusha |
| **TH, JAN 19
4:45-5:10pm @ Home |
Review Uvnucho Yomar (Portnoy)
Review Musaf Amida thru K’dusha |
Properly learn Eitz Chayim Hi.
Touch up L’Dor VaDor. Make it smooth |
| Mo, Jan 23
4:00-4:30pm |
Review Uvnucho Yomar (Portnoy)
Review Musaf Amida thru K’dusha, partic. L’Dor VaDor. Prepare Sim Shalom (tune) |
Finish learning Eitz Chayim Hi, using the proper homework technique and the page of text in front of you, always!
Learn Sim Shalom melody p109 (MP3) |
| Tu, Jan 31
8:30-9pm |
Review Sim Shalom tune
Review Musaf K’dusha thru L’Dor VaDor Prepare Rashei Chodsheihem |
Perfect Eitz Chayim Hi
Perfect Sim Shalom & Full Kaddish Review Hallel (all of it!) |
| Mo, Feb 6
4-4:30pm |
Review Sim Shalom into Full Kaddish
Review Hallel Review Torah Bothsessionals |
Go through hallel this week, circling any words that you trip over, and work each one 5 times, and until it is smooth at least 2x in a row.
Do the same thing for K’dusha AND Sim Shalom. |
| Mo, Feb 13
4:20-4:50pm |
Review Hallel
Review K’dusha and Sim Shalom Prepare Nissim Sheb’chol Yom (Birchot HaShachar) |
Learn Morning Blessings p6 (MP3 folder) |
| Mo, Feb 20
7:45-8:05pm |
Review Birchot HaShachar
Prepare rest of p6 |
Learn rest of p6 per the audio in 02b in the folder
Smooth out top half of p6 (partic. she-a-SA-ni) |
| Mo, Feb 27
4:20-4:50pm |
Review all of p6
Prepare Baruch She-amar |
|
| _________________________ | _______________________________ |
Torah Trope Sheet (PDF)
Torah Blessings (PDF)
Rosh Chodesh Weekday Torah Readings (folder)
Weekday Torah Service (PDF)
Hallel for R”Ch (folder)
Musaf Service w/ Full Repetition (Folder)
Weekday P’sukei D’zimrah (MP3 folder)
Blessings before and after Torah reading – DONE
R”Ch Torah Readings (PDF & MP3) – DONE
Torah Processional – DONE
Torah Recessional – DONE
D’var Torah (with Rabbi Kenter) – IN PROGRESS
Hallel – DONE
Heiche Musaf – DONE
P’sukei D’zimra Selections (B’rachot, Baruch She-amar, Sh’ma Yisrael/V’ahavta (DONE), Az Yashir Moshe melody) – IN PROGRESS
For musaf, Eitan will do Avot/G’vurot/K’dusha, CJG will do middle bit; Eitan will pick up at Sim Shalom/Full Kaddish