Levi, 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 lessons. 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 me know if there’s a problem right away.
VERY IMPORTANT – MUST READ: KBI B’nei Mitzvah Handbook ONLINE
Click here to confirm you’ve read the entire handbook (required).
| DATE/TIME | GOALS | HOMEWORK ASSIGNED |
| Th, Jan 26
5-5:45pm IN-PERSON |
Intro to B’nei Mitzvah Process
Intro to Webpage Goal Setting Lesson Time |
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. |
| Tu, Mar 21
4:30-4:50pm |
Prepare Blessing Before and After Torah reading | Learn Blessings Before and After Torah Reading, using the homework technique in the box directly above this box (PDF | MP3 – Before | MP3 – After) |
| Tu, Mar 28
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Torah Blessings
Brief Summary of what “Trope” is. |
Smooth out Blessings before and after Torah reading. Remember:
(1) Pronounce your chet’s and chaf’s with a good, solid “ch” (like Bach) sound (2) Distinguish between “Bar’chu Et…”; “Baruch Adonai…”; and “Baruch Atah Adonai” in the blessing before the Torah reading (3) In the blessing after the Torah reading, use the English transliterations that I wrote in for you until you’re smooth and confident, and then we’ll erase those and go back to the Hebrew text. Next lesson is after Passover! |
| Tu, Apr 18
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Torah Blessings
Prepare Torah Trope, 1st half |
Learn Torah Trope first half. Make sure that you are pointing to the correct words on the page as you listen. While you will probably look at the shape of the words at first, you should eventually be looking directly at the trope symbols themselves!
Torah Trope (PDF | Torah Trope) Remember — every week, you must review everything learned so far at least once a week! If you manage to learn the first half of the Torah trope easily and well, you can go on to listen to the 2nd half a few times to prep for the next lesson |
| Tu, Apr 25
4:30-4:50pm |
Review (ie., listen to you sing on your own) Torah Trope first half
Prepare Torah Trope 2nd half Review Torah blessings Prepare Maftir, 34:33 (at least) |
Learn 2nd half of the Torah Trope (PDF | Torah Trope)
Once you’ve learned the rest of the Torah trope, AND can sing the whole page smoothly, THEN Listen to the audio file for the maftir, verse 34:33 using the maftir table and files below, in the downloads section. |
| Tu, May 2
4:30-4:50pm ZOOM (CJG ill) |
Review Torah Trope sheet
Prepare Maftir 34:33 and 34:34 up to ad tzeito |
Get a parent to write in “ha-mas-veh” over that Hebrew word so you learn to pronounce it properly.
Learn Maftir 34:33 and 34:34 up to ad tzeito. Use the audio file for the maftir, found in the downloads section below. Ask a parent for help if needed. |
| Tu, May 9
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Maftir to date
Prepare Maftir rest-of-34:34 |
Learn rest-of-Maftir-34:34
Go back and smooth out all of the maftir that you’ve learned so far. In your Torah blessings (before and after), separate and super-enunciate “Baruch | Atah | Adonai” |
| Tu, May 16
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Maftir to date
Review Torah Blessings with Separated Baruch | Atah | Adonai Prepare Maftir 34:35 up to Or p’nei Mosheh |
Learn Maftir 34:35 up to Or p’nei Mosheh (for clarity, that’s the end of the line above the horizontal line). |
| Tu, May 23
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Maftir to date
Prepare rest of 34:35 Prepare Ein Kamocha, 1st 2 printed lines |
Learn rest of 34:35 (end of aliya!)
Learn Ein Kamocha, 1st 2 printed lines (up to b’chol dor vador) (PDF | MP3) |
| Tu, May 30
4:30-4:50pm |
Review entire Maftir with blessings
Review Ein Kamocha lines 1 and 2 Prepare Ein Kamocha line 3 |
In your maftir, practice (from v’yatza) to memorize “v’DI-beir”
Smooth out the last 2 printed lines of the maftir (ie., from v’heishiv) to get the trope correct Practice “Baruch… Atah… Adonai” (ie., separate these words!) Learn/smooth out Ein Kamocha (on Hebrew side) lines 1-3 (up to l’olam va-ed) |
| Tu, Jun 6 | NO LESSON – CJG Vacation | Keep working on Maftir fixes, and Ein Kamocha as above |
| Tu, Jun 13
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Maftir
Review Ein Kamocha to date Prepare Haftara Trope like a song |
Learn Haftara Trope like a song (PDF | Haftara Trope)
Learn next line of Ein Kamocha (printed line 4 in Hebrew; line 6 in English) – (PDF | MP3) |
| Tu, Jun 20
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Ein Kamocha up to et amo vashalom
Prepare Av Harachamim…et Tziyon Review Haftara Trope Prepare Blessing before Haftara |
Practice “Adonai ME-lech”
Learn Ein Kamocha next printed line (english) – Av Harachamim…et Tziyon |
| Tu, Jun 27
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Ein Kamocha to date
Prepare Ein Kamocha next line and a half (english) Review Blessing Before Haftara Prepare Haftara 18:20 |
Learn last two printed lines of Ein Kamocha (on English side) – Tiv-neh…Adon Olamim
Keep repeating and smoothing out the blessing before the Haftara Learn Haftara 18:20, using the audio file and table below. |
| Tu, Jul 4 | NO LESSON – LEVI AWAY | Keep working on homework from June 27, and don’t forget to review everything we’ve learned so far, every week, so it stays fresh and keeps getting more and more confident. |
| Tu, Jul 11
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Ein Kamocha
Review Blessing before Haftara Review Haftara 18:20 Prepare Haftara first half of 18:21 up to l’chu acharav |
Learn Haftara first half of 18:21 up to l’chu acharav
Keep reviewing Blessing before Haftara |
| Tu, July 18
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Haftara to date including Blessing before
Prepare Haftara rest-of-18:21 and 18:22 up to Ladonai L’vadi |
Learn Haftara rest-of-18:21 and 18:22 up to Ladonai L’vadi
Keep reviewing Torah Service (Ein Kamocha, etc.) |
| Tu, July 25
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Haftara to date
Review Torah Processional to date |
NO HOMEWORK – LEVI GOING TO CAMP FOR 2 WEEKS |
| Tu, Aug 15
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Haftara and Maftir
Prepare Haftara rest-of-18:22, and 18:23 up to v’yiv-charu lahem Prepare Vay’hi Binsoah (already familiar) |
Learn Haftara rest-of-18:22, and 18:23 up to v’yiv-charu lahem
Smooth out Vay’hi Binsoa (PDF below, MP3 here) |
| Tu, Aug 22
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Haftara to date
Prepare Haftara rest of 18:23 Review Ein Kamocha, Vay’hi Binsoah |
Smooth out haftara 18:23 up to lahem
Continue Learning 18:23 up to orange line, e-eseh. |
| Tu, Aug 29
NO LESSON, CJG VACATION |
NO LESSON, BUT DO THE HOMEWORK AT RIGHT ===> | Keep smoothing out haftara to date!
Finish learning 18:23 (from et hapar to the end of the pasuk) |
| Tu, Sep 5
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Haftara to date
Prepare Haftara 18:24 |
Finish smoothing out 18:23
Learn 18:24 up to v’sheim Adonai |
| Tu, Sep 12
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Haftara to date with Blessing before
Prepare Haftara rest-of-18:24 |
Learn Haftara rest-of-18:24 |
| Tu, Sep 19
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Haftara to date
Prepare Haftara 18:25 |
Smooth out all of 18:24
Learn first 6 words of 18:25 (up to lachem) |
| Tu, Sep 26
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Haftara to date
Prepare rest of 18:25 Review Maftir |
Finish smoothing out 18:25 up to lachem (from last week)
Learn rest of 18:25 Reminder: review and fix any glitches in your maftir |
| Tu, Oct 3
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Haftara to date
Worked on 18:25 Review Maftir (for smoothness) |
Learn 18:25 – take care to sing tropes correctly. Lots of listening! |
| Tu, Oct 10
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Haftara to date
Prepare Haftara 18:26 up to aneinu Review Maftir from STA”M side |
1. Smooth out verse 25 this week.
2. Next week, learn verse 26 up to vaya-asu |
| Tu, Oct 17 | NO LESSON – CANTOR GREEN AT CONFERENCE | Keep doing the homework above! |
| Tu, Oct 24
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Haftara to date
Prepare Haftara rest-of-18:26 Review Maftir from STA”M side |
Learn Haftara rest-of-18:26 |
| Tu, Oct 31
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Haftara to date
Prepare Haftara 18:27 up to v’chi sig |
Review and smooth out verses 23-26, using the audio files. |
| Tu, Nov 7
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Haftara to date
Prepare Haftara 18:27 up to v’chi sig Review Ein Kamocha, Vay’hi Binsoa |
Learn Haftara 18:27 up to v’chi sig |
| Tu, Nov 14
4:30-4:50pm ZOOM (CJG ill) |
Review Haftara to date
Prepare Haftara rest of 18:27 and 18:28
|
Touch up the beginning of verse 27
Learn Haftara rest of 18:27 and 18:28 up to k’mish-patam |
| Tu, Nov 21
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Haftara to date
Prepare Haftara rest-of 18:28 and 18:29 |
Learn rest of Haftara 18:28 and 18:29 |
| Tu, Nov 28
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Haftara to date
Prepare Haftara 18:30
|
Fix the trope/music of vai-fas’chu | al hamiz-bei-ach (end of v26)
Learn Haftara 18:30 Review Torah Processional so far so it stays fresh. We’ll add more materials next week. |
| Tu, Dec 5
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Haftara from 18:25
Prepare Haftara 18:31 up to asher |
Learn Haftara 18:31 up to asher
Then go back and smooth out 18:29-30 |
| Tu, Dec 12
4:30-4:50pm |
LESSON CANCELED – CJG BECAME UNAVAILABLE… PLEASE DO HOMEWORK AT RIGHT ANYWAY! ===>
Review Haftara from 18:25 Prepare B’rich Sh’meih / Bei Ana Racheitz up to tush-b’chan |
Learn B’rich Sh’meih / Bei Ana Racheitz up to tush-b’chan using the “Torah Service” links at the bottom of the downloads section, below. |
| Tu, Dec 19
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Haftara from 18:25 to 18:31 up to asher
Prepare Haftara 18:32-33 Review B’rich Sh’meih/Bei Ana to date (We’ll continue learning ‘Bei Ana’ next lesson) |
Learn Haftara rest of 18:31, and 18:32-33
You have several weeks to do this! Next lesson isn’t until Jan. 16! |
| Dec. 25 – Jan 11 | NO LESSONS – CJG VACA/LEVI VACA/CA CONFERENCE | Continue perfecting Haftara, esp. 18:31-33 |
| Tu, Jan. 16
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Haftara to date
Review Torah Processional to date, including B’rich Sh’meih/Bei Ana Prepare Haftara 18:34 Prepare Sh’ma/Echad/Gad’lu |
Learn Haftara 18:34
Smooth out Sh’ma/Echad/Gad’lu (melody) Learn new ending for L’Cha Adonai (ie., Ki Kadosh, Ki Kadosh, Adonai Eloheinu) per the audio file |
| Tu, Jan 23
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Haftara from 18:30 (p3)
Prepare Haftara 18:35 and 18:36 up to the end of the page (yivada) Review Sh’ma/Echad/Gad’lu and L’Cha Adonai |
1 – Learn Haftara 18:35
2 – Smooth out Haftara 18:34 3 – Listen, listen, listen to blessing 1 after the Haftara |
| Tu, Jan 30
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Haftara from p3
Prepare Haftara up to Ki Ata Elohim on p4 Prepare Haftara 18:36 Prepare Blessing 2 and 3 after haftara |
Learn Haftara 18:36
Listen, listen, listen to blessing 2 after the haftara Keep practicing blessing #1 after haftara! |
| Tu, Feb 6
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Haftara from p3
Prepare Haftara 18:37 and 18:38 up to v’et ha-eitzim Review Blessing 1 after haftara Work on Blessing 2 and 3 after haftara |
Learn Haftara 18:37 and 18:38 up to v’et ha-eitzim
Learn Blessing 3 after haftara (Sam’cheinu…) |
| Tu, Feb 13
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Haftara from 18:33
Prepare Haftara rest-of-38 to the end! Reviews Blessing 1-3 after haftara Prepare Blessing 4 after Haftara |
Learn Haftara 18:39 to the end
Work on Blessing 3 after Haftara (partic. bim-heira yavo, v’yageil libeinu) Learn Blessing 4 after Haftara (at least the first half, up to ul-tif-aret) |
| Tu, Feb 20
**5:40-6pm |
Review Haftara from 18:33
Review Blessings after Haftara Review Maftir with blessings |
Practice Maftir, vs 35 – the trope of eit asher y’tzuveh – must be a sof pasuk phrase!
Practice everything, including your d’var torah! You want to be very smooth and confident at reading it. LOUDLY and SLOWLY! |
| Tu, Feb 27
4:30-4:50pm |
Review Torah processional
Review Haftara from the beginning |
WELL DONE!! Now just maintain it all. Practice reading your D’var Torah really slowly and loudly. Remember to bring it, and all your materials, with you to our runthrough on Thursday morning. |
| Th, Feb 29
7:15am Tallit/T’filin |
Practice everything on Bimah! | |
| _____________ | ____________________ |
Torah/Haftara Trope Sheet (PDF | Torah Trope | Haftara Trope)
Blessings Before and After Torah Reading (PDF | MP3 – Before | MP3 – After)
Maftir Ki Tissa (PDF | MP3) – all in Exodus Chapter 34
| 33 – 0:00 | 34 – 0:14 | 35 – 0:44 |
Blessing before Haftara (PDF | MP3)
Haftara Ki Tissa (Non-Named Shabbat, shorter Sefardi range) – All in Isaiah Chapter 18 (PDF | MP3)
| 20 – 0:00 | 21 – 0:16 | 22 – 1:03 | 23 – 1:33 | 24 – 2:30 | 25 – 3:09 | 26 – 3:50 | 27 – 4:42 | 28 – 5:27 | 29 – 5:51 |
| 30 – 6:16 | 31 – 6:43 | 32 – 7:17 | 33 – 7:45 | 34 – 8:03 | 35 – 8:34 | 36 – 8:52 | 37 – 9:51 | 38 – 10:18 | 39 – 10:45 |
Blessings after Haftara (PDF | Audio: Blessing 1 | 2 | 3 | 4)
Blessings before and after Torah reading – DONE
Torah Trope – DONE
Maftir aliya – DONE
Haftara Trope – DONE
Blessing before Haftara -DONE
Haftara – DONE
Blessings after Haftara – DONE
Torah Processional – DONE
D’var Torah (with Rabbi Dini) – DONE
Other items as time allows: Other Torah aliyot; Musaf; Hallel
Kivi will layn some Torah – Sh’vi’i (PDF | MP3)
Will need wheelchair access for Lisa’s Dad. He’ll want an aliya.
For Haftara, start with Sefardic shorter version, and re-evaluate adding the first half if time allows.