Theo, use this page 3-4 times each week to prepare for your Bar/Bat 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 (All times Eastern) |
GOALS | HOMEWORK ASSIGNED |
| We, May 10, 2023
10-11am Eastern Main Zoom |
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. |
| Th, Jun 1
10-10:20am |
Prepare Blessing Before and After Torah reading | Print PDF and Learn Blessing Before Torah Reading (PDF | MP3 – Before) |
| Th, Jun 8 | NO LESSSON – CJG VACA,
But please do homework at right ====> |
Learn Blessing After Torah Reading (PDF | MP3 – After) |
| Th, Jun 15
10-10:20am |
Review Torah Blessings
Prepare Torah Trope like a song – 1st half |
Work on the “ch” sounds all throughout your Torah blessings – go by those circled letters!
Print in colour & Learn Torah Trope Sheet 1st half – up to sof pasuk (PDF | Torah Trope) |
| Th, Jun 22
10-10:20am |
Review Torah Blessings
Review Torah trope 1st half Prepare Torah trope 2nd half |
Wear a kippah or baseball hat for lessons
1. Learn 2nd half of Torah Trope sheet (from Pazeir to the end, skipping the crossed-off words) 2. Finish smoothing out and getting confident with the blessings before and after the Torah reading. Ask your parents to send me any vacation/camp time when you’re not available for lessons — I keep track of that in my calendar. |
| Th, Jun 29
10-10:20am |
Review Torah Blessings
Review Torah Trope Prepare Weekday Vayikra Aliya 3, 1:10 |
Add something to your Torah blessing pages that reminds you to add the Hebrew ‘CH’ sound to the ends of all the “BaruCH Ata’s”.
Learn Weekday Vayikra Aliya 3, verse 1:10, using the homework technique in the top cell of this column, and the audio file for Aliya 3 in the downloads section below. |
| Th, Jul 6
10-10:20am |
Review Blesssing Before Torah reading, making sure to pronounce “BaruCH” correctly.
Review Aliya 3 to date Prepare Aliya 3, 1:11 |
Learn Aliya 3, verse 1:11. You did a great job integrating your “CH’s” into your first verse of Torah. Keep that up
Practice your Torah blessings again, making sure to CONCENTRATE, not just for the first few words (Bar’chu/Baruch), but throughout the blessings, so you accurately say your CHs. Try not to rush to the CH sound before you actually say the first syllables before the CH comes! |
| Th, July 13 | NO LESSON – THEO CAMPING | |
| Th, July 20
10-10:20am |
Review Torah blessings
Review Aliya 3 to date Prepare Aliya 3 1:12 |
Learn Aliya 3, verse 1:12 |
| Tu, July 25
1-1:20pm EASTERN |
Review Aliya 3 to date
Prepare 1:13 |
Learn Aliya 3, verse 1:13.
No lesson next week, but since you’re away for a chunk of time, use the remaining time at home to learn this slightly longer verse. |
| Tu, Aug 8
8am Pacific / 11am Eastern |
Review Review Aliya 3
Prepare Aliya 2 verse 1:5 |
Learn Aliya 2 verse 1:5
You have more than two weeks to learn this. Do a great job! Don’t forget to review everything learned so far (each and every week!) |
| Week of Aug 17
NO LESSON |
STEPHANIE SAID THEO NOT AVAILABLE THIS WEEK | Keep studying |
| Fr, Aug 25
8am Pacific / 11am Eastern |
Review Aliya 2 to date
Prepare Aliya 2, 1:6-7 Review Aliya 3 |
This week, learn Aliya 2, 1:6-7
No lesson next week. |
| Week of Aug 28-Sep 1 | NO LESSON – CANTOR GREEN ON VACATION BUT PLEASE DO THE HOMEWORK AT RIGHT =====> |
This week, learn aliya 2, 1:8 |
| Fr, Sep 8
9:40-10am |
Review Aliya 2 to date
Work on verses 7-8 |
Finish learning verses 1:7-8 |
| Th, Sep 14
10-10:20am EASTERN |
Review Aliya 2 to date
Prepare Aliya 2, 1:9 |
Learn Aliya 2, 1:9
Review Aliya 3, a few times with the recording |
| Th, Sep 21
10-10:20am EASTERN |
Review Aliyot 2 and 3
Prepare Aliya 1, 1:1, and 1:2 up to adam |
In Aliya 3, fix the trope of v11 from v’zar’ku to the end of the verse; and fix v13, olah. Use the audio file to re-learn these two moments and practice in the usual way.
Learn Aliya 1, 1:1, and 1:2 over next two weeks. No lesson next week. |
| Th, Sep 28 | NO LESSON – CJG not available | Keep learning Aliya 1, 1:1-2 |
| Th, Oct 5
NO LESSON – CJG Unavailable |
Review Aliya 3 for the fixes
Review Aliya 1 to date Prepare Aliya 1, 1:3 |
NO LESSON, BUT PLEASE LEARN FOR THIS WEEK:
Aliya 1, 1:3 (using table below, as usual, with lots of listening to the audio recording, since we won’t have met to go over it “in person”) |
| Th, Oct 12
10-10:20am EASTERN |
Review Aliya 3 for the fixes
Review Aliya 1 to date Prepare aliya 1, 1:4 |
Learn Aliya 1, 1:4
Fix up: 1. Aliya 3, v11 – need to work on music note/trope from v’zar’ku. Use the audio file to confirm your tropes. 2. Aliya 3, v13 – make sure you’re saying all the words on the page. They’re slightly different than elsewhere in your Torah readings! |
| Th, Oct 19
10-10:20am NO LESSON – CJG called away |
Review Aliya 3 for the new fixes
Review Aliya 1 (entire) Prepare Aliya 2, 1:5 (or most of it) |
|
| Th, Oct 26
10-10:20am |
Review Aliya 3 for the new fixes
Review Aliya 1 Review Aliya 2 |
Aliya 2, make sure both “v’ar’-chu” words have the right amount of ‘ch‘.
Touch up blessings before and after Torah reading Print the PDF of the Weekday Torah Service |
| Th, Nov 2
10-10:20am |
Review Aliya 2
Review Torah blessings around aliya 3 Prepare Vay’hi Binsoa first 2 Hebrew lines (weekday, but sung as Shabbat)
|
Torah blessings – REALLY work on and concentrate on bringing out the ch in every word it appears (1. Baruch, Bachar-banu) (2. Baruch, v’chayei, b’tocheinu)
Learn Vay’hi Binsoa first 2 printed Hebrew lines (PDF | MP3) |
| Th, Nov 9
10-10:20am Eastern |
Review Torah blessings, for ch sounds
Review Vay’hi Binsoa first 2 lines Prepare Vay’hi Binsoa last 2 lines Review Aliya 3, 2, and 1 |
Learn Vay’hi Binsoa last 2 lines, and practice the whole paragraph |
| Th, Nov 16 & 23 | NO LESSONS – CJG Jury Duty / Vaca | Listen to Gad’lu Ladonai Iti at least 20 times over the two week
Listen to L’Cha Adonai (all of it) at least 20 times over the two weeks Keep reviewing everything learned so far |
| Th, Nov 30
10-10:20am Eastern |
Review Vay’hi Binsoa
Prepare Gad’lu Prepare L’Cha Adonai first 2 lines |
Learn Gad’lu Ladonai Iti (noting you will be holding the Torah scroll for this line, bowing slightly forward during first three words, then upright)
Learn L’Cha Adonai first 2 printed lines Find the audio files in this Folder |
| Th, Dec 7
10-10:20am Eastern |
THEO WAS SICK – NO LESSON
|
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| Th, Dec 14
10-10:20 Eastern |
Review Torah Processional to date
Theo learned all the way up to kadosh hu! Excellent work! Prepare L’Cha Adonai last 2 printed lines Prepare Chatzi Kaddish after Torah reading, up to malchutei |
Learn last 2 printed lines of L’Cha Adonai
Learn Chatzi Kaddish after Torah reading, up to malchutei – ie., first printed line + 2 words of line 2 (PDF/MP3) |
| Th, Dec 21
10-10:20 Eastern |
Review Torah Processional to date thru end of L’Cha Adonai
Review Chatzi Kaddish to date Prepare Chatzi Kaddish rest of 1st paragraph |
Theo didn’t make it to the lesson (misunderstanding about CJG’s vacation dates). Please do the following homework anyway:
Learn Chatzi Kaddish, rest of 1st paragraph. Make the whole paragraph smooth. |
| Th, Dec 28 | NO LESSON – CJG VACATION | |
| Th, Jan 4
10-10:20am Eastern |
Review Torah Processional to date thru end of L’Cha Adonai
Review Chatzi Kaddish to date Prepare (in Chatzi Kaddish) Y’hei Sh’mei and first half of Yitbarach paragraph. |
Smooth out last 3 lines of L’cha Adonai – words and tune
Smooth out “v’imru amein” at the end of the Chatzi Kaddish, first paragraph. Continue learning Chatzi Kaddish from Y’hei Sh’meih Raba up to B’rich Hu in the next paragraph You have two weeks to do these. No lesson next week. Practice your Torah aliyot as we’ll review those next lesson. |
| Th, Jan 11 | NO LESSON – CJG at Cantors Convention | |
| Th, Jan 18
10-10:20am Eastern |
Review L’Cha Adonai (partic last parag)
Review Chatzi Kaddish after Torah reading to date Prepare Chatzi Kaddish from l’eila to the end Review Torah aliyot |
Finish learning Chatzi Kaddish after Torah reading (last line)
Re-study Aliya 2 so that you’re saying the correct words in the correct places (noting you have many similar words, in different forms, and with different trope each time). Do a TON of re-listening, and then the other homework method steps. |
| Th, Jan 25
10-10:20am EASTERN |
Review Chatzi Kaddish after Layning
Review Aliya 2 for smoothness Review Aliya 3 and work on it if needed |
Re-study Aliya 3 so that you’re saying the correct words in the correct places (noting you have many similar words, in different forms, and with different trope each time). Do a TON of re-listening, and then the other homework method steps. |
| Th, Feb 1
10:11-10:20am EASTERN |
APOLOGIES FOR MY DELAY – PASTORAL CALL TO WHICH I HAD TO DEVOTE MY ATTENTION.
Review Aliya 3 Review Torah Processional |
Smooth out trope/music in aliya 2, 1:5. |
| Th, Feb 8
10-10:20am EASTERN |
Review Aliya 2 and 1
Review Torah processional Review Chatzi Kaddish after layning Prepare Torah recessional first part |
Learn Y’hal’lu / Hodo Al Eretz / L’David Mizmor “topper” (2 words)
These resources are in your Torah service folder, linked below. |
| Th, Feb 15
10-10:20am EASTERN |
Review Y’hal’lu / Hodo Al Eretz / L’David Mizmor “topper” (2 words)
Prepare chatima of L’David Mizmor (ie., save song for later if there’s time) Review Chatzi Kaddish after layning |
Learn last 2 Hebrew lines of L’David Mizmor (MP3)
Touch up Chatzi Kaddish (watch out for correct words – use the audio file a few more times and circle anything that you weren’t in sync with, and fix those. Words like v’yit-hadar and tush-b’chata v’nechemata, etc. |
| Th, Feb 22
10-10:20am EASTERN |
Review Torah recessional
Review Chatzi Kaddish Review Aliyot |
Learn Uv’nucho Yomar / Eitz Chayim Hi. You have two weeks to do that (but don’t wait until the second week to start!) PDF | MP3)
Keep reviewing everything learned, circle any mistakes, and spend 5 minutes on each of them (correct them, and do a lot of repetition of the corrected item). |
| **We, Feb 28
NO LESSON |
CANTOR NOT AVAILABLE USUAL TIME, COULDN’T FIND AN ALTERNATE TIME | Keep reviewing!!
This week, when you practice your Torah aliyot, please read it from this photo of your portion from the actual Torah you’ll be reading from. |
| Th, Mar 7
10-10:20am EASTERN |
Review Torah processional
Review all 3 aliyot using photo of chapel scroll Review Chatzi Kaddish after layning Review |
|
| Th, Mar 14
NO LESSON |
CJG AWAY FOR MARCH BREAK | |
| Su, March 17
8:30am Service |
||
| THE BIG DAY!
Mo, March 18 7:15am Tallit/T’filin with CJG 7:30am Morning Service/Bar Mitzvah 8:50am Breakfast reception |
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| _____________ | ____________________ |
Torah/Haftara Trope Sheet (PDF | Torah Trope)
Blessings Before and After Torah Reading (PDF | MP3 – Before | MP3 – After)
Weekday Vayikra Aliya 1, all in Lev. Chapter 1 (PDF | MP3)
| 1 – 0:00 | 2 – 0:17 | 3 – 0:54 | 4 – 1:21 |
Weekday Vayikra Aliya 2, all in Lev. Chapter 1 (PDF | MP3)
| 5 – 0:00 | 6 – 0:34 | 7 – 0:48 | 8 – 1:11 | 9 – 1:38 |
Weekday Vayikra Aliya 3, all in Lev. Chapter 1 (PDF | MP3)
| 10 – 0:00 | 11 – 0:29 | 12 – 1:04 | 13 – 1:30 |
Weekday Vayikra All 3 aliyot Chapel Scroll Photo (PDF)
Weekday Torah Service (Folder)
Blessings before and after Torah reading – DONE
Torah Trope – DONE
Aliya 3 – DONE
Aliya 2 – DONE
Aliya 1 – DONE
Torah Processional – DONE
Chatzi Kaddish after Torah reading p71 (PDF/MP3) – DONE
Torah Recessional – IN PROGRESS
D’var Torah (with Rabbi Dini) – IN PROGRESS