Bar and Bat Mitzvah Engagement
Give special meaning to your Bar or Bat Mitzvah experience by volunteering with DOROT. Choose from a variety of opportunities—join our B-Mitzvah Experience or take part in activities such as making cards, delivering packages, or joining our Intergenerational Chess program. All are powerful ways to honor the exciting milestone of becoming a Bar or Bat Mitzvah.
Location: DOROT (Manhattan) DOROT (Westchester) In Home Out in the Community
Age Group: Teens Tweens Families
About Our Bar and Bat Mitzvah Programs
DOROT is a leader in creating programs that foster meaningful connections across generations. In our Bar and Bat Mitzvah programs, you’ll help repair the world (tikkun olam) by building intergenerational friendships that will make an enduring impact on your life and the lives of older adults.
DOROT’s B-Mitzvah Experience
Join a dynamic, seven-session program designed for pre-B-Mitzvah youth and older adults. Together you’ll explore Jewish values, ideas, and traditions through engaging discussions and hands-on activities that connect you with peers and create lasting bonds across generations.
What to Expect
In this program, you can expect to:
- Join a cohort of 12 – 16 pre-B’nai Mitzvah participants and 6 – 8 older adults.
- Participate in seven workshops focused on Jewish ideas, traditions, and personal storytelling.
- Build meaningful friendships across generations while making a positive impact on our community.
- Take part in intergenerational experiences such as a visit to the Eldridge Street Synagogue, holiday card making, and celebrating Jewish holidays together.
- Receive a certificate of completion and participate in a joyful celebration with your family at DOROT.
Registration and Fall Dates
Who It’s For: Students whose B-Mitzvah falls between September 2025 and March 2026.
Time Commitment: Sundays, 4:00 – 5:30 PM.
Dates for the upcoming session: October 19 and 26; November 2, 9, and 16; and December 7 and 14.
Registration: Now open for Fall 2025.
Other Volunteer Opportunities
In addition to the B-Mitzvah Experience, we have several other ways that pre-Bar and Bat Mitzvah aged participants can volunteer with older adults. You can choose to:
- Deliver holiday or seasonal food packages to older adults and stay for a visit.
- Play chess with older adults at DOROT in Manhattan or Westchester.
- Create and donate birthday and holiday cards.
Interested? Please contact us at teens@dorotusa.org.