May 2006

What is confirmation?

This May 26 will mark a "first" for Congregation Beth Israel: our first Confirmation ceremony. Ethan Halimi, Rebecca Kahn, and Harrison Einhorn, will be confirmed during our 7:30 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat service at which I will officiate along with Cantor Mitzi Schwarz.

Confirmation as a Jewish life-cycle event is about 200 years old. It began among German Jews and spread to England, Denmark, Russia, and the United States. Although some people think of Confirmation as an alternative to Bar Mitzvah, in reality it has usually been a supplement to that ceremony. It was also one of the earliest ways to mark the coming-of-age for young women as well as young men. Today, Confirmation is regularly observed in Reform and Reconstructionist congregations and in many Conservative ones as well. I was confirmed at Temple Beth-El in San Antonio, where I also had my Bat Mitzvah.

While Bar and Bat Mitzvah marks a youngster's responsibility for Jewish practice, Confirmation marks a young person's understanding of Jewish belief and identity. It is usually held in tenth grade or later, when he or she can make a more mature commitment to Judaism and the Jewish people. It often takes place on Shavuot, the holiday that celebrates the giving of the Torah, or (as in our case this year), on a Sabbath service close to that date.

When I came to Chico, one of my first priorities was to increase involvement by teenagers and to keep our teens and their families involved after Bat or Bat Mitzvah. We now have an active Confirmation Class for our teens that meets about twice a month during the school year, and we also have an active B'nai B'rith Youth Organization club, HaTikvah. This summer, some of our teens will participate in national BBYO events.

Research shows that serious Jewish education and identity formation take place during the teen years, post-B'nai Mitzvah. I'm happy to say that with the introduction of Confirmation and our BBYO youth group, very few families decide to "drop out" of our congregational life after Bar or Bat Mitzvah.

We are now reaping the first fruits of our Confirmation class; after three years our first group of students will be confirmed. Each participant must have attended Confirmation regularly for three years and must also be in 10th or 11th grade. Each Confirmand will offer a speech about his or her Jewish identity and belief and will be presented with books on these two topics: I am Jewish: Personal Reflections Inspired by the Last Words of Daniel Pearl, and What Do Jews Believe-The Spiritual Foundations of Judaism.

I hope that Confirmation will become a meaningful tradition for our youth at Congregation Beth Israel. Please join us on Friday evening, May 26, and honor our young people who have chosen to study and affirm their Jewish heritage.