RELIGION
For those who
missed having
a bar or bat
mitzvah, adult
classes and
ceremonies are
becoming
popular
Recovering Lost Roots
wir
SUSAN WEINGARDEN
Special to The Jewish News
e live our Judaism,"
said Mel Mermell,
73. "Our roots are
in it. We have a fine
Jewish home and are
strong Zionists. We have made 25
trips to Israel. But we never dreamed
we would be doing this!'
Mermell is referring to the adult
bar and bat mitzvah ceremony tomor-
row at Temple Israel. His wife, Etta,
72, is also participating. The
ceremony is the culmination of a two-
year commitment during which the
Mermells studied Hebrew and Jewish
subjects in preparation to read from
the Torah. They cover history, theolo-
gy, the Jewish life-cycle events, Jewish
ethics and holidays.
"At Temple Israel we have a two-
year program," explains Rita Abram-
son, facilitator of the adult bar and
bat mitzvah class. "The class meets
for two hours a week. They divide
their time between instruction in
Hebrew and religious education.
Classes are taught by the rabbis,
cantor and education director. This
year we have divided the group into
two different classes so we can keep
it more individualized and provide
an opportunity for bonding and
camaraderie.
"The second year the class acts as
a unit and develops a theme for a
Saturday afternoon service which
they write, prepare and execute. Each
person reads from the Thrah in addi-
tion to reading different parts in the
service. The program began in 1982
and has bar mitzvahed close to 100
adults!"
78
FRIDAY, MAY 27, 1988
Rabbi Paul Yedwab says many
who participate in the Temple Israel
program become more religiously in-
volved in the temple. "Some members
have become active in ongoing adult
education;' Rabbi Yedwab says.
"Some participate in minyanim or go
to homes of shivah. Some have
become tutors or teachers, and others
go on to read the Torah on the High
Holy days?'
"There are many people who have
not had bar or bat mitzvahs," Rabbi
Yedwab explains. "There are also peo-
ple who have grown closer to their
religion and want to participate on a
deeper level!'
The Mermells have been active at
the temple for 40 years. Their bar and
bat mitzvah Saturday will be one of
the highlights of their lives.
"Mel and I are the oldest in our
group of 18," says Etta Mermell. "We
will have the wonderful honor of open-
ing the ark. I have been in the tem-
ple choir for 40 years and will lead the
group in the chanting?'
It was Etta who suggested the
theme for her group's service. She
starts to cry as she explains, "I weep
easily because I feel so strongly. Mel
and I are very grateful that God has
given us these years. Because we
thank God for his blessings, I sug-
gested that the Shehechiyanu prayer
would be a good theme. I was honored
when they chose my idea!'
Etta came from a traditional fam-
ily. The rabbi came to her house to
teach her brothers but would not
acknowledge her, even though her
father told her to sit and listen. Her
husband has a Reform background
and was not bar mitzvah as a boy.
"It always bothered me that he
didn't have a bar mitzvah but I didn't
want to suggest it to him because I
felt it had to come from him. One day
he read the article in the Temple
Messenger and said, 'Honey, I'm
enrolling in the class. Would you join
me?' I was so happy I started to cry!'
"We went every Monday for two
years and my husband learned
Hebrew. When we started he didn't
know an aleph from a bet. We have
remarkable teachers and rabbis and
it has been a marvelous experience
for us both!"
"It is unique that we are doing
this together," says Mel Mermell. "I
would go to Friday night services and
in the back of my mind I felt that I
was incomplete without a bar mitz-
vah. By joining this class I not only
got an education, I'm completing my
Jewish background!'
Dr. Alvin Goldman, 62, and his
wife Florence, 57, are also taking the
class at Temple Israel. Goldman ex-
plains how the Depression prevented
him from having a bar mitzvah.
"Both of my brothers were bar mitz-
vah but I was not able to. But Jewish
Halachah (law) says that at 13 a boy
is automatically bar mitzvah.
"I taught religious school at Tem-
ple Beth El for 22 years and had
studied Yiddish but not Hebrew. It
always bothered my wife that I did
not have a bar mitzvah and she was
thrilled when I decided to join the pro-
gram. We feel a strong pride that we
are doing it together?'
Florence Goldman, who had no
Hebrew or Sunday school education,
says she has a feeling of self-worth
and a new perspective towards her
religion. "I am finally understanding
my own religion and I feel closer to
Mel and Etta Mermell:
A shared goal.