Shabbat Youth & Family Services

Gold Kippah Honor Society and Shabbuddies

Weekly
9:45–10:15 AM 
B’nai Israel’s Gold Kippah Honor Society recognizes students for their proficiency in various prayers. 

B’nai Israel’s Gold Kippah Honor Society recognizes students for their proficiency in various prayers. Older students are matched with younger “buddies” to mentor. The goal of Shabbuddies is to build stronger tefillah skills while fostering friendships across grades, role modeling, and building an integrated community. 

Click here for more Gold Kippah information including the Gold Kippah Siddur and audio files.

Shabbat Bucks

Children earn “Shabbat Bucks” for attending Gold Kippah and Family Minyan, which may be exchanged for fun prizes on Birthday Shabbatot. Prizes include: squishmallows, airpods cases, LED string lights, Gift Cards to places like Baskin Robbins, Dave & Buster's, Starbucks, and Five Below.

Family Minyan (Grades K–6)

Weekly
10:15–11:30 AM
Family Minyan includes spirited prayer, an engaging Torah reading, and lively conversation about the weekly Torah portion. There is no better way to prepare your child for b’nai mitzvah than regular Shabbat attendance. This service is led by clergy and staff, including Rabbi Mitchell Berkowitz and Rabbi Cheryl Stone. 

Tot Shabbat (Ages 5 and under with a parent)

Weekly
10:45–11:30 AM
Designed for the youngest members of our congregational family, Tot Shabbat meets weekly to sing, learn, and pray together with Tot Shabbat leaders, Morah Juliann Goldman and Lily Pollack, Youth Coordinator.

Mini Minyan (Grades K–2)  

Monthly
10:30–11:30 AM 
Mini Minyan is a Shabbat morning service geared for our youngest elementary schoolers, Kindergarten through 2nd Grade.  Using an age-appropriate siddur, children will have the opportunity to both sing the tefillot (prayers) and learn the main themes in the morning prayers. The service typically concludes with a story and/or an abbreviated Torah service and parashah activity.

January 25
February 22
March 22
April 26
May 31

Teen Minyan

Selected Saturday Mornings
10:30–11:30 AM
These services are for the post-b’nai mitzvah teens of B’nai Israel. Our teens help to organize the service and lead it, often including tefillah and discussion, with support from staff and clergy.

January 11 and 25 (Teen Shabbat)
February 8 and 22
March 1
April 5 and 19
May 3 and 17
June 14

Birthday Shabbatot

Celebrate each month’s birthdays at the end of Youth & Family services with songs and treats! 

February 1
March 1
April 5
May 3
June 7

Grade Shabbatot

Periodically, each grade leads significant components of our Shabbat Morning Youth & Family Services, demonstrating their mastery of the prayers and offering insights on the weekly Torah portion.

Kindergarten – January 25 at Mini Minyan
3rd Grade – February 1 at Family Minyan
4th Grade – April 5 at Family Minyan
5th Grade – January 11 and March 1 at Family Minyan
6th Grade on the Bimah – February 8 at Family Minyan

special shabbat services

Ice Cream Shabbat
Saturday, February 1
9:00 AM
Did you know that the first Saturday of February is International Ice Cream for Breakfast Day? All of our friends in Shabbat Youth & Family services are invited to join us for ice cream before services, and the congregation will enjoy ice cream at kiddush. Click here for more information.

Summer Send-off
Saturday, June 7
At the conclusion of Shabbat morning services
We will miss all of our friends over the summer who head off to camp. Join us for youth services and we will send you off with a gift for the summer. We will also honor Gold Kippah award recipients on this day. Click here for more information.

Click here for the shabbat Youth & family Services Faqs

Supported by the Dollye and I. Wolford Berman Educational Initiative Grant.