Russian Jews Celebrate their Belated Bar Mitzvah
The Jewish community of the German city Konstanz held a communal Bar Mitzvah for a number of older men that were not given the opportunity to celebrate their Bar Mitzvahs as young boys growing up in the U.S.S.R.
- Eli Shlezinger
- י"ג סיון התשע"ו
The vast majority of the Jews currently living in Germany are Russian immigrants who were denied the most basic expression of Judaism under the atheistic communist regime.
A number of months ago the community celebrated a beautiful Bar Mitzvah after which a number of individuals came forward saying that they didn't want to be left out. "Even though we weren't able to celebrate our Bar Mitzvahs at the age of 13, we are also entitled to have a Bar Mitzvah with a tefillin laying ceremony in shul."
This undeniable request encouraged the community leaders to organize classes on Judaism for the erstwhile "Bar Mitzvah boys" to prepare them for the big event. These men were given classes on Tefilah, teffilin, hilchos Shabbos and other mitzvos in preparation for their "Bar Mitzvah".
At the Bar Mitzvah itself each participant was given a tallis, a siddur with Russian translation, and a certificate attesting to their great milestone.
Rabbi Avigodr Stern, the community's devoted rabbi reported that during the ceremony itself the men were not able to contain their tears during the laying of tefillin and the accompanying kadish that was said for their parents that were not able to see their sons finally having a Bar Mitzvah.
A number of months ago the community celebrated a beautiful Bar Mitzvah after which a number of individuals came forward saying that they didn't want to be left out. "Even though we weren't able to celebrate our Bar Mitzvahs at the age of 13, we are also entitled to have a Bar Mitzvah with a tefillin laying ceremony in shul."
This undeniable request encouraged the community leaders to organize classes on Judaism for the erstwhile "Bar Mitzvah boys" to prepare them for the big event. These men were given classes on Tefilah, teffilin, hilchos Shabbos and other mitzvos in preparation for their "Bar Mitzvah".
At the Bar Mitzvah itself each participant was given a tallis, a siddur with Russian translation, and a certificate attesting to their great milestone.
Rabbi Avigodr Stern, the community's devoted rabbi reported that during the ceremony itself the men were not able to contain their tears during the laying of tefillin and the accompanying kadish that was said for their parents that were not able to see their sons finally having a Bar Mitzvah.
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