Naftali’s pioneering barmitzvah
DEMONSTRATING THAT Jewish life will continue in the coronavirus era, the first United Synagogue livestreamed barmitzvah was staged last week.
The barmitzvah boy, Borehamwood and Elstree Synagogue member Naftali Arden, and Rabbi Alex Chapper took part from their respective homes and the ceremony was shown on Facebook and the shul’s website.
Flanked by his parents and two siblings, Naftali also gave a short speech, saying he was “really thrilled” that so many people could join him from around the world, among them family and friends from London, Manchester, Israel and America.
“I can’t see you but I hope you are all wearing the smartest party clothes,” he said. “No fluffy slippers and absolutely no Arsenal dressing gowns.”
Rabbi Chapper complimented the barmitzvah boy on a “fantastic” haftorah and speech. “And it was really wonderful to hear it in absolute silence.
“I’m just sorry that it isn’t quite the barmitzvah you were working so hard in preparation [for]. But it is so impressive how mature your response has been to current events and it’s amazing how enthusiastically you’ve embraced the opportunity to mark your barmitzvah in this way.
“You and your family are chalutzim, you’re pioneers.”
Speaking to the JC before the event, Naftali’s mother Tania said she was “stoical” about the way things had turned out. “There’s nothing we can do; this is nobody’s fault.
“Having been very upset to cancel the party, very upset to cancel our Shabbat meal and devastated to find out our shul had now closed, this seems like a rather wonderful, meaningful thing to do — firstly to mark his barmitzvah and secondly to somehow link the community.
“I hope that, if shul is closed for a long time, this might be some sort of option for all sorts of shul events, to bring people together remotely.”
Naftali said it was “really important” to involve those who in normal circumstances would have attended.
The family have postponed his party, instead planning to celebrate when his sister is batmitzvah next February. Mrs Arden hoped that when the shul eventually reopened, Naftali would be able to lead a service.
Another livestreamed ceremony was the batmitzvah of Katy Hermer, whose family are members of Alyth Reform in Golders Green.
Katy stood alongside senior Reform rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner in an empty shul with proceedings relayed through video conferencing service Zoom.
“It was not what I was expecting or what I had been used to,” Katy told the JC. “But it was amazing knowing everyone was online.
Her father Richard said the occasion had been “extraordinarily moving.
“We could see Katy’s grandparents, members of the community and our family and friends joining from Australia and Israel and Switzerland and America. So even though we were alone in the shul, we felt an enormous sense of community.”
Her dvar Torah focused on thinking about others.
Rabbi JannerKlausner said that “Katy helped teach us that togetherness, solidarity and joy can still triumph at this difficult moment. Her batmitzvah was one of many examples of Reform communities showing their innovative best, building Jewish communal life online.
“We will remember it for a long time, not just because it took place in such exceptional circumstances but because of the joy it brought to so many.”
Worldwide screening: Katy Hermer is connected across the globe
No fluffy slippers and no Arsenal dressing gowns’