The Education Ministry, the Ramat Gan Municipality, and the Torah Culture Department in the Tel Aviv District are sponsoring a day-long seminar today on the topic of Contemporary Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. The annual affair, open to the public, began this morning at 9 AM in Ramat Ef'al.
Rabbi Yuval Cherlow will speak on "Accepting Responsibility," while author Yochi Brandes will present her not-necessarily-religious outlook on the issue. Rabbi Yochanan Fried, head of the Education Ministry's Torah Department, will MC the event. The participants will then break up into workshops to discuss topics such as, "Secular Bar-Bat Mitzvahs," "Bar-Bat Mitzvahs in the Spirit of Rabbi Kook," "Special Ed Bar-Bat Mitzvahs," cantillation, and more.
An address by Deputy Education Minister Tzvi Hendel (National Union) will close the gathering.