Bat Mitzvah and Bar Mitzvah services at Ezrat Israel/ Robinson's Arch/ Egalitarian Kotel or other sites in Israel or Europe
Rav Miriam - your Rabbi for every lifecycle event
My boutique, custom-made lifecycle events will leave lasting memories of joy and connection.
It is especially comfortable for girls to work with a female rabbi on their bat mitzvah ceremony.
Contact me here for bnei mitzvah, weddings, Torah classes, Judaica pottery gifts or Hebrew lessons.
Personalized bat and bar mitzvah - at any age!
The ceremony is the core of a bar or bat mitzvah trip to Israel. My boutique, custom-made bat or bar mitzvah experiences will leave lasting memories of pride, joy and connection with Israel, for your child and all the family and friends who share in the celebration.
Throughout the year, we will develop a personal relationship and choose a venue that matches your background and style. After you arrive in Israel, we will again review the service and logistics, involving family and friends. The bar or bat mitzvah will receive a certificate printed in Israel. My pastoral experience will help navigate family dynamics that often surface during important occasions. I can advise on ideas for touring, photographer etc. so you can relax and enjoy.
I am also nearly certified as a tour guide and would love to weave the ceremony into a well-crafted tour adapted to your interests. Animals and hiking? Meeting cool Israelis? Hi-tech? Art? History? Archeology? Great food? Challenge sports? Volunteering? Learning? Let's create a one-of-a-kind bnei mitzvah experience for your family.
Bar and bat mitzvah anywhere in Israel.
Boutique weddings
Yes, it's possible to "dance at two weddings" blending the moving aspects of a traditional Jewish wedding with modern adjustments: personal vows, female friends as speakers, and a more active role for the bride. Unlike a rabbinate wedding, you can meet with me beforehand and create a service matching your values and vision. (Unfortunately a couple married by a Conservative rabbi do not count as married under Israeli law, but you can have a civil service elsewhere to fix this). There are many stunning locations in Jerusalem, by the beach, at synagogues or museums, or at beautiful hotels.
I can also join you for a "destination wedding" and arrange for a local marriage license.
I wrote a popular book on Mikveh and can explain this beautiful part of the pre-wedding preparations as well as facilitate important conversations that can clarify expectations and strengthen you as a couple.
Testimonials
What Families Are Saying about Bar and Bat Mitzvah
A. S., San Francisco
“It was perfect, everything we had hoped for and more.”
Allison Carmen, Manhattan
Thank you thank you thank you! I could not have imagined a nicer service. The southern wall was intimate and personal. I so appreciated the time that you spent explaining the service as well as leading us in prayer and meditation. The sounds of drums and songs in the background were perfect. The western wall was loud and chaotic. We loved it! Thank you for being so open, flexible and creative with the service. It was so special for Morgan and the rest of the family. You are a beautiful person and I feel very blessed to have crossed paths.
Myrna Smith, Toronto
Rabbi Miriam, I have wanted to become Bat Mitzvah for many decades and I finally had the chance to do it at Robinson’s Arch with you officiating and a group of ten dear friends. Thank you for making my dream a reality! It was exactly what I had hoped for. My heart is full, and I am leaving Israel on a high, hopefully to return again soon.
Guidance and support through life transitions
I offer a variety of life coaching services that will nurture your spirit, help you overcome personal challenges, and allow you to achieve your individual life goals. I cater to each of my client’s personal needs in order to unlock their full potential. You choose the areas to explore: work, family, friends, community, spiritual life, personal growth, health and well-being, contribution to the world. Contact me to start your journey today.
Coaching through life transitions
Life changes like marriage, miscarriage, divorce, career change, retirement, moving... all take an emotional toll. Explore questions of meaning and purpose, themes of loss, regret, pain etc. alongside feelings of relief, freedom, excitement and the chance to reinvent yourself…
Support for people and families during illness, end of life or bereavement
Alongside medical decisions and treatment, personal issues that deserve attention: how does the family agree on a plan of care when they have different values? what are your ideas/fears about death? how can you make peace with family and friends and pass on your life's legacy? A "good death" helps family cope and heal, whereas a frustrating and incomplete process can leave people angry, scarred and resentful. A conversation with Rav Miriam can help you face the future with dignity, create a goodbye ritual, or voice things that have been left unsaid.
What Clients Are Saying about Coaching/Spiritual Pastoral Care
Rabbi M., USA
Amidst the tumult of personal and professional demands, working with Miriam provides a supportive space to discern my challenges clearly and to determine intentional and constructive responses. Miriam's insight and intuition, creativity and compassion help me to live and work more effectively and with greater ease, satisfaction and meaning.
M. J., Jerusalem
Over the past few months, Miriam has helped me cut out the clutter in my life- literally and physically. I have refocused on things that are most important to me and tried to cut out things that take time and energy from them. Miriam's gentle suggestions encourage me to be my best self. I am proud of the steps I have made and optimistic about continuing to focus and excel.
F. W., Brussels, Belgium
Just knowing that I will talk to you on Tuesday makes me more proactive about following up on the steps we have set. you are supportive and non-judgmental, you help me set realistic yet optimistic goals. After just two sessions I landed a dream job, and I know this is just the beginning of growth in my personal and professional life.
About Rabbi Miriam
I am a Conservative Rabbi, educator and writer with a BA from Harvard, an MA and Rabbinic Ordination from the Schechter Institute in Jerusalem, and a Doctorate of Theology in Clinical Pastoral Counseling from the University of Theology and Spirituality. I am one of the few Israelis with chaplaincy certification from both the National (Neshama) Association for Jewish Chaplains and the Israeli Organization for Spiritual Care. I co-founded Kashouvot in 2010 to pioneer spiritual care in Israel and now serve as a consultant and as international coordinator of the NY-based Spiritual Care Association, mentoring chaplains worldwide.
I began doing weddings and bat and bar mitzvah teaching and ceremonies as Assistant Rabbi at Park Avenue Synagogue in Manhattan. I have performed weddings in Israel, the US and Canada. It is a privilege to be part of memorable events in people's lives. I help people navigate life transitions with individual and group sessions, in person and remotely. I see simchas and end of life support as part of a continuum and would be happy to assist you at any stage. Press here to begin the conversation.
Pottery: Miriam's Cups
Bringing spirit to functional objects: Handmade customized Judaica
My work reconnects to the ancient art of handmade ceramics in the land of Israel, inviting clients to design their own Judaica with themes, colors and shapes that reflect their values. I celebrate creativity as a divine gift and aim to elevate rituals with beautiful objects created intentionally for sacred use.
You can restore mealtimes to focused times of fellowship and gratitude where people eat slowly and savor the food with all the senses, including the sense of touch. Using handmade, pleasing vessels can enhance the quality of a meal and make it an event rather than a rushed few moments. Enjoying handmade plates, cups, dishes, serving bowls makes every meal a celebration.
My style is simple, classic, inspired by Japanese pottery and the fruits of the Land of Israel. I use mainly shades of blues and greens with the occasional different glaze inside or spontaneous splash of color. I create:
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High-end Judaica (seder plates, havdala sets, Kiddush cups, handwashing cups, etc.) for personal use or gifts for bar/ bat mitzvah, baby-naming, brit, wedding
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Functional sets of dinnerware, vases, bowls etc. for individuals, retreat centers, hotels, nursing homes, restaurants
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Sculpture combining wheel thrown and hand built elements
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Special commissions: portraits in clay
About the artist:
A native of Montreal, I entered the magic world of pottery in 1997 with a class by Magdalena Chefetz in Jerusalem. I studied at the 92Y in New York and the Boca Raton Museum, and I learned from Bezalel Art School graduates in Jerusalem, including an intensive year at the Cubia Center for emerging artists.
For orders: ravmiriam@gmail.com
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Custom-made Torah classes for individuals or groups, scholar in residence, lectures and Shabbat experiences for tour groups of all backgrounds.
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Look forward to hearing from you!
