Choosing an online Bar Mitzvah tutor is a decision about a boy, a calendar and a trust, so it deserves a few good questions. Here are the ones worth asking of any tutor or programme, and how Bar Mitzvah Online answers each.
Eight questions to ask
Question
Why it matters
How Bar Mitzvah Online answers
Is the lesson live, one-on-one, or a recording or a group?
A boy learns to chant by being heard and corrected
Live, one-on-one, on Zoom. No group classes and no pre-recorded lessons
Who exactly will teach my son, and for how long have they taught?
The teacher matters more than the platform
Rabbi Menachem Sabbah, who has taught Bar Mitzvah students for nearly 20 years
Do they teach my family’s tradition?
The reading should match the synagogue
Sephardi, Ashkenazi, Chabad and Yerushalmi
Can my son start if he cannot read Hebrew?
Some boys begin from the letters
Yes, from the letters, with transliteration for the blessings
What happens before I commit?
You should see how it works before paying for months
A 30-minute assessment, credited in full toward the first month if you continue, ending in a one-page plan
How long will it take, and by when will he be ready?
An honest timeline avoids last-minute stress
Most boys begin lessons 8 to 12 months before the Bar Mitzvah, with the aim of being fully ready 6 weeks before the date
What are the rules on changes and cancellations?
Surprises here cause disputes
Changes through your booking link at least 24 hours ahead; later changes and missed lessons cannot be rescheduled or refunded
Are fees and what they include clear before I commit?
You should know what you are agreeing to
The assessment fee is on the booking page. Lesson fees are given on enquiry, before you decide. Course material and MP3 recordings are included
A few more points
Time zones. Check that the tutor’s hours work where you live. Lessons here run Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, between 8am and 11am Melbourne time, and the booking calendar converts each time to yours.
Parents. Ask whether a parent may sit in on lessons. Here, parents are welcome to sit in on any lesson.
Equipment. A computer or tablet with a camera, a stable connection and a quiet room is all that most online lessons need.
Timing. Whichever tutor you choose, start early. Eight to twelve months is a common range, and it is easier to begin early and work calmly than to begin late and rush. See How long does it take to prepare for a Bar Mitzvah?
Meet the Rabbi first
The simplest way to judge a tutor is to meet him. The 30-minute assessment lets your son read for the Rabbi, lets you ask your questions, and gives you a one-page plan to keep, whatever you decide. Read about Rabbi Menachem Sabbah or see How It Works.
