Q: What do we need to bring with us for the ceremony?
A: You should bring the tallit (prayer shawl) and tױfillin (phylacteries) you bought for the Bar Mitzvah boy. We also suggest that you bring a sufficient amount of (soft) candies that guests can throw towards the Bar Mitzvah boy during the ceremony.
Q: How does one reserve a date to celebrate the Bar Mitzvah? Is there a specific date on which it should be celebrated?
A: The Bar Mitzvah is the Hebrew date of the boyױs 13th birthday. The ceremony, including his being called up to the Torah can take place on Monday or Thursday or on Rosh Chodesh (the first day of the Hebrew month), days when the Torah is read during morning services. The ceremony should be held as close to the birthday as possible. It can be observed on or after the Hebrew birthday, and only in specific and rare occasions up to a month before.
Q: Does one need to reserve the date for the Kotel ceremony in advance? How long before the date does one need to reserve it? How is it done?
A: Holding a Bar Mitzvah ceremony at the Kotel requires advance reservation with the Western Wall Heritage Foundation in order to reserve a guide who will accompany you throughout the ceremony and assist in running it. One can reserve the date from 6 months in advance to as late as one week before the event. The reservation can be made in one of two ways: (1) via the Foundationױs website (link), or (2) by telephone, *5958. In exceptional circumstances, reservations can be made at shorter notice, by telephone only.
Q: On which days and at what hours can the ceremony be held at the Western Wall?
A: Bar Mitzvahs are held on days when the Torah is read, i.e., Mondays and Thursdays or on Rosh Chodesh (the first day of the Hebrew month). On these days ceremonies are held between 8:00 AM and 3:00 PM.
Q: What happens if it rains on the day of the ceremony?
A: On rainy days, the ceremony is held inside the area called Wilsonױs Arch, to the left of the menױs prayer area. This is an inside area that includes a raised womenױs section, separated by glass. The women can hear the prayers by using earphones loaned to them by the hostess stationed in the womenױs section.
Q: Can we bring refreshments to the ceremony? What food is recommended to serve and where is the service area? Where is the food left during the ceremony?
A: Refreshments are obviously an inseparable part of the celebration at the Kotel. To the north of the Western Wall Plaza (to the left of the prayer plaza) there are two covered areas with tables for the use of bar mitzvah families who wish to bring refreshments.
1. The porch is not wheelchair accessible. It can only be reached by stairs.
2. The Haguy tunnel is on the same level as the Western Wall Plaza and is accessible for families.
Q: How long does the ceremony last? Does the ceremony always start on time or could there be delays?
A: The ceremony itself lasts approximately 40 minutes, but additional time should be allotted for setting up the ceremony and the arrival of all the guests, using the restrooms, etc. It is advised to arrive at least 15 minutes before the arranged time and to also take into account possible traffic delays getting to Jerusalem and inside the Old City, finding parking, and walking to the Western Wall Plaza.
Aside from rare occurrences, we stand closely to the time-frame set for the ceremony, so that once you arrive at the Kotel there should not be too much of a wait.
The Western Wall is a sacred site. Therefore, we request that you abide by the guidelines for behavior when visiting the Western Wall complex.
Young Guides
In honor of your Bar Mitzvah, give your family a special gift – a tour of the Western Wall Tunnels or the Chain of Generations Center, led by…you!
נא בדוק את החיבור שלך לאינטרנט
Amis et frères juifs résidents en France vivants en ces derniers temps des jours compliqués de violence et de saccages , nous vous invitons à formuler ici vos prières qui seront imprimés et déposées entre les prières du Mur des lamentations .
