Torah and
TikTok: Not Your Dad’s
Bar Mitzvah
SOPHIE PANZER | JE STAFF
W hile their parents may have relied on tape
recorders and CDs for their own b’nei mitzvah
preparations, students today learning to chant
Torah can turn to YouTube.

“Th ere are lots of cantors who have produced high-
quality recordings on YouTube,” said Ben Rotenberg, education
director at Germantown Jewish Centre. “It’s easy to fi nd a voice that you
can match and feel comfortable with.”
Th e video sharing website is just one of many technologies being incorporated
into b’nei mitzvah preparations.

For Gen Z kids in the tween and teenage brackets, technology plays a key role
in entertainment, education and socializing. Th ey communicate on platforms like
Instagram and Snapchat and have never known a world without internet access.

Naturally, they also rely on apps and websites as they prepare for their coming-of-age
ceremonies. Parents, educators and event planners are also using these resources to make
preparations go smoothly. Rotenberg has incorporated technology into his own
tutoring work.

“I’ve done some b’nei mitzvah tutoring long distance for students using Skype and
FaceTime, and I would send them feedback through Google Docs,” he said.

See Technology, Page 14
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