Adult Education

Adult Secular B’Mitzvah Program

Did you miss the opportunity to have a B’mitzvah (bar/bat mitzvah)? Did you have a B’mitzvah but are seeking a different experience? Were you misgendered at your B’mitzvah or unable to have one due to the gendered nature of a bar/bat mitzvah? Do you feel alienated from mainstream Jewish institutions/synagogues and are you looking for an inclusive, liberationist Jewish space? Do you simply want to deepen your Jewish knowledge in a cohort of caring classmates?

Register now by filling out the form below! Once the form is submitted you will receive an invoice to pay your tuition (this may take a few days)

Class Objectives

The UJPO/Morris Winchevsky School’s Adult Secular B’Mitzvah Program is a chance to explore the commitments we make to our own Jewish (or Jewish-adjacent) identities, to our families, to our friends, and to our community as Jewish adults. This is a participatory, discussion-based course that draws upon texts related to Jewish “ancestory”, history, and contemporary identity, especially where they intersect with UJPO’s five pillars of community commitments to Indigenous Rights, the Environment, Economic & Racial Justice, LGBTQ+ struggles and Palestine solidarity. Our curriculum explores Jewishness as a civilization of many diverse cultures and practices and approaches our rich history & present from perspectives focused on social justice. We do not assume prior knowledge of Jewishness or Judaisms.

Class Structure

Every two weeks, the whole class will meet with the facilitator on Zoom to discuss short readings and broad questions of Jewish history and identity; on the alternate weeks, students will meet with a classmate for an hour to discuss the week’s homework assignment. Each participant will also have an opportunity to do a research-informed project of their own choosing on any topic related to Judaism(s)/Jewishness, and everyone will have the option of presenting their work in a closing celebration for friends, family, and the wider UJPO/Winchevsky community.

Class Details

Where: On Zoom

When: Bi-weekly, Wednesdays, 7 – 9pm

2025 Class Dates: Oct 8, 22, Nov 5, 19, Dec 3, 17, Jan 14; ceremony: Sat, Jan 24

Teacher: Sharoni Sibony

Cost: UJPO Member: $300; Non-member: $350; Subsidized rates available on an as-needed basis – contact Shayle at info@ujpo.org

For more info: info@ujpo.org or 416-789-5502

Adult Education Course Facilitator:

Sharoni Sibony is an experienced and enthusiastic educator across multiple disciplines. After completing her BA and MA at the University of Toronto, she pursued a PhD in English Literature at Indiana University. She worked and volunteered for nearly a decade in Jewish educational programming and event management at the Jewish Community Centres of Toronto, Ashkenaz Festival, Limmud Toronto, and the Ontario Jewish Archives: Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre. She has been a lecturer, tour guide, pottery instructor,

and book club facilitator in various venues across the Toronto community. She is excited to share her passions for Jewish life, history, arts, and culture with the MWS community.