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dvar torah checklist

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Study tips

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Your bar/bat mitzvah seeming like an impossible task? Take a deep breath. A bar/bat mitzvah is meant to be a challenge, but if you follow these tips, you may just find yourself smooth sailing.
  • Set goals. Ask your teacher to help you set goals for yourself. Your bar/bat mitzvah may be a long time away, but setting smaller goals (like finishing your Haftarah by the end of April and finishing your Torah by the end of June) will make the work seem more manageable.
  • Practice early and practice often. Get into a routine of practicing for 30 minutes a day. If half an hour is too much for you to do in one sitting, try practicing for 15 minutes when you get home from school and 15 minutes before you go to bed.
  • Use your iPod. Download any bar/bat mitzvah audio files you need onto your iPod. Listen to them on the bus to school, while reading a magazine or while cleaning your room. Even if you’re not following along on the paper, listening to the files will help you learn it. And your friends will think you’re just listening to your favorite tunes!
  • Use your friends. Have any friends who have already had their bar/bat mitzvahs? Ask them to listen to you practice. They might offer good advice, and sometimes it’s just more fun to study with a buddy. Parents, siblings, other relatives, and family friends also make great practicing helpers -- just ask them to listen to you and encourage you to practice...just be sure to thank them in your speech!