Is your family . . .
- Looking for a bar or bat mitzvah for a child with no Hebrew skills?
- Not interested in synagogue services and membership?
- Too busy to drive a child to Hebrew tutoring? Or prefer an online learning option?
- Needing a bar or bat mitzvah in four months? Or just a bar mitzvah tutor in Richmond?
Kehillah’s approach helps families and kids of all kinds to have the ceremony that is meaningful to them. Our program is less about telling you what to do, and more about us listening to your needs.
Get started by filling out our form to receive Free Membership.
Meet Edva Kashi, Your Judaics Tutor
Edva Kashi (she/her) has been the bnai mitzvah tutor for Kehillah since 2020. A native of New Jersey, Edva has a proudly complicated heritage including a Persian-Syrian-Israeli father and a Polish-Ukrainian-American mother and long stints in both California and Virginia. Edva’s guiding philosophy is there’s no wrong way to be Jewish. To that end, she enjoys learning and teaching about Jewish culture, food, and practices from all around the globe. Edva earned a Master’s in Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2016 and is currently employed with the state government. When she’s not at work she can be found watching baseball, hockey, or basketball, often while knitting and excitedly pointing out Jewish athletes. Edva lives in Chesterfield County with her husband and their four cats.
I’ve been a B’Nai Mitzvah tutor for Kehillah for almost five years. In that time it’s been my pleasure to work with five wonderful students. I often tell them there’s no wrong way to be Jewish. I am grateful to be part of a community that embodies this idea so well.
Edva Kashi, 2024
Meet Rabbi Patrick, Your Ceremony Tutor
Program Options
🌱 Option Aleph — A Meaningful Beginning
For families looking for a shorter, lower-pressure experience.
Best for: Kids who are new to Jewish learning, families with limited time, or kids who benefit from a more flexible approach.
Your child will:
- Explore Torah, Jewish history, holidays, and Jewish values
- Study a Torah portion that connects to them
- Participate in a small, personalized Jewish ceremony led by Morah Edva Kashi
- Give a d’var Torah (short Torah teaching)
📖 Option Bet — Learn, Read & Lead
Our most comprehensive option for a traditional-but-flexible B’nai Mitzvah.
Best for: Families who want a substantial Jewish learning experience without committing to a traditional year-long program.
Your child will:
- Build a foundation in Jewish learning and study their Torah portion with Morah Edva Kashi
- Learn important prayers and what they mean with Rabbi Patrick
- Co-lead a service in Hebrew and English with Rabbi Patrick
- Read a short passage from the Torah (two sentences)
🔥 Option Gimmel — Torah Intensive (8 month commitment)
For kids who already have a strong Jewish and Hebrew background, and families that want a bit more learning and ceremony (but not as much as they would do in a traditional synagogue setting)
Best for: Kids coming from Jewish day schools, camps, Hebrew programs, or other strong Jewish learning backgrounds.
Your child will:
- Dive deeply into their Torah portion and study advanced Jewish texts and topics with Morah Edva Kashi
- Learn important prayers with Rabbi Patrick on a more advanced level
- Fully lead a ceremony with a stronger Hebrew emphasis
- Read a full aliyah from the Torah in Hebrew
Want something even more personal?
📕 Personalized Siddur
We can create a beautiful, custom prayer book for your family featuring your child’s Torah reading, the prayers you choose, family photos, memories, and personal messages. There is a $600 fee and families will be responsible for printing the siddurim.
Post-Graduate Studies with Edva
Interested in learning more with Edva? She is available for one-hour learning sessions on any Jewish topic of the student’s choice. Length of study is based on the student’s interest and ability to continue. The fee is $150 per session.
Adult B’nai Mitzvah
Interested in becoming b’nai mitzvah at an older age? No problem! Speak with Rabbi Patrick about free adult learning options that include asynchronous learning and one-on-one Hebrew tutoring.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my child have to attend Hebrew school? Do we have to attend Shabbat services or holidays? What other commitments do we have to make?
None! You only have to participate in as much of Kehillah’s programming as you want, no judgements whatsoever.
Can families outside of the Richmond area use your service?
Yes! We have worked with families in DC, Chicago, and more.
Where do we hold the ceremony? And when is the ceremony?
You are welcome to have your ceremony anywhere that you would like. We serve bar mitzvah/bat mitzvah families in Richmond, Chesterfield, Charlottesville, Petersburg, Powhatan, Virginia Beach, Chesterfield, Norfolk, and the DC metro area.
Some families rent a venue, some hold the ceremony in their back yard. You can also Zoom guests into the event.
The ceremony takes place on Shabbat (Saturday) morning, afternoon or evening as well as Sunday mornings and afternoons.
We are not religious. Will you work with us? What is a service like?
We can provide a ceremony in any style you would like using Conservative, Reform, or Secular Humanistic readings and interpretations. Choose option Gimmel for this personalized level of service
It is unlikely that my child will learn Hebrew or have time for any significant tutoring, but we still want a b’nai mitzvah. How do we do that?
Our condensed, four month option is perfect for a family who wants the experience of the traditional bar or bat mitzvah, but understanding that families are busy and cannot commit to the kind of tutoring it would take for a full ceremony.
We are an interfaith family. Is that OK?
Yes! We’re honored to work with you.
Do you work with LGBTQ families or gender non-conforming children?
Gladly! We are the first and only Jewish presence at the annual VA Pride.
I have another question. Who should I talk to?
Reach out to our B’nai Mitzvah Educator, Edva Kashi, at kehillahtutoring@gmail.com.