About the Program

Chai Mitzvah is a program to enhance Jewish community. Like a book group, Chai Mitzvah groups meet for conversations guided by sourcebooks on Jewish topics. Easy to lead, a professional teacher is not necessary. Small groups form through organizations or independently.

Learn more on getting started here: How to Form a Group.

Group Conversation

Chai Mitzvah groups use a specially designed materials. Easy to lead, a professional teacher is not necessary. The sourcebooks are clearly laid out and accessible to those of all backgrounds, offering texts in Hebrew and English, from contemporary and traditional sources.

Learn more about our small group programs.

Become a Chai Mitzvah – Personal Jewish Journey

Our tradition tells us that a full Jewish life involves our head, heart, and hands.  The unique part of the Chai Mitzvah program is that participants are encouraged to take a personal Jewish journey. It is important for participants to identify what is personally meaningful to them by incorporating:

• Study – something you’ve always wanted to know more about – culture history, language, literature, anything!
• Spirituality – A new or deepened practice or ritual – add to your life spiritually – maybe it’s prayer, or meditation, or a ritual.
• Social Action – pick some way of giving back to the world; find a social action/social justice project to which you’ll devote some time – big or small – it just has to be meaningful to you.

Download our Celebration Guide – This is a sample brochure that was used at the end-of year ceremony of a Chai Mitzvah Group in Michigan. It shows the choices participants made and it may make it easier to see how POP – the Power Of Passion – works.

Each person in the group completes 5 steps:

1. Meet with your Chai Mitzvah group for discussions
2. Adopt or deepen a ritual or spiritual practice
3. Identify something to learn
4. Engage in a social action project of your choosing
5. Celebrate the Chai Mitzvah journey with a certificate of completion

Learn more about How to Form a Group.