This mixed-methods study explores the trajectory of student motivation to learn Hebrew throughout the process of preparing for the bar mitzvah. It investigates the experiences of teenage students enrolled in Reform and Reconstructionist Jewish supplemental schools, focusing on Dörnyei’s (2009) L2MSS constructs of ideal L2 self, ought-to L2 self, and L2 learning experience. Descriptive statistics for questionnaire data are presented alongside a thematic analysis of factors that increase and decrease student motivation. The findings highlight a decrease in motivation upon completion of the bar mitzvah and illuminate the social and individual variables that influence students’ and motivation to learn Hebrew. This study concludes with a call for more research in this language community and provides evidence to support professional development and the inclusion of student perspective.
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