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Saturday, December 3, 2011

Blog Post #1500! Avivah's Bat Mitzvah

Today was a very special day indeed.
A young friend, Avivah, had her Bat Mitzvah.
The ceremony of a young Jewish girl that is her transitioning from childhood to adulthood at age
thirteen
in the Jewish Community.
I first met Avivah eight or nine years ago. She was just a tiny little thing, but she
impressed me even then.
She would attend the three hour Saturday religious services in the synagogue with her mom and she knew all the Hebrew chants/songs/blessings by heart and sang them from her heart. She sat still and paid rapt attention.
I remember thinking then that I wanted to be around for this child's Bat Mitzvah!
 Avivah has grown into a lovely young woman. Thirteen is such a beginning of huge changes in ones life. She led the services today with all the dignity of someone much older; mature. She had studied long and arduously and it showed in her ability to chant from the readings of the Torah. She gave her end of the Bat Mitzvah speech about Equality and Racism. It was a very grown up subject and she made us all listen closely.
 She made her mom proud along with many visiting relatives, and friends who came from near and far.
 And as if that was not enough she gave a cello recital after the religious service as we ate lunch in the large community room adjacent to the temple.
 She is also an accomplished musician.
 I was met there by friends I had not seen in a while and it gave me great joy to be surrounded by friendship and love.

 Here I am with Janet and Karen, the two women who I met when I first came to this synagogue probably... could it be almost 15 yrs ago? We used to go to lunch after services together each week.
And here we were again sitting together enjoying the joy of Avivah's Bat Mitzvah, this little girl they used to baby sit for and for whom I crocheted a huge "Doggie Blanket" that she still has!
Memories! What a good day it was.

10 comments:

  1. It looks like a memorable day. A cello recital on top of a Bat Mitzvah sounds like a big day. One Avivah will never forget.

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  2. How wonderful! And that object that catches the light with the pictures and musical notes, did you make that?

    Congrats on your 1500th post!
    Have a nice Sunday Lynn ♥

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  3. how lovely! she's a beautiful girl and sounds so mature for her age. and to give a cello recital after reading her portion? wow...I couldn't have done that. Brava to her

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  4. Wow.. a very talented Young lady. Sounds like you had lots of fun.

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  5. Awesome,what a special girl...Lucky to have all that support. I remember my daughter being curious about Chanukah years ago to I took her to a local synagogue since I really didn't know how to answer her questions. She had fun learning traditional songs and the history of Chanukah.
    Fun to see the young one's growing into amazing people. :)
    Love to you,
    Jenny

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  6. Such a 'big' girl for one so young.
    I'm sure her parents were so proud of her.
    A very nice day for you, having watched her progression to this point.

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  7. Lisa I agree!
    Marianne, no I did not make that beautiful table decoration with the photos spanning Avivah's young life. Someone did an amazing job on it. There was one on every table.
    Mim, yes, she is impressive!
    Cris is was such a blessed day.
    Jenny how sweet that you took your daughter to learn about Chanukah in the way you did. That makes me smile.
    Bab, yes, Avivah made her mom and other relatives so proud; and the rest of us too!

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  8. such a wonderful ceremony. she looks so happy. and nice for you to remeet your friends too. and give support to the young one coming into womanhood.

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  9. WOW...smart and talented...she is starting out her adulthood well. You and your friends look so happy to be together!!!

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  10. What a lovely young woman and how fabulous for you to be part of her life.

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