My favorite thing about being Jewish is celebrating holidays (like Hanukkah, Purim and Passover) with friends and family. I especially like all the great food like challah, matzah ball soup and hamantaschen. I love the community here at Temple Beth El as well as the JCC. I have made a lot of friends at both places, at Hebrew school, at Camp Mindy and the JCC swim team.

To me, becoming a Bat Mitzvah means that I can now participate more. I have learned so much about all the prayers and can now understand more of what is going on in services.

My Mitzvah project was working in the community garden at the JCC. Every Wednesday over the summer I watered all the plants, picked a lot of weeds, and harvested many pounds of produce that was donated to the pantry at Jewish Family Services. I loved watching all of the hard work I did in maintaining the garden help to feed people in need. I plan on continuing volunteering in the garden again this coming summer.

In Sheva, I have learned about more of the background of being Jewish. I now have a better understanding of our traditions and where they came from. After my Bat Mitzvah I will continue to go to services and celebrate all the Jewish holidays

Allison is the daughter of Steven and Amy Repella.  She is the sister of Ben.  She is the granddaughter of Israel and Elaine Miller of Clearwater FL and Bridget Repella of Milford MA.