My favorite thing about being Jewish is that my religion is part of a chain that defies all odds. The Jews are one of the oldest nations in the world. This tiny nation amazingly returned to their homeland, recovered their language, and is making a mark on the world, despite our small numbers. Becoming a Bat Mitzvah, being accepted into the Jewish community as an adult, is something I do not regret and very highly appreciate. In the process of preparing for my Bat Mitzvah, I learned that when you are learning something new, do not rush through it, take your time and actually read between the lines.

For my mitzvah project I helped the association called Refugee Support Services. I collected swimsuits, planned, and helped to host an event at the JCC for around 75 local refugees. I chose this project  because I wanted our new immigrants to feel welcome in our community, and to have the JCC as place to connect with others. After completing my project I felt that I had made a helpful impact on these new immigrants. After my Bat Mitzvah I plan to attend Hebrew High and become a Madricha at the religious school. I also plan to continue coming to services with my family and with friends that I have made from the community.

Amanda is the daughter of Wendy and Mark Wine, and the sister of Max. Her grandparents are Linda and Allan Klepper of Barrington, Rhode Island and Sandy and Bob Wine of Shelby, North Carolina.
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