My favorite thing about being Jewish is the community. I love that I have something in common with other members of the Jewish community. We may not know each other, but our faith and people tie us together.  I have made some of my best friends at Temple Beth El and they are also the nicest people I have ever met. To me, becoming a Bat Mitzvah means becoming a young adult and taking on new responsibilities and opportunities. In preparation for my Bat Mitzvah I have learned that Hebrew is hard to learn, and it takes time and patience to get it right. This was very challenging for me and I learned that if I take the time and focus on one thing at a time I can accomplish whatever I want.

My mitzvah project was volunteering in the preschool gymnastics program at the YMCA, teaching little girls a sport I have loved for a very long time. I was so proud to see how happy they were when they gained a new skill. I plan to continue volunteering for the remainder of the school year and during the summer. I plan to keep learning all about Judaism and I also want to join BBYO next year.

Bella is the daughter of Marcia Kaplan and Todd Fishman. She is the sister of Sydney, a sophomore at Myers Park High School. She is the granddaughter of Susan Cernyak-Spatz of Charlotte NC,  Judith and Leonard Kaplan of Waltham MA and Delray Beach FL, and Jan and Adrian Levin of St. Louis MO.  Notes of congratulations can be sent to Marcia and Todd.