One thing I have learned in preparing for my bar mitzvah is how to overcome my fear of being on the bimah. I studied a lot, and I learned you never have to be nervous if you’re prepared.
My favorite thing about being Jewish is celebrating the holidays and eating the food that goes with them, because it means something special. I especially like the matzah ball soup at Passover, the hamantaschen at Purim and the apples and honey we eat at Rosh Hashanah for a sweet new year. As a Jewish adult, I will continue to celebrate the holidays. For my community service project, I worked in a food pantry, and I volunteered with a tennis coach to help little kids learn to play. When I saw them got better, it felt good on the inside.
My parents are Michelle and Pete Smolowitz, and my sisters are Stella and Rose. My grandparents are Dama and Grandpa (Judy and Ira Smolowitz), who live in Massachusetts, and Mema and Pop Pop (Jean and Dick Crouch), who live in Florida.
