My favorite thing about being Jewish is the food. From Passover matzo ball soup, to hamantaschen’s on Purim! We definitely can’t forget the latkes on Hanukkah! My mom makes especially good matzo ball soup using the same recipe that has been passed down through my family for generations now starting with my great-grandmother. So, I guess you could say that food doesn’t just fuel us but it also connects us!

To become a bat mitzvah, means that I understand and accept my responsibilities as a Jewish adult in life and the temple. I will attend regular services Friday nights and Saturday mornings. I am excited to continue growing in BBYO and to learn more as in the Jewish Culture Club at Providence High School.

The road to becoming a bat mitzvah has taught me about myself and that I am capable of more than I imagined. When I first saw how much work it took to be ready for my bat mitzvah I was a little overwhelmed but then with the help of my tutors, Cantor Mary, Rabbi Knight, my parents and my brother, Ryan, I succeeded.

For my mitzvah project, I volunteered as a coach for the Mecklenburg County gymnastics Special Olympics team. Every Saturday for 5 weeks I helped the children learn their routines, and the experience really made me understand just how lucky I am to be able to help all of these amazing kids. Then one Saturday after weeks and weeks of training, we took the team to the Special Olympics of North Carolina Competition and the atmosphere there was just unbelievable! I am so fortunate that I was able to participate in such an amazing experience and to have gotten to build relationships with all of the kids.

Brooke is the daughter of Robyn and Evan in Charlotte, NC, the sister of Ryan and Jessica and the granddaughter of Linda Grunberg of Clark, NJ and Susan and Allen Wolkofsky of Parsippany, NJ. Messages of congratulations can be sent to her parents.