My favorite thing about being Jewish is the importance of tradition that has been carried on by the Jewish people for thousands of years.   I also love lots of Jewish foods and the opportunity to get to eat them with my family on holidays.   I’m excited to become a Bar Mitzvah so that I can be considered an adult in the community and participate in more of the traditions and activities.   As I’ve prepared for my Bar Mitzvah, I’ve learned that I shouldn’t procrastinate when I think the task at hand is hard because it is even harder if you wait until the last minute.   When I took a little time everyday to learn my prayers and Torah portion, it was much better than trying to cram it into a single day.

My mitzvah project was to make meals and baked goods for several organizations that help those in need in the Charlotte area including the Relatives and a Roof Above.  I chose this project because I enjoy baking and it was still something I was able to do during the COVID pandemic safely.   I enjoyed taste testing all of my baked goods but more importantly it felt good to bring smiles to people who are having hard times.  I plan to keep volunteering my time to help these groups after my Bar Mitzvah.    Now that I am a Jewish adult, I plan to participate in a program like BBYO or NFTY so I can engage with other Jewish teens.

Charlie is the son of Crissa Klein and Jarret Lewis.   He is the older brother of Aaron Lewis.   He is the grandson of Alan and Judi Lewis of Wayside, New Jersey and Sue Klein of Kennebunk, Maine. Send notes of mazel tov.