My favorite thing about being Jewish is having a separate group of friends who share my beliefs. To me, becoming a Bar Mitzvah means that I am now a respected adult in our community and I am equal to others around me in temple. In preparing for my Bar Mitzvah, I have learned that it is simple to learn complicated things if you are consistent and work hard. My mitzvah project was helping people through food. I mainly worked at the Hebrew Union College soup kitchen over the summer. I chose this project because I often see people on the street who seem to be in need of food, and this seemed like a good way to help. I felt like I was making a difference when I was handing out meals and treating people with dignity. I plan on making more traditions with my family as I become a Jewish adult.

Ethan is the son of Amy and Marc Andrews. His sister is Ayla Andrews. His grandparents are Lynne and Stuart Cojac of Charlotte and Kitty and Adolf Horer (OBM). Send notes of mazel tov.