Being Jewish is really unique.  We have our own country and language and not that many people can say that.  But what makes it fun is all the holidays we observe and the food we eat at every celebration.

Becoming a Bar Mitzvah is a significant achievement for me.  It has taken many years of preparation at Sunday School and Hebrew School not to mention my last 5 months of Bar Mitzvah tutoring.  But it’s worth it at the end because I get to join a group a crowd of people who have the same accomplishment.  It’s a special club, a Bar Mitzvah club.  And now that I am an adult in the Jewish Community, I get to do things like drink wine (of course with my parent’s permission).  Throughout all the preparation, I learned it takes hard work and dedication to accomplish goals such as this one.

My Bar Mitzvah project centered around my all year round sport:  swimming.  This summer I will serve as a volunteer for my neighborhood swim team.  I will help the younger swimmers at practice and set up / clean up for each home swim meet.  I will also volunteer at the neighborhood swim-a-thon in August that benefits the Charlotte Rescue Mission.  My project allows me to spend more time at the pool and help out young kids.  After my Bar Mitzvah, I will continue to learn about Judaism by fasting on Yom Kippur and participating at Passover seders.

Harris Warne is the son of Wendy and Stewart. He is the grandson of Mike Diamond of York, SC and Mary Jane Warne of Tulsa, OK. Notes of mazel tov can be sent to: wdwarne@gmail.com.