My favorite thing about being Jewish is feeling unique and special. The majority of people in my school and community are not Jewish. I get the opportunity to celebrate Jewish holidays, to learn how to read a different language that very few people in Charlotte know.

Becoming a Bar Mitzvah means that I have new responsibilities for being Jewish. This means that I am responsible for how I help people, for how I follow the commandments, for how I celebrate Jewish holidays and Shabbat services, and how I help my body and soul to grow into adulthood.

I have learned through Sheva that whatever I put my mind to I can accomplish and make some friends along the way. My mitzvah project was to help out at Friendship Trays, which is an organization that makes trays of food for those who are in need and cannot leave their homes. I chose this as my mitzvah project because I wanted to give back to the world. I plan to keep learning about Judaism by going to services and participating in Jewish life.

Jack is the son of Samantha and Adam Foodman and has two siblings, Parker and Asher. Send notes of mazal tov.