My favorite part of being Jewish – and my whole year! – is going to 6 Points Sports Camp. Camp allows me to play the sport I love, be with the people I love, and do it all in a Jewish way. To me, becoming a Bat Mitzvah means starting my own Jewish life. I feel as if now I can start my own traditions and begin to become my own Jewish person.

Doing a mitzvah project was extremely challenging during this pandemic. I was really interested in helping the elderly. Quarantine has been especially hard for them because they are totally isolated from their families. I did a zoom where I got together with some seniors, and played bingo with them. I hope to continue volunteering after my Bat Mitzvah, especially in person. That was my goal all along, and I am trying to find ways to be creative with that.

To maintain Judaism beyond my bat mitzvah, I hope to look into NFTY and BBYO as well as working or volunteering at the JCC. Even if I am at the JCC doing something not necessarily Jewish related, being in that kind of environment definitely helps me stay connected with the JCC and Temple Beth El.

Jessie is the daughter of Evan and Robyn. She is the sister of Brooke and Ryan. She is the granddaughter of Alan Wolkofsky of Moores Plains, NJ and Susan Wolkofsky (z’’l), and Linda Grunberg of Charlotte NC and Eddie Grunberg (z’’l). She is the great-granddaughter of Shirley Wolkofsky of New York.