Jordan says: A couple of my favorite things about being Jewish are the holidays and being different. To become a Bat Mitzvah means that I will now be a Jewish adult and will be able to have more independence and opportunities. During my studying and preparing for this day I have learned that it takes patience to learn everything and that not all of it will come easy so you need to practice to make it perfect. My mitzvah project that I chose was to help out children with special needs in their gymnastics class. It was an amazing experience and made me think about how not everything is easy for everyone and that even if you are different from someone else, we are all people in the end. As I grow up as a Jewish adult I will continue to learn about Judaism and make it a part of my everyday life.

Mark says: Becoming a Bar Mitzvah means that I am becoming a Jewish adult with responsibilities. In Sheva class and in preparing for my Bar Mitzvah, I learned that I can study well and be prepared. For my Mitzvah project I volunteered with Yes I Can Basketball and helped out at their basketball clinics. To keep on learning about Judaism I plan to celebrate the Jewish holidays and continue going to Hebrew High.

Jordan and Mark are the children of Eric and Nancy Shapiro and the grandchildren of Joyce Shapiro of Tamarac, Florida and Phyllis Kirkendall of Warsaw, Indiana.
Words of Mazel tov can be sent to spinedoc@bellsouth.net