My favorite thing about being Jewish is being unique in my friend group. There are not that many Jewish people at my school, so we stand out, in a good way. Becoming a Bat Mitzvah means so much more than being an adult in the eyes of the Jewish community. It means that I am willing to take on the responsibilities that I may be given.

In the process of preparing for my Bat Mitzvah, I have really learned the importance of hard work. My mitzvah project was Friendship Trays – an organization that prepares and delivers food for people who can’t make it themselves. My partner Grayce took me with her one time and I really enjoyed the experience. The looks on people’s faces when we gave them the food was so fulfilling. I started to understand the importance of volunteering and just doing things for other people out of the goodness of your heart. I plan to keep learning about Judaism by continuing to go to Camp Coleman, and to be more active in my Jewish community.

Kaya Nichols is the daughter of Matthew and Katrina Nichols. She is the sister of Toryn and Liya Nichols. She is the granddaughter of Eve and Nick Nichols in Lexington, MA and Katherine and Howard Burton in Crown Heights, NY. Notes of mazel tov can be sent to: Kantankerous5@gmail.com