I come from a really big family and I am the first of my generation to have a Bat Mitzvah. It makes me feel special (and scared) to know that I am the first of this generation.  I get to set the example for all of my family members that are younger than I am.  I didn’t really understand what a Bat Mitzvah was until I started studying for it and going to my friends’ B’nei Mitzvah.  I am happy I am doing this. Becoming a Bat Mitzvah means that I will be considered an adult and feel a lot more connected to my Judaism. I hope to be a madricha, a teacher’s assistant, in the religious school and in B’nei Mitzvah tutoring, and I know for a fact that I will go to Hebrew High and continue being involved in NFTY, as well. Being Jewish is one of my favorite things. It means being together with your family and spending time with one another. Every Shabbat and every holiday my family is together (all 35 of us in one house!).  This is my favorite part of being Jewish.

For my mitzvah project, I am tutoring kids from my old elementary school, McKee Road Elementary.  I am helping them mostly with math but some days with other subjects, as well, depending on their homework.  It was a good project because I am good at math and enjoy helping other people. I fulfilled the mitzvah of teaching kids.

Lily is the daughter of Talya and Michael Tateo.  She is the granddaughter of Roz and Ivan Cooper of Charlotte, Susan and Donald Jacobs of Charlotte, and Marc Maslov of Jupiter, FL and the late Debbi Maslov, Carolyn and Vito Tateo.  She is the great granddaughter of Eleanor Maslov and Florence Jaffa. She is the sister of Brooklynne.
Words of Mazel Tov can be sent to Talya327@gmail.com.