My favorite thing about being Jewish is the food. When I visit NYC, hamantaschen is the first food I look for, and I like challah anywhere. Becoming a bar mitzvah means that I have more responsibility and freedom. I am now considered a “man” in the Jewish community and I am trusted more. During bar mitzvah tutoring, I learned the importance and meaning of each prayer. Before this, I had no clue what the prayers meant and I would chant them for no reason.

For my mitzvah project, I went Uptown and made chili cheese dogs with The Dream Center. My family and I constructed over one hundred hot dogs with chili on top. Afterward, another set of volunteers distributed them to homeless people in Charlotte. We helped out so many people by doing an easy task. It felt good after we did it and we are definitely going back to help out again soon. I also spent a week volunteering with K through second-graders, helping them improve their basketball skills. I enjoyed working with the kids more than I expected.

I  plan to keep learning about Judaism in the future by enrolling in BBYO this year. Many people I know love it, and it is a way to keep me in touch with Judaism.

Luke is the son of Nancy and Marc Zolotorofe. He is the brother of Sydney. He is the grandson of Nannette and the late Lewis Zolotorofe of Boynton Beach, Florida, and Patricia Houghton-Rones and the late Arnie Rones of Mineola, New York. Please send notes of congratulations.