My favorite thing about being Jewish is celebrating the different holidays with the people you care about and eating all the different foods you might not eat on a regular basis. What it means to me to become Bat Mitzvah is that I have learned the importance of what it means to be a good Jew. What I’ve learned about myself is that I can accomplish anything I really set my mind to do.

My mitzvah project was working at Bright Blessings. Bright Blessings is an organization that helps children in poverty get some of the things they need in life. The organization also helps children celebrate their birthdays, which is meaningful because their parents often do not have enough resources. I helped make gifts and organize the educational supplies to give to the children in the shelters. Working at Bright Blessings taught me that helping people in need can make a big impact on them and it really makes me feel good as well. I plan on learning about Judaism by continuing to attend services and celebrate holiday traditions with my family.

Rachel’s parents are Michelle and Chad Veen. She is the granddaughter of Lene Zalla of Leesburg, Florida and Elonne and Lorne Veen from Gary, South Dakota. Send notes of congratulations.