My favorite thing about being Jewish is that I get to become a bat mitzvah. Not many other religions offer this opportunity. After my bat mitzvah, I will get to do more things as a Jewish person, like have an aliyah. In a few years, when my younger siblings become b’nei mitzvah, I will be able to stand on the bima and offer a blessing at their service.

In preparing to become a bat mitzvah, I have learned that I can learn more and do more than I thought I could – I didn’t think I would actually be able to read from the Torah, but I studied hard and now I know I can!

I had two mitzvah projects and got to do them with my friend Ivy Daitch. First, we put together a bake sale – we donated most of the money we raised to Hurricane Harvey victims, and spent the rest on materials to make hats for children at Levine Children’s Hospital. We also went to the Ronald McDonald House and led bingo for the guests staying at the house. It felt good to help people who don’t have as much as we do and to help people feel better when they’re going through hard times.

You never know about the future, but I am thinking I would like to become a madricha, and even do b’nei mitzvah tutoring.

Sofia Rubenstein is the daughter of Ilyssa and Brian. She is the sister of Jack and Carly. She is the granddaughter of Ellen and Alan Lubiner of New Jersey and great-granddaughter of Ruth Lubiner. Send messages of Mazel Tov to Sofia.