B'nei Mitzvah
Ashton Tully
P'kudei
Saturday, March 29, 2025
I love Jewish traditions, like lighting candles and hiding the afikoman. They have special meaning to me and bring a smile to my face.
Becoming a Bar Mitzvah means that I am preparing for the next stage of my life, which can be exciting but also scary. I know that when things don’t go the way I planned, the community will still be there to love and support me. It means that I am taking on more responsibilities and caring more for myself and those around me.
Throughout my preparation to become a Bar Mitzvah, I have discovered that I am a very outgoing, responsible, and prepared person. This journey has inspired me to continue learning about Judaism.
For my Mitzvah project I volunteered at Children’s Theatre of Charlotte because I wanted to help kids experience the magic of theater. I learned how to be responsible, caring, but also strict when I needed to be. This was an amazing experience and I would love to do it again.
I plan on continuing classes here at Temple Beth El and also learning from my parents and grandparents. I am looking forward to continuing this journey and exploring the history, culture and traditions of Jewish life. I am excited for the experiences that await me as I step into adulthood.
Sage Philpott
P'kudei
Saturday, March 29, 2025
Hi, I’m Sage. I love being Jewish, my favorite thing being the celebrations. I love seeing my family for something that connects me to my religion. Becoming a bat mitzvah means so much to me, because it takes me from a Jewish child, to a daughter of the Torah, and commandments. Literally. This journey has taught me a lot. I have learned that I’m a really fast learner, and a procrastinator. I’ve also learned what being Jewish really means to me, my community. My mitzvah project is working for/with knots of love, to crochet hats for people with cancer. So much of my friends and family have encouraged my crochet journey, and with an aunt who beat cancer less than 3 years ago, it made the project just that much more special. Becoming a bat mitzvah and being in the SHEVA program has made me more curious, and it has convinced me to dive deeper into me Jewish identity, and what different parts of Judaism mean.
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Jack Rubenstein
Terumah
Saturday, March 1, 2025
My favorite part of being Jewish is traditions around food. I love eating matzoh ball soup on Passover, dipping apples in honey on Rosh Hashanah and eating chocolate chip and nutella hamantashen on Purim.
Becoming a bar mitzvah means a lot to me. I am excited to take on new opportunities as an adult in the Jewish community, like being a madrich at religious school or a CIT at Camp Mindy.
I have discovered that I love learning new Hebrew words and prayers. Sometimes the prayers pop into my head when I am bored and not thinking about much, and it brings me joy.
I choose to volunteer at the Children’s Hospital because it makes me sad to know that there are kids who are sick and can’t play outside, so I want to spend some time with them to make their day a little brighter.
I am excited to explore new Jewish foods and I’m hoping that someday, when I have kids, they get just as excited about Judaism and becoming a bar mitzvah as I did.
Ben Ellenbogen
Mishpatim
Saturday, February 22, 2025
What I love most about being Jewish is the history and getting to spend time with my family on the holidays. Becoming a bar mitzvah has not been easy. I am a little nervous about the responsibility, but I am also excited about this a new chapter of my life. This journey has helped me see that I need to be more focused and not procrastinate. Through this process I have learned that I do have the power to step up, and finish whatever has to be done. These skills will help me less stressed with future assignments.
My bar mitzvah project is a basketball focused fundraiser to raise awareness and money for the Celiac Foundation. This organization is important to me because my brother Noah has Celiac disease and I have seen first hand the impact that it has on his life and millions of other people. As I become a Jewish adult I will continue to participate at Temple Beth El during events and holidays, and plan to tutor future b’nei mitzvah students.
Micah Bonnheim Knight
B'shalach
Saturday, February 8, 2025
Becoming a Bar Mitzvah is such an important milestone for me. It shows that I’m ready to take on more responsibility and get more involved in the Jewish community. I’m really proud of myself for leading the service, chanting Torah and Haftarah, and reaching this point in my life. I’ll admit, I’m a little nervous about stepping into the responsibilities of a Jewish adult, but I believe I can handle it.
One of the things I love most about being Jewish is the sense of connection. You can meet Jews from all over the world and feel like you already have something in common. Celebrating holidays with my family and community makes that connection even stronger. Every time we gather, we sing the She-hechiyanu, thanking God for the special time we get to share. Singing it with my family is one of my favorite traditions.
Over the years, I’ve also made amazing friends and built special relationships with adults and madrichim who have helped me grow and learn. They’ve shown me what it means to live a meaningful Jewish life, and I’m so grateful for their guidance.
Looking ahead, I plan to keep learning and growing as a Jew. I’m excited to continue with Hebrew High, attend Camp Coleman, go to NFTY and BBYO, travel to Israel, and celebrate holidays. Living as an active part of the Jewish community is something I’m really proud of, and I can’t wait to see what’s next.
Dean Alpern
Bo
Saturday, February 1, 2025
My favorite thing about being Jewish is celebrating all of the Jewish holidays throughout the year with my family. My favorites include Passover, Purim and Channukah as well as lighting candles with my family on Shabbat.
One thing I learned about myself in preparing for my Bar Mitzvah is that sometimes when I am struggling with something and need help, I don’t always ask for help when I should. Preparing for my Bar Mitzvah has been difficult for me, and I am grateful for the people who noticed that I was struggling and helped me get the support I needed to keep going.
I plan to continue learning about and living with Judaism by continuing to celebrate Jewish holidays with my family and stay actively involved in our community as I get older.
Silas McCue
Vayishlach
Saturday, December 14, 2024
My favorite part of being Jewish is celebrating the holidays and spending time with my family. Being Jewish helps me learn and appreciate the importance of community and family through the holidays. It allows me to connect with my Jewish identity and values.
For my service project, I am creating door decorations, care packages, and welcome kits for the Ronald McDonald House. As we approach Hanukkah and the new year, many families have traveled long distances to be with their loved ones in the hospital, often spending time away from home and family. This project is important to me because when I celebrate any holiday, I love being with my family. Making these items for the Ronald McDonald House will help families feel more welcomed and at home. Not only do I appreciate how this impacts others, but I also value how it impacts me. Every time I do a mitzvah, I feel better about myself.
Becoming a Bar Mitzvah is an important step into adulthood, marking a deeper involvement in my community. I look forward to continuing my learning journey by becoming a madrich and tutoring younger children, helping them learn prayers and embrace Jewish values. This milestone brings new responsibilities, both within my community and in my personal life, and I am excited to take them on with dedication and purpose.
Sydney Tanenbaum
Vayishlach
Saturday, December 14, 2024
My favorite thing about being Jewish is being part of a community. I love that when I go places I find a lot of Jewish people that I know from the JCC, our synagogue, and even Mission Grit.
Becoming a bat mitzvah is meaningful to me because it deepened my feeling of belonging to a community. I also feel accomplished knowing that I worked super hard for this day. At first, I thought preparing for my bat mitzvah was going to be hard and I wouldn’t get it done. But, over time I learned that the more I worked, the easier it was to achieve the goal.
For my mitzvah project, I organized a donation drive and made blankets for animals at the Humane Society of Charlotte because I love animals. I also made bracelets for members of Oasis at the JCC because when I made jewelry for my Bubbe, who goes to Oasis at the JCC, many of her friends loved the stuff and wanted some. I felt proud that I could help animals at the Humane Society and bring joy to other people with the bracelets, necklaces, and keychains I made.
In the future, I would like to go to Israel one day and learn about where our tradition comes from. I also plan to continue attending services and celebrating holidays with my family.
Sydney is the daughter of Jason and Jamie Tanenbaum and the sister of Zachary Tanenbaum. She is the granddaughter of Linda Tanenbaum and Billie and Harris Green, all of Charlotte, NC. She is also the granddaughter of the late Saul Tanenbaum.
Cameron Scott
Vayetzei
Saturday, December 7, 2024
My favorite part about being Jewish is getting to share it with my community around me. I get to go to Six Points, a Jewish Sleep away camp every year and the holiness in the room is so comforting knowing I am with people I can connect to. Becoming a bar mitzvah means that I have grown in my life as a Jew and as a human. This means to me that I am no longer a child and that I need to become the responsible kid and Jew that my parents have raised me to be.
For my mitzvah project I supported The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, an organization that is extremely important to our family. I joined my friend’s sister’s campaign as a team member, where I created presentations and set up meetings with people and companies. I ended up raising over $20,000 for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. This is special to me because I really don’t like seeing kids with cancer not be able to do or succeed in the things in life others can. I really wanted to help so this is what I chose for my mitzvah project. I want to make sure I continue on my Jewish journey by going to services and helping my younger siblings as they get older and get to experience the excitement of being a b’nei mitzvah student!
Isabel Philipson
Chayei Sara
Saturday, November 23, 2024
My favorite parts of being Jewish are the food, the community, and celebrating with friends and family. Becoming a Bat Mitzvah means fully joining the Jewish community and taking on new responsibilities. Preparing for my Bat Mitzvah has shown me just how much I enjoy being Jewish. When I was younger, going to Temple was just something I did, but now I understand and appreciate it so much more.
For my Mitzvah Project, I chose to knit hats for the homeless because I love knitting, and I wanted to do something to help others. My Nana, who has been an amazing support in my Jewish life even though she isn’t Jewish, helped me with the project. She taught me to knit and made hats alongside me, and it meant a lot to share this with her.
Looking ahead, I plan to keep learning about and living my Judaism by celebrating Shabbat, observing holidays, and continuing to learn and grow. I also hope to help tutor my sister when she becomes a Bat Mitzvah—and maybe even convince her to go to services!
Arlo Zeibert
Noach
Saturday, November 2, 2024
My favorite thing about being Jewish is the sense of community. I love the people and the support that surrounds me. It feels comforting to be part of something bigger, where I can trust those around me, celebrate holidays, learn, and just be myself.
Becoming a bar mitzvah means taking on responsibilities and fully becoming part of the community. It’s not just about receiving support; it’s about giving back and contributing to the community in meaningful ways.
While preparing for my bar mitzvah, I discovered that I really enjoy connecting with different people. I had the opportunity to volunteer at Oasis, where I made challah, apple butter, and rugelach for Rosh HaShanah. I chose this project because I enjoy cooking and helping others, but I learned more than just baking skills. I loved spending time talking with the seniors at the center and hearing their stories. I also enjoyed connecting with the madrichim, my teen tutors, and my friends throughout this journey.
Looking ahead, I plan to stay involved in the Jewish community by continuing to attend services, learn, and give back. I’m excited to become a madrich and help others just like I was helped.
Arlo is the son of Marisa and Joe Zeibert, the brother of Mable, and the grandchild of Mickey and Cheryll Lansburgh, and Randy and Audrey Zeibert.
Noah Raczynski
Beresheit
Saturday, October 26, 2024
Studying our religion is important because it helps us understand where we come from, connects us to our faith’s meaningful values, and teaches us through the fascinating stories and history passed down over generations. These stories carry life lessons that are timeless and relevant today.
For my mitzvah project, I volunteered with the Miracle League of Rock Hill, helping kids with special needs play baseball. I chose this cause because I believe everyone should have the chance to play sports, and since I love baseball, it felt right to share that passion with others. It also made me reflect on how lucky I am to do the everyday things I enjoy and helped me feel grateful for that.
I plan to continue my Jewish education by reading the Torah and other sacred texts, going to Hebrew High, and eventually getting confirmed.
Noah is the son of Gabby and James Raczynski, brother to Cameron, and grandson of Marc and Susan Levin.
Aaron Grunwald
Beresheit
Saturday, October 26, 2024
My favorite thing about being Jewish is the community of Jewish kids I get to hang out with. I enjoy celebrating holidays with my Jewish friends, playing sports with them at the sleepaway camp 6 Points, and just laughing and talking with them.
To me, becoming a Bar Mitzvah means that you are between a child and an adult, and you will gradually have more responsibilities. It also means I will have to take ownership of my actions and choices.
I learned in preparing for my Bar Mitzvah that I can set goals and accomplish so much. For my Mitzvah project I volunteered at the Shalom Park Community Garden. I helped pick the produce and label it, so they could donate it to the Jewish Family Services food pantry. I chose this project because I am interested in food pantries, and wanted to learn more about gardening.
As a Jewish adult I plan to keep learning and celebrating holidays with my family and friends. I also will continue to attend services.
My parents are Micheal Grunwald and Elizabeth Ren. I have one sibling, Arabella Grunwald. My grandparents are Linda and Andy Grunwald, and Wen and Lucy Ren.
