Liliana Franklin
April 27, 2014
I am the first that I know of in my family to have a Bat Mitzvah, so this is very meaningful to me. I have chosen to be the start of a new link in the family. I hope to begin a new tradition in our family for generations to come.
It takes a lot of responsibility to come to this point. All the papers, articles, and writings have taken a lot of self-control and responsibility to complete by their deadlines, with all of the distractions like school and homework. Time management was a challenge. As a lot of my friends know, I have a huge procrastination problem. This has become an obstacle in my path, but I was able to deal with it. I wouldn’t say I have solved it, but I have definitely been able to work with it.
To me, my Bat Mitzvah is an important milestone; a memory for me to cherish for years to come and a story to tell to, well, anyone who will listen, especially my grandparents who unfortunately could not be here.
It makes me feel part of the Jewish tradition to have a Bat Mitzvah. Since we don’t study the Torah at The City Congregation, there are not many traditional Jewish things I can do to feel very Jewish. Having a Bat Mitzvah is a Jewish tradition that I am proud to be able to have and I have learned a lot from the preparation leading up to it.
Even at our Bar and Bat Mitzvahs we are not traditional, as you who are guests here today may have noticed. We don’t do Torah readings, so instead of reciting words that some people would not be able to understand, we put thought into writing pieces that convey who we are. We talk about our values and how our history has shaped us as humans.
It feels good to be part of this tradition. It makes me feel very Jewish. In addition to The City Congregation, I have done other things that have strengthened my Jewish ties and learning. I have gone to a Jewish camp since second grade. Because I am Jewish, I met some of my best friends there, and they have influenced who I am today. I have so many great memories with each one of them. I couldn’t live without them.
In preparing for my Bat Mitzvah, it was really fun to interview my relatives for this project, and learn about their pasts. I got the partial inside scoop on what World War II was like for my grandfather and my great uncle, Marvin. I learned how tough life was back then, and how little everything cost.
With the Congregation, I have learned many things leading up to this day. I got to do community service at the JCC on Martin Luther King Day. I loved making things there like dream catchers for kids and dog and cat toys for animals in shelters. I felt really good doing things to make people feel better. By enjoying the community service I did, I didn’t feel like it was something I had to do, but something I wanted to do.
By coming to KidSchool and singing in Kehilla Circle, I found out early on that I was very interested in Hebrew, and I wanted to learn Hebrew. I thought it would be fun to learn the language of my historical ancestors.
I remember certain things we studied and places we went that had an impact on me – like when we read the book Hana’s Suitcase – a tragic story about a girl, Hana Brady, who was murdered upon her arrival in Auschwitz at my age. Through her story I was introduced to how rough it was during Hitler’s reign for children, and how many people were killed. I know that my people have suffered and sacrificed their lives just to practice their religion. They have helped shape today as a time where we can practice our religions freely and publicly. It is because of them that I am able to be here in front of all of you. They have made it possible for me to celebrate my Bat Mitzvah, a new memory to cherish.
Another meaningful experience was participating in Theater of the Oppressed at KidSchool. Once every year, a group of homeless people put on a show about what it is like to be homeless on the streets and the brutality they face. It made me consider the hardships the homeless go through, and also that no matter what, you always have to stay positive and not give up.
I would like to thank all of the people who helped me with this process. First, I would like to thank my mom and my mentor, Carol Sternhell, who have helped me with my papers and pushed me to do my best. I would like to thank Rabbi Peter Schweitzer for leading this service and for the time he has taken to give me feedback on my ideas, and Hazzan Ayelet Piatigorsky, for the wonderful music. I would also like to thank Isabel Kaplan, who heads our Bar and Bat Mitzvah program, for going over my papers and making them perfect – well as perfect as they could be! Among all of the memories I will have throughout my life, I know I will definitely remember this day. Having all my family and friends and everyone who cares here today will create a wonderful memory.
