Celebrating Charlie: His Bar Mitzvah

We recently celebrated Charlie’s Bar Mitzvah, the ceremony where the Jewish 13-year-old is called to read the Torah. He became a man in Judaism. Obviously, this is a meaningful day for us in our religion and our family.

The Bar Mitzvah is more than just a celebration. It’s the day the teen agrees to accept the commitment and responsibilities of Judaism. And it’s the day the teen becomes a member of the adult Jewish community.

It’s no easy task, becoming a Bar Mitzvah. Charlie had been working toward this goal for the last four years, attending religious school on Sundays and Wednesdays for the last four years to learn Hebrew and the Torah. And the last nine months, he attended additional training.

Charlie and our Rabbi led the ceremony, with all of our immediate family and close family friends present. Jeff shared a few words with Charlie during the ceremony, expressing how proud he was to watch him commit to becoming a Bar Mitzvah and recognizing the hard work and sacrifice it took to get there. That was really special.

Being 13 is a big deal, mostly for kids’ social and athletic lives. When most kids turn 13, they’re just getting started. But because of the Bar Mitzvah, Charlie has been through so much. The celebration is a big moment, and he had such a feeling of accomplishment!

Jeff and I were so proud of the way Charlie handled his schooling and the sacrifices he had to make to get to this point. He had seen his brother go through the process, so he knew what was coming. But I don’t think you ever know what’s involved until you’re in the thick of it.

We were blessed to have our friends and family with us—from near and far—and a group of Charlie’s friends. And the little party we had at the end was a great way to culminate the whole process, complete with a big cake and a feeling of community among our guests.

Of course, a family gathering wouldn’t be complete without photographs. Thank you so much to Stephanie Heymann of Stephanie Heymann Photography for the beautiful black and white image you see at the top of this post. I hope you’ll visit her Facebook page and website to see more of her amazing work.