An amazing day today!

Today,  I got to witness a true mitzvah. The literal translation for mitzvah is commandment.  It’s also known as doing a good deed,  is a mitzvah when you help others, making your parents proud is a mitzvah.

Today, the daughter of one of my oldest and dearest friends from high school became bat mitzvah. She took her place in the congregation,  she became an adult,  can be part of a minion. Not the little yellow minions we know and love, a minion is a meeting and by Jewish law,  you need ten people to make a minion and now,  she can be counted as part of that ten.

It is a big step to become bar [son of] or bat [daughter of] mitzvah. You have to study Hebrew for years, learn the prayers, learn to read from the Torah, write a speech,  just to give you a little insight.

I got to the synagogue and found CGS, we hugged and caught up for a minute,  then went into the sanctuary and took some photos, I got to see the kids and then she was off and running. I found a seat and then our friend FCS arrived with her mom. She is the friend from high school I told you I ran/walked with during the Brooklyn half marathon back in October.

We sat together and caught up and then it was time to start.  SHS, the bat mitzvah, lead the service with the rabbi, what a great job. Eventually, it was time for her to read from the Torah and she did it beautifully.

After the Torah and haf-torah, she gave a speech,  very sweet and poignant. There were presentations by the family and the temple and then it was over.  Mazel Tov!

After the bat mitzvah,  it was time to celebrate and celebrate we did! Food, drinks,  I went a little crazy…two shirley temples, I know,  hold yourself back! Dancing,  chair lifting and dessert, what more could you ask for?

I remember when I found out CGS was pregnant with SHS. CGS had been pregnant at my wedding and wore this great dress,  stretchy material. She called to tell me she wore the dress again and that was how she told me she was pregnant with SHS, pretty cool.

It’s been such a treat to watch CGS’ kids grow up, all very bright and funny and sweet with parents who really love them, very lucky. I can’t wait for the next one,  have five years to go there!

What a mitzvah! And I am so thrilled that I got to be a part of it,  a blessing.