Nicholas
We feel so fortunate our son worked with Rabbi Lauren for three years, and that he forged a connection with her as he grew in his Jewish learning and identity. She supported his sense of humor and his curiosity. The entire process reflected his personality and Rabbi Lauren helped him to be his best self. The authentic connection he made with Rabbi Lauren as a teacher, mentor, and friend is special and rare. For that, we feel lucky.
Rabbi Lauren engaged study and preparation for the bar mitzvah as an opportunity to explore the traditions, philosophies, and practices of Judaism. With Rabbi Lauren our son discussed and analyzed the Torah as well as components of Judaism, social justice, and the links between humanity, equality, and kindness. Rabbi Lauren modeled how to ask questions, explore ideas, and embrace interpretation. This approach is one of the many gifts of our son's bar mitzvah.
As to the bar mitzvah service and weekend: we LOVED it. Our Jewish and non-Jewish family members thought the service was excellent. Everyone felt very present and involved, even those who just listened. In the months beforehand, Rabbi Lauren provided lots of logistic support, big and little details, including the wording for invitations.
We feel confident our son will continue to develop as a person grounded in ethics, building on his foundational experiences with Rabbi Lauren. She has shaped him in ways for which we will be forever grateful.
(July 15, 2023)
Friday, November 10, 2023