Judy Berger lost her husband, Leslie, on New Year’s Eve 2019, but he was very much on her mind during the second day of Hanukkah last Saturday. That’s when Berger, 73, achieved a milestone: her bat mitzvah.“He was never bar mitzvahed, and I thought,...

We asked readers to cast their vote for St. Louis’ top businesses that help to make bar and bat mitzvahs, weddings and other celebrations occasions to remember for a lifetime. More than 700 people voted in the poll and on the following pages, find the...

There are parties, and then there are PARTIES. Most of us have hosted a party. For example, you may have had family or friends over for a backyard barbecue. Or you may have hosted your child’s birthday party in your basement. Or you may have even invited...

From the outside, a bar or bat mitzvah can seem routine. Teenagers study for a few years, have a ceremony when they are either 12 or 13 years old and then have a party. However, the path often is more complex for those who are not able to go through the...

Jewish teens and their families will remember their b’nai mitzvahs for as long as they live. They can also look fondly back on those of their friends. Here, we ask four Jewish teens their favorite friends’ b’nai mitzvahs.Grace SteinbackSophomore...

Guests at Congregation Temple Israel’s annual Thanksgiving Dinner for Those in Need typically just head to the auditorium for a meal with the usual holiday spread. But on Wednesday last week, after they finished eating, they were also invited to go...

Studying for a bar or bat mitzvah can be one of the most nerve-racking experiences in a young teenager’s life. There are months upon months of studying, which often place teens in high-stress situations. Often times students carry enormous anxiety with...

After forming a Hebrew school specifically for secular Israelis, Bais Abraham recently created a yearlong bar and bat mitzvah program for Israeli families living in the St. Louis area.In Israel, many Jewish teenagers host parties for bar and bat mitzvahs...

For Barbara Lewington, the Chai Mitzvah program isn’t so much a new experience as it is an ongoing extension of her faith.“We’re only in the beginning stages,” said Lewington, 65, of Creve Coeur. “But I think it is adding a Jewish slant to the...

Young at ArkOn Saturday, I had the joy of attending the bar mitzvah of my friend Paul Gallant at Congregation B’nai Amoona. Paul is 82 years old.I’m convinced Paul coined the phrase, “You’re never too old to rock and roll,” because Paul has...

Mezuzah mitzvahJosh Fingerman is creating custom-made mezuzahs from Legos as his mitzvah project. He sells them for $36 and has already raised more than $2,500, which he plans to donate to three nonprofit organizations, including Temple Israel, where...

Chase Pultman, who has High Functioning Autism, became a bar mitzvah in February at B’nai Amoona. In the attached PDF, read his moving d'var Torah about the counting of the Jewish People at Mount Sinai, and how he feels at times that because of his...