Bat Mitzvah — Words of Torah (my blog!) — Rabbi Amy Josefa Ariel (she/her)

Jemma's Words of Torah as She Celebrated Becoming Bat Mitzvah

On Shabbat Ki Tavo, we celebrated with joy as Jemma was called to the Torah and celebrated becoming bat mitzvah. Her words of Torah and her poetry and art are a delight and we are so lucky that she has shared them with us and that she and her parents have given me permission to share them here.

If you have already heard her words and seen her art, you know how delicious they are.
I’m thrilled we can enjoy them again here.

If you are experiencing Jemma’s Torah for the first time, you are in for a treat.

B'MitzvahAmy ArielSeptember 13, 2025Jemma, Torah, Ki Tavo, Jewish Holidays, Bat Mitzvah, Poetry, Art Comment

The Names Everyone Should Know: Mitzi’s Bat Mitzvah Shiur

On July 27th, Mitzi celebrated becoming Bat Mitzvah.
I love celebrating my students for who they are and this student loves to cook. She has a strong Jewish identity emerging from her connections with her family and communities. As we learned together this past year, Mitzi found family recipes she wanted to learn to make and I suggested some to her that had particular histories or came from parts of the Jewish diaspora she hadn’t yet explored. When it came time for her to choose what she would teach about, the choice was pretty easy. I’m honored to share her shiur here with you.
Mazel Tov to you Mitzi, and to your family!

Chaye Sarah: Of Monsters and Men . . . and Women

Sometimes our students pick up on things we didn’t realize we were teaching.
Sometimes our legacy gives illuminating insight about our lives.
Our parsha this week is Chaye Sarah, which means the life - or really lives - of Sarah.
It is also the bat mitzvah parsha of my student Tamar.