On Sunday, February 2, Yavneh Academy grandmothers, mothers, aunts and sixth grade girls joined in a bat mitzvah celebration honoring the generations of women. The class of 2022 partnered with the bnot mitzvah of Bayit V’Tikveh, House of Hope, in Netanya for a festive morning.

The morning event included an art gallery, dance and song presentations and a number of messages for the young women. The girls who participated in the art gallery had learned pesukim from Tanach which incorporated this year’s theme, Yavneh Sees the Good. The girls translated the pesukim into artistic renditions which were displayed. The Yavneh and Bayit V’Tikveh girls both prepared songs and dances to share. The Skype session was great as the girls met their “sisters” in Israel. Jamie and Ayelet Weiss shared pictures and highlights from their recent visit to Bayit V’Tikveh.

Upon arrival, families began working on customized pens which will be sent to the girls in Netanya. Linda Esses introduced the theme, Barbara Rubin, principal, discussed the responsibilities of women and Jordana Baruchov, middle school dean, spoke about the importance of relationships and making connections. Dr. Aliza Frohlich distributed Yavneh Academy’s bat mitzvah gift of chumashim with personalized inscriptions, while a slide show featuring each girl was shown in the background. The slides were pictures of the girls receiving their first chumashim in second grade! Thank you to the committee members Tova Burack, Linda Esses, Shira Marks, Shani Norman, Dassa Novoseller and Deborah Pearlman.

Not only did the girls look beautiful but they felt beautiful. It was a true celebration of family, chesed, Torah and womanhood!