Bar/Bat Mitzvah Stories

Chelsea put her own spin on a Blumenthal family bat mitzvah tradition. Inspired by her older sisters Rachael and Emily, who both volunteered in JUF’s partnership 2000 region for their bat mitzvah projects, Chelsea traveled to Kyriat Gat, Israel, to volunteer for 10 days in the Shoshana Absorption Center and in a home for the elderly. “I chose this project because Israel is the land of the Jews and becoming a bat mitzvah is the beginning of embracing your religion,” she says.

While in Israel, Chelsea and her dad, Mark—the girls each made the trip with one parent—worked on language skills with young Ethiopian immigrants in the absorption center. “I was overwhelmed with emotion and nervous that I wouldn’t be able to communicate with the children. They speak little English and a lot of Hebrew, while I speak a lot of English and very little Hebrew. But that day, I was able to read them a book in English and they read me a book in Hebrew. The highlight was playing 'head, shoulders, knees and toes' with the kids. On our last day at the absorption center, they presented us with a challah cover and a book they made for us. I was so sad to leave. Most of the people only stay at the absorption center for two years, so I know there’s little chance I will ever see them again,” Chelsea says.

While in the region, Chelsea and her father got a chance to get out into the community and learn about Israeli culture from the locals. “JUF connected us with families, and we ate dinner with a different family every night. They were all Israeli but spoke English, and it was really cool to meet them and learn how they live. It’s the same in some ways but different in others,” she says.

The Blumenthal team also took time to travel, visiting Jerusalem, Caesarea and Tel Aviv. Chelsea was surprised by one of her favorite places: ”I really liked the Dead Sea—the mud was so much fun. I usually like to stay clean but I really liked the mud!”

By the time the trip came to an end, Chelsea was ready to get back to her daily life but sad to leave her new friends behind. “Without JUF, we could of never had such a wonderful opportunity to go to Israel. Also, without my dad I would have not had so much fun—or so much ice cream. Thanks, Dad!”

The busy 12-year-old attends Central School in Glencoe and belongs to Am Yisrael, a Conservative synagogue in Northfield. She likes spending time with her two poodles, playing soccer and going to Hebrew school three times a week. She really loves to do gymnastics. She got the chance to put own stamp on her bat mitzvah trip when she practiced with an Israeli gymnastics team. “I’m very active in gymnastics and I practice four to five days a week, so it was really fun and really cool being able to connect what I love to do and my religion,” she says. “I just love to be busy and I don’t like ever being bored.”

And with all of her bat mitzvah projects, there’s no chance Chelsea will be bored. In addition to going to Israel, Chelsea painted multipurpose hooks, sold them at a July 4th booth and sent the proceeds to the Jewish American school she attended while her family lived in Hong Kong.

And she didn’t stop there. This November, Chelsea will celebrate her 13th birthday and bat mitzvah not only with a service and a party but also with a makeover. She has been growing her hair for Locks of Love and is looking forward to donating it to the organization that provides wigs for children suffering from long-term illnesses. “I like my hair long but will feel good giving it to someone who needs it,” Chelsea says.