Grad Adds Two Feathers to Cap
2
1 By Stephanie Nissani
In the months preceding her 12th birthday, Katie Kahn expressed to her mother her identity with Judaism and asked to proceed with the traditional bat mitzvah. But that’s not what happened. Katie explained to the AJT how her bat mitzvah was impeded and shared details of her back-to-back simchas and accomplishments for 2021. Since 12 isn’t the ideal age to make your own decisions in the secular world, Kahn’s mother Virginia Spach Kahn asked her daughter to rethink the decision Mom believed should be accompanied by a full commitment. Katie recalled, “She wanted me to fully grasp and understand the true meaning behind a bat mitzvah instead of being influenced by a huge party.” Spach Kahn, who is not Jewish, asked her daughter to gauge her inner spirituality rather than be blinded by a prestigious ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES
STYLE MAGAZINE•34
party. Katie considered her mother’s assertion and continued with her life until she was emotionally and mentally ready for her mitzvah. Throughout the years, Kahn’s trajectory has not deviated from learning Hebrew, familiarizing herself with mitzvot and hearing the Torah while attending Shabbat services at Temple Kehillat Chaim with her father Steven Kahn. Katie said she also gravitated toward Judaism and Hebrew by attending religious school. “I found Hebrew to be calming and beautiful. I also like the nature aspect of it, like the agrarian calendar; the way the entire year and holidays revolved around harvesting. It’s truly beautiful.” Flash-forward six years. Katie graduated Chattahoochee High School May 20 and nine days later, on her 18th birthday May 29, she became a bat mitzvah. “It is meant to be,” she said. Prior to the big day, Katie
3
felt a slight sense of apprehension. “It was nerve-racking right before.” Katie explained that she did three Torah honors, aliyot: the first with her father; the second with two of her Hebrew school friends; and the third by herself. “While reading the Torah, my dad was on the right of me and Rabbi [Jason] Holtz was to the left, just to make sure that things went well and verses were read correctly.” This is a moment everyone here at Kehillat Chaim and my father have been waiting for.” Katie studied about six months, read 10 verses and one Haftorah on the bimah in front of many friends and family who joined virtually or face-to-face. She was blessed with sentimen-
tal Jewish gifts that will forever mark the milestone, including a mezuzah, Kiddush cup and candleholders for Shabbat. Katie also participated in a baccalaureate ceremony at Kehillat Chaim May 8. It was a double blessing for Katie graduating the same month from high school and Hebrew school, where she also served as a teaching assistant. But finding her Jewish roots and celebrating her bat mitzvah was not the only challenging path Katie took to adulthood. After years of work, she also achieved the highest honor of Girl Scouts, receiving the Gold Award March 7. Along the way to the coveted award, Katie achieved other
