SPOTLIGHT
Elizabeth Glorioso Photography LOOKING BACK, WHAT WAS THE BEST PART OF YOUR WHOLE BAT MITZVAH EXPERIENCE?
Cydney: The best part was helping my parents with the planning. Once we decided on a theme, it was fun to put all of the pieces together. There is so much that goes into having a bat mitzvah from the Shabbat dinner to the service to the celebration. Getting to see family and friends was really special. My parents really made sure it was a special experience for everyone. Michelle Feinberg, mother: Seeing Cydney up on the bimah was so special. She had worked so hard for a year. Also, due to COVID we hadn’t seen family in so long. We were so happy that so many came in.
HOW DID THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AFFECT THE BAT MITZVAH?
Michelle Feinberg, mother: Cydney only did her lessons by Zoom. She never had one in-person lesson with her amazing tutor. Vaccines and masks were required at the service.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR OTHER YOUNG ADULTS PREPARING FOR THEIR B’NAI MITZVAHS?
CYDNEY FEINBERG
BAT MITZVAH: OCT. 23, 2021 SYNAGOGUE: B’NAI JESHURUN CONGREGATION CELEBRATION: EMBASSY SUITES BEACHWOOD OFFICIANTS: RABBI STEPHEN WEISS AND CANTOR AARON SHIFMAN AGE: 13 HOMETOWN: PEPPER PIKE SCHOOL: BRADY MIDDLE SCHOOL IN MORELAND HILLS
52 Celebrations SPRING 2022
Cydney: I started preparing for my bat mitzvah a year before – it seemed like there was so much to do to be ready for the service. I was nervous. I had a great tutor who I met with each week over Zoom and together we worked on making sure I was ready. I would say to others, don’t get overwhelmed, make sure you study in between your sessions and have some fun, too. Getting to write my own d’var Torah was cool. I was able to personalize it and teach others about the Torah portion.
