Being in Synagogues always fills me with sentiment. I’m Jewish and didn’t grow up in a Jewish household. The two homes that informed my Judaism were Camp Tawonga, where I discovered the joy in being fully self expressed and skinny dipping in mountain river AND Temple Emanu-El, where I first discovered the joy of being part of a cultural steeped in centuries of tradition. I felt like I was part of a lineage for the first time.
One of my favorite traditions of the Jewish Tradition is the opportunity for young teens (13 for boys and 12 for girls) to go through a formal Rite of Passage into adulthood. Not only is it an opportunity to have a huge rockin’ party, it is also an opportunity for these young people to stand up in front of their community and share a part of themselves. I can’t imagine going through the process without having to face some fears and growing into a maturer version of yourself
This past weekend, we had the privilege of capturing Ezra Burk on the morning of his Bar Mitzvah at Temple Sinai in Oakland and in his letting loose with friends and family late into the night at Montclair Women’s Cultural Center. SO awesome working with this family. ENJOY!
