PHOTO: Micheal Peck, Toni Jaffe and Julie Feinberg become b'nai mitzvah at the Southern Wall of the Temple Mount.

Sharing b’nai mitzvah experience in Jerusalem

BY TONI (RIVKA) JAFFE
Ten years ago, my son Hunter (Reuven) Jaffe was in Israel for the Portland Jewish Academy 8th-grade trip. On the Jewish Federation of Portland 2023 trip this March, my adopted older son Michael (Ari) Peck came on the trip with me along with his partner, Shanna, and my friend Julie (Eliana) Feinberg.
We had the opportunity to participate together in the b’nai mitzvah service at the Southern Wall, standing under the pergola. Hunter had his bar mitzvah in the spring of 2012 at Congregation Shaarie Torah, and here a little over 10 years from then, Michael, Julie and I were standing with our tallits and kippahs, reciting the prayers before and after the Torah reading and being bar and bat mitzvah as adults. It was such a proud and emotional moment for the three of us to experience together, mother and son, friend, in Israel, near the Kotel.
Hunter was with me in spirit as I wore his bar mitzvah tallit. Michael, Julie and I were scheduled for the original trip that was to have taken place in 2020. In preparation for that trip, I purchased for both Michael and Julie their prayer shawls from Israel in advance of the trip, along with a beautiful fountain pen and kippah for Michael! How special it was to finally have all three of us place our tallits around our shoulders for this once in a lifetime experience. I am a Jew by choice, and Michael and Julie were born Jewish. We shared the moment with other women, men and young adults from the trip.
Can one feel more Jewish? The answer is yes. Both Michael and I shared that we felt more Jewish with this ceremony. And here we were in the Jewish homeland while history was being made. The b’nai mitzvah was moving with Rabbi Barry Cohen, Rabbi Gary Oren and Priscilla Kostiner leading the service. Michael, Julie and I were called up for the first Aliyah, and as we looked at the Torah and all the loving faces of our families, friends and other b’nai mitzvah participants, my heart swelled with pride, joy and a few tears. A shared memory of a lifetime.