For the past seven years, we have have had the great honor of guiding 130 students and their families through one of the most meaningful moments of Jewish life: becoming a Bar, Bat or B' Mitzvah. Through my program, Bay Area B'nai Mitzvah, I work with families across the Bay Area and the country to help their children learn Torah, develop confidence, and connect to the beauty and wisdom of Jewish tradition.

Most of the families we work with do not belong to synagogues but still long for a meaningful, authentic Jewish coming-of-age ceremony. Together we create sacred, personal ceremonies that are filled with learning, joy, community, and heart.

Now we are hoping to take an important next step for this growing community.

We are raising funds to purchase a Torah scroll and to build a beautiful Torah ark to use in our ceremonies. Having our own Torah and Ark will allow the students I teach to read directly from the sacred text during their ceremonies and learning. The ark will create a physical home for the Torah — a place of reverence, gathering, and connection for our community. We will also be purchasing a Torah yad, Prayer shawls to use with families, prayer books, a community kiddush cup, ceremonial table, and other ceremonial items so the family can have all this readily available for them.

This Torah will not belong to just one synagogue or family. It will belong to the many students and families who come together through Bay Area B'nai Mitzvah — a shared sacred treasure that will be used for years to come as young people step into Jewish adulthood.

Your support will help bring this vision to life: a Torah, an ark, and a living space of learning where the next generation can connect with their heritage.

Thank you for helping us build this sacred home.