For my Bat Mitzvah, I was given a ring from my parents that means so much to me and my family. It’s a small gold ring with a bright pink flower made of sapphires. The center of the flower has a tiny diamond in it. It was given to my grandmother, which was given to her by her parents (my great grandparents) when she had her Religious School Confirmation. At her Orthodox temple in New Jersey, Jewish girls weren’t allowed to become a Bat Mitzvah, so the closest thing to that ceremony was a Confirmation. When my mom had her Bat Mitzvah, my grandmother passed this ring down to her, and years later, it was passed down once again to me. Although I never got to meet my great grandparents, I am so lucky to have this heirloom.


In Judaism, a Bat Mitzvah is when a Jewish girl turns 12 or 13 and has a religious ceremony recognizing that she is now a Jewish adult. It connects each generation to the next, just like my ring connects me to my family. Other items that are part of the Bat and Bar Mitzvah tradition and ceremony include a prayer shawl (Tallit), head covering (Kippah), the Torah, which I read from, and a wine cup that I was given from my Temple. 


I also received a Star of David necklace from a separate member of my Temple’s congregation. It was made by Rockets into Roses, an artist that creates jewelry from the remnants of rockets that have landed in Israel over time. Given the current war in Israel, this necklace is even more meaningful. 

– LD

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more