Abby Marcus Celebrates Bat Mitzvah

by Anna Siegel, SSLI '29

Last Thursday, January 8, freshman Abby Marcus was joined by her family, who came to school to celebrate her Bat Mitzvah. While girls typically have their Bat Mitzvah ceremonies when they are aged 12 or 13, Marcus was not able to have a service at that time. Grades 9-12 gathered in the gym to celebrate this special occasion together.

Marcus said that she had her Bat Mitzvah ceremony at age 15 because, at the time she was supposed to have it, she “switched schools.” Marcus wanted to wait until she was having “a better time in her life” to celebrate this milestone. After learning at Schechter for a year and a half, Marcus shared that she had been “learning more about Judaism and realized it was important to [her],” and she was inspired to have a Bat Mitzvah ceremony.

On Thursday morning, Marcus read two Aliyot of Parashat Shemot, was called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah, and gave a D’var Torah. After the service was over, Marcus said that she felt proud of herself and fulfilled because she had been wanting a Bat Mitzvah for a long time and had been “practicing since October.”

Abby reading Torah at her Bat Mitzvah celebration. (M. Resnick)

Marcus spoke about struggles she faced at her previous school and said that Schechter has become a place of comfort and safety for her. She said that she has been able to grow and learn as a member of the loving and supportive community.

Both Hebrew teacher Mr. Baumvoll and Jewish Studies teacher Morah Becky Friedman-Charry helped Marcus throughout her Bat Mitzvah journey. Mr. Baumvoll taught Marcus her Torah reading, and Morah Becky helped organize the honors of the Torah service while guiding Marcus in the understanding of what she was reading.

Abby's family members participated in the Torah service. (M. Resnick)

Morah Becky felt that it was “really nice that her family was there and that they seemed really happy to support her.” She also mentioned that it was inspiring to see Marcus’s classmates step up to volunteer throughout parts of the service.

Morah Becky also remarked that Marcus’s mom had mentioned that “Abby’s sister was really surprised at how many people knew who she was and how so many people came over and spoke to her.” Morah Becky felt that this warmth is what Schechter is all about and that this is “who we are at our core.”

Marcus shared that “the help I had at Schechter really made my experience what it should be,” and that she was glad that Schechter was able to play a huge part in her Bat Mitzvah.

Mazel Tov to the whole Marcus family on Abby’s Bat Mitzvah!

Anna Siegel is a writer for Paw Print Now and has been published on the site since October 2025. Anna is currently a freshman at Schechter School of Long Island and can be reached at the following email address: asiegel29@schechterli.org.