Yeshiva Har Torah proudly celebrated the bas mitzvah year of its sixth-grade girls with a beautiful and inspiring Mother-Daughter Bas Mitzvah Workshop held on Saturday night, December 6. The event brought together students, their mothers, and educators for an evening centered around a powerful theme: the three merits through which the Jewish people were zocheh to leave Mitzrayim: preserving their Jewish names, their lashon ha’kodesh, and their Jewish dress.
In preparation for the workshop, the girls spent weeks researching the rich meaning behind their Hebrew names. They explored who they were named after, whether their name appears in Tanach, the shoresh of the name, and the lessons they could draw from it. Their beautifully presented findings were proudly displayed at the event.
The evening opened with food and a warm welcome, followed by three rotating workshops designed to bring the theme to life.
In the Names Workshop, the girls created personalized bookmarks featuring p’sukim that begin and end with the letters of their Hebrew names. These bookmarks can now accompany them in their siddurim, serving as meaningful reminders of their identity each time they daven.
In the Lashon HaKodesh workshop, mothers and daughters learned together about the powerful t’filah of “V’zakeini,” the heartfelt prayer many mothers recite after lighting Shabbos candles. The group also learned and sang a song based on the t’filah, deepening their understanding of its beauty and relevance.
The final rotation focused on modest dress and featured guest speaker Aja Cohen, founder and designer of Transcendent Active, a modest activewear brand. Aja shared her remarkable journey – from her Italian Catholic upbringing to her spiritual path into Judaism – and how she discovered and embraced the value of modest clothing. Her lively personality and inspiring story captivated the entire room. She also showcased her line of stylish, lightweight, and comfortable modest active-wear designed for everyday wear and exercise.
The evening concluded with joyous dancing, delicious dessert, and a meaningful gift: Each girl received a beautiful siddur sponsored by the PTA.
A special thank-you goes to the dedicated moros whose hard work and thoughtful planning made the evening so memorable. It was a night filled with meaning, connection, and pride – one the girls and their mothers will surely remember for years to come.
