Today is your Bar Mitzvah
My handsome, precious son.
Your lifelong Jewish journey
Has only just begun.
While the legacy of our ancestors
Conquered adversity and strife,
As a son of the Commandments,
Walk a holy path through life.
For you are a kind and gentle leader
Like many of your forefathers in the past.
As an adult in the Jewish community,
Give back something that will last.
While Tikkun Olam, to repair the world
Is a responsibility we all share,
Challenge yourself to do good deeds
Just to show how much you care.
Success in life is not measured
By what you end up with for yourself,
Rather through acts of Mitzvahs and Tzedakah
Do you create a spiritual wealth.
As you search for life’s true meaning
Use Jewish values as your guide,
Treat everyone with care and respect
To find where peace and love reside.
If you forget your Jewish values
And harbor thoughts of self and greed,
Your life will be like an empty Mezuzah,
A hollow shell without a spiritual seed.
When you live a just and righteous life
Learning becomes a lifetime goal,
Through Torah and Jewish studies
You reveal the essence of your soul.
From the moment of your first breath
I’ve dreamt of sharing this special day.
Your whole life has been a blessing
I thank God each time I pray.
Feel the love we share today
As my heart bursts with gratitude and pride,
No greater gift in life could you have given me, son,
Than to have you, my hero, at my side.
I love you!
March 11, 2000
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