Double Bar Mitzvah in Bal Harbour

This past Shabbos Levi Katz of Bal Harbour, FL, son of Mendy and Rochel Katz, Shluchim of the Aleph Institute, had a Bar Mitzvah celebration that was far from ordinary.

The Aleph institute’s family program, Alex Feels, assists the children of inmates and military personnel, providing financial assistance, Chanukah gifts, school tuition, summer camp, therapy and just about anything else a child could need while their parent is away.

This past Shabbos, a Jewish boy whose mother is a member of the Alex Feels program got the opportunity to have a proper Bar Mitzvah in the Shul of Bal Harbour.

Levi Katz chose to share his Bar Mitzvah with Shawn (Shlomo). Shawn, who turned thirteen this past Shabbos, spent Shabbos in Bal Harbour wearing a beautiful new suit and tie and a smile from ear to ear.

Fourteen months ago, Shawn didn’t even know that he was Jewish, let alone the Aleph Beis. It was a perfect joint Bar Mitzvah. Levi leined the entire Parsha, and Shawn was called up to the Maftir Aliya and read the entire Haftorah for Parshas Vayigash.

Levi was very proud to share his bar mitzvah day with a Jewish boy who may not have had a Bar Mitzvah without him. Each Bar Mitzvah boy gave a speech after davening. Shawn thanked Aleph for teaching him how to be a Jew, and sending him to L’maan Achai Overnight Camp this past summer. Levi spoke about how Shawn had committed to putting on Tefillin every day. Levi used his Bar Mitzvah money to buy Shawn a set of Tefilin, along with a beautiful bag to keep it in. Levi also had the opportunity to teach Shawn how to put on Teffilin.

“Levi and all the other children on the Rebbe’s shlichus do such an amazing job by being an extension of the Shlichus of their parents,” Levi’s proud father told COLlive.