On May 10, 2025, a meaningful milestone took center stage at The Arbor at Lake Worth, a senior living community in Palm Beach County. Nine Jewish women—residents ranging in age from 82 to 94—celebrated their long-awaited bat mitzvahs in a moving ceremony attended by more than 200 family members, friends, and staff.
For many of these women, growing up in an earlier era meant they were never given the chance to participate in this coming-of-age tradition. But with guidance from Rabbi Stephanie Shore and support from Engagement Director Samantha Clark, that changed. Over the course of three months, the women studied Hebrew prayers, learned from online materials, and shared their stories of faith and perseverance.
Each woman read from a 120-year-old Torah scroll, wrote a personal speech, and participated in cherished Jewish traditions like wearing a tallit and receiving a hamsa hand necklace. The event was so meaningful that additional guests tuned in via livestream after the on-site celebration reached capacity.
Beyond the ceremony, the bat mitzvah brought together residents of many faiths, creating a sense of unity and shared joy within our Lake Worth assisted living and memory care community.
“To do it in front of our kids, it was amazing,” shared 92-year-old resident Helene Feldstein.
“People can’t believe what we did.”
Read the full story in the Sun Sentinel: Decades later, 9 women fulfill a missed Jewish milestone: their bat mitzvah