!"#$%&'($&$)&*+$#*$)&,+-',./&"$01*1-#23$'%$#243$5#*$,"'*,112$31&*+ !"#"$%"&'%()"*'$*+,-./'0'12*)*)3'+/"'3")"&.+*2)4' 9:;<=$>?@A$,##B$,"'%$01*1-#23$,#$&$C"#41$21C$41/14=$'2$&$/&*'1,3$#5 DECEMBER B’NEI MITZVAH –'JOINING THE GENERATIONS $ $%&'($&$)&*+$#*$)&,+-',./&"$01*1-#23$'%$#243$5#*$,"'*,112$31&*+#4(%6$72$8101-)1 ho said a,"baror bat-mitzvah ceremony is only for thirteen E'*%,$#5$&44=$#2$F $8101-)1*=$G&341$H0I#-)1$0#-)'21($&$ =$>?@A$,##B$,"'%$01*1-#23$,#$&$C"#41$21C$41/14=$'2$&$/&*'1,3$#5$C&3%D$ year-olds? In December 2019, TLSE took this ceremony to a whole new level, in a variety of ways. %'J2'5'0&2,$)'*,"(&3$K04L1M$@"1N%$C&%$)#*2$'2$,"1$%&-1$31&*$ ," #5$&44=$#2$F &%$,"1$%"L4$%,&*,1(O$C',"$,"1$#PP#*,L2',3$,#$)1$0&441($LP$,#$ First of$8101-)1*=$G&341$H0I#-)1$0#-)'21($&$ all, on 7th December, Gayle McCombe combined !"#"$%"&'%()"*'$*+,-./'0'12*)*)3'+/"'3")"&.+*2)4' a significant birthday (clue: She was born in the same 5'0&2,$)'*,"(&3$K04L1M$@"1N%$C&%$)#*2$'2$,"1$%&-1$31&*$ ' ,"1$>#*&"$&2($*1&($5*#-$',D$>"1*1$'%=$#5$0#L*%1=$2#$ year as the shul started) with the opportunity to be !"#$%&'($&$)&*+$#*$)&,+-',./&"$01*1-#23$'%$#243$5#*$,"'*,112$31&*+#4(%6$72$8101-)1*$ 1$%"L4$%,&*,1(O$C',"$,"1$#PP#*,L2',3$,#$)1$0&441($LP$,#$ -&Q'-L-$&J1$&,$C"'0"$#21$0&2$0141)*&,1$&$)&*+$#*$)&,+ called up to the Torah and read from it. There is, of 9:;<=$>?@A$,##B$,"'%$01*1-#23$,#$&$C"#41$21C$41/14=$'2$&$/&*'1,3$#5$C&3%D$ #*&"$&2($*1&($5*#-$',D$>"1*1$'%=$#5$0#L*%1=$2#$ course, no maximum age at which one can celebrate a $ -',./&"$01*1-#23R$#243$,"1$-'2'-L-=$C"'0"$'%$,"'*,112$ baror bat-mitzvah ceremony; only the minimum, which -L-$&J1$&,$C"'0"$#21$0&2$0141)*&,1$&$)&*+$#*$)&,+ E'*%,$#5$&44=$#2$F,"$8101-)1*=$G&341$H0I#-)1$0#-)'21($&$ is thirteen years old. 31&*%$#4(D$ %'J2'5'0&2,$)'*,"(&3$K04L1M$@"1N%$C&%$)#*2$'2$,"1$%&-1$31&*$ /&"$01*1-#23R$#243$,"1$-'2'-L-=$C"'0"$'%$,"'*,112$ $&%$,"1$%"L4$%,&*,1(O$C',"$,"1$#PP#*,L2',3$,#$)1$0&441($LP$,#$ %$#4(D$ ,"1$>#*&"$&2($*1&($5*#-$',D$>"1*1$'%=$#5$0#L*%1=$2#$ S$C11B$4&,1*=$',$C&%$,"1$,L*2$#5$T&**'%#2$G#4( -&Q'-L-$&J1$&,$C"'0"$#21$0&2$0141)*&,1$&$)&*+$#*$)&,+ A)&*+-',./&"$01*1-#23$(&,1$&2($*1&('2J$C&%$ week later, it was the turn of Harrison Golding (13) -',./&"$01*1-#23R$#243$,"1$-'2'-L-=$C"'0"$'%$,"'*,112$ S$C11B$4&,1*=$',$C&%$,"1$,L*2$#5$T&**'%#2$G#4('2J$K;UO$C"#%1$ whose bar-mitzvah ceremony date and reading was 31&*%$#4(D$ 0"#%12$)3$"'%$-#,"1*=$V&0"14D$7,$C&%$,"1$1Q&0 very specifically chosen by his mother, Rachel. It was )&*+-',./&"$01*1-#23$(&,1$&2($*1&('2J$C&%$/1*3$%P10'5'0&443$ $ the exact anniversary of her father’s bar-mitzvah S$C11B$4&,1*=$',$C&%$,"1$,L*2$#5$T&**'%#2$G#4('2J$K;UO$C"#%1$ "1*$5&,"1*N%$)&*+-',./&"$01*1-#23$W:$31&*%$1 0"#%12$)3$"'%$-#,"1*=$V&0"14D$7,$C&%$,"1$1Q&0,$&22'/1*%&*3$#5$ ceremony 60 years earlier. Harrison’s grandfather was )&*+-',./&"$01*1-#23$(&,1$&2($*1&('2J$C&%$/1*3$%P10'5'0&443$ inJ*&2(5&,"1*$C&%$'2$%32&J#JL1$,"&,$(&3=$"1$,# synagogue that day, he took part in the service and "1*$5&,"1*N%$)&*+-',./&"$01*1-#23$W:$31&*%$1&*4'1*D$T&**'%#2N%$ 0"#%12$)3$"'%$-#,"1*=$V&0"14D$7,$C&%$,"1$1Q&0,$&22'/1*%&*3$#5$ Harrison read the exact same portion that had been J*&2(5&,"1*$C&%$'2$%32&J#JL1$,"&,$(&3=$"1$,##B$P&*,$'2$,"1$ "1*$5&,"1*N%$)&*+-',./&"$01*1-#23$W:$31&*%$1&*4'1*D$T&**'%#2N%$ %1*/'01$&2($T&**'%#2$*1&($,"1$1Q&0,$%&-1$P#* read on that Shabbat 60 years ago! J*&2(5&,"1*$C&%$'2$%32&J#JL1$,"&,$(&3=$"1$,##B$P&*,$'2$,"1$ %1*/'01$&2($T&**'%#2$*1&($,"1$1Q&0,$%&-1$P#*,'#2$,"&,$"&($ )112$*1&($#2$,"&,$@"&))&,$W:$31&*%$&J#X$ %1*/'01$&2($T&**'%#2$*1&($,"1$1Q&0,$%&-1$P#*,'#2$,"&,$"&($ )112$*1&($#2$,"&,$@"&))&,$W:$31&*%$&J#X$ )112$*1&($#2$,"&,$@"&))&,$W:$31&*%$&J#X$ $ And a week after that, on December 21st, Rabbi %, $ S2($&$C11B$&5,1*$,"&,=$#2$8101-)1*$9; Alan Mann read from the Torah the portion that =$V&))'$S4&2$H&22$ %,%,=$V&))'$S4&2$H&22$ S2($&$C11B$&5,1*$,"&,=$#2$8101-)1*$9; =$V&))'$S4&2$H&22$ &$C11B$&5,1*$,"&,=$#2$8101-)1*$9; had been read by his father exactly 100 years *1&($5*#-$,"1$>#*&"$,"1$P#*,'#2$,"&,$"&($)112$*1&($)3$"'%$ *1&($5*#-$,"1$>#*&"$,"1$P#*,'#2$,"&,$"&($)112$*1&($)3$"'%$ 5*#-$,"1$>#*&"$,"1$P#*,'#2$,"&,$"&($)112$*1&($)3$"'%$ earlier. He then told us how he and his brother 5&,"1*$1Q&0,43$;::$31&*%$1&*4'1*D$T1$,"12$,#4($L%$"#C$"1$&2($ 5&,"1*$1Q&0,43$;::$31&*%$1&*4'1*D$T1$,"12$,#4($L%$"#C$"1$&2($ Peter had, a year previously, finally opened a box of "'%$)*#,"1*$Y1,1*$"&(=$&$31&*$P*1/'#L%43=$5'2&443$#P121($&$)#Q$ 1*$1Q&0,43$;::$31&*%$1&*4'1*D$T1$,"12$,#4($L%$"#C$"1$&2($ documents found in their late mother’s home, #5$(#0L-12,%$5#L2($'2$,"1'*$4&,1$-#,"1*N%$"#-1=$C"'0"$"&($ "'%$)*#,"1*$Y1,1*$"&(=$&$31&*$P*1/'#L%43=$5'2&443$#P121($&$)#Q$ *#,"1*$Y1,1*$"&(=$&$31&*$P*1/'#L%43=$5'2&443$#P121($&$)#Q$ which had sat untouched for many years. Among %&,$L2,#L0"1($5#*$-&23$31&*%D$S-#2J$#,"1*$P&P1*%=$',$ other papers, it contained a beautifully designed #5$(#0L-12,%$5#L2($'2$,"1'*$4&,1$-#,"1*N%$"#-1=$C"'0"$"&($ #0L-12,%$5#L2($'2$,"1'*$4&,1$-#,"1*N%$"#-1=$C"'0"$"&($ 0#2,&'21($&$)1&L,'5L443$(1%'J21($)&*+-',./&"$01*,'5'0&,1=$ bar-mitzvah certificate, which the Mann boys have C"'0"$,"1$H&22$)#3%$"&/1$2#C$"&($5*&-1(D$7,$"&($)112$ %&,$L2,#L0"1($5#*$-&23$31&*%D$S-#2J$#,"1*$P&P1*%=$',$ 2,#L0"1($5#*$-&23$31&*%D$S-#2J$#,"1*$P&P1*%=$',$ now had framed. It had been presented to their P*1%12,1($,#$,"1'*$5&,"1*$&5,1*$"'%$)&*+-',./&"$01*1-#23$'2$ father after his bar-mitzvah ceremony in December &'21($&$)1&L,'5L443$(1%'J21($)&*+-',./&"$01*,'5'0&,1=$ 0#2,&'21($&$)1&L,'5L443$(1%'J21($)&*+-',./&"$01*,'5'0&,1=$ 8101-)1*$;<9:D$S4&2$*14&31($%1/1*&4$&210(#,1%$&)#L,$"'%$ 1920. Alan relayed several anecdotes about his "$,"1$H&22$)#3%$"&/1$2#C$"&($5*&-1(D$7,$"&($)112$ 5&,"1*=$'204L('2J$,"1$5&0,$,"&,$C"12$;U$31&*+#4($S4&2$"&($ C"'0"$,"1$H&22$)#3%$"&/1$2#C$"&($5*&-1(D$7,$"&($)112$ father, including the fact that when 13 year-old 0#-P4&'21($&)#L,$"&/'2J$,#$C1&*$"'%$%0"##4$0&P$5#*$"'%$#C2$ Alan had complained about having to wear his 12,1($,#$,"1'*$5&,"1*$&5,1*$"'%$)&*+-',./&"$01*1-#23$'2$ P*1%12,1($,#$,"1'*$5&,"1*$&5,1*$"'%$)&*+-',./&"$01*1-#23$'2$ )&*+-',./&"$01*1-#23=$"'%$5&,"1*$"&($,#4($"'-$"#C$ school cap for his own bar-mitzvah ceremony, his -)1*$;<9:D$S4&2$*14&31($%1/1*&4$&210(#,1%$&)#L,$"'%$ 5#*,L2&,1$3#L2J$S4&2$C&%$)10&L%1$"1=$S4&2N%$5&,"1*=$"&($ father had told him how fortunate young Alan was 8101-)1*$;<9:D$S4&2$*14&31($%1/1*&4$&210(#,1%$&)#L,$"'%$ ," because he, Alan’s father, had been obliged to wear )112$#)4'J1($,#$C1&*$&$,#P$"&,$#2$9: $8101-)1*$;<;ZM$ )&*+-',./&"$01*1-#23=$"'%$5&,"1*$"&($,#4($"'-$"#C$ $ 2&,1$3#L2J$S4&2$C&%$)10&L%1$"1=$S4&2N%$5&,"1*=$"&($ >"1$5&-'43$#5$\&*)&*&$\&*2&,&2=$C"#$P&%%1($&C&3$'2$[#/1-)1*=$ 5#*,L2&,1$3#L2J$S4&2$C&%$)10&L%1$"1=$S4&2N%$5&,"1*=$"&($ ," $8101-)1*$;<;