• Readers’ Choice 2025
  • FREE NEWSLETTERS
  • DONATE
  • News
    • Bay Area
    • U.S.
    • Israel
    • World
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Books
    • Ideas
    • Music
    • On Stage
    • TV & Film
  • Opinion
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Letters
  • Jewish Life
    • Lifecycles
    • Obituaries
    • Food
    • Religion
    • Education
    • Kids & Family
    • Seniors
    • Philanthropy
  • Calendar
  • Archives
  • Subscribe | Renew
  • Jewish Resource Guide
  • Facebook Page
  • Instagram

Landing Top

Skip to content
Donate

J.

The Jewish News of Northern California

Donate

J.

The Jewish News of Northern California

  • Readers’ Choice 2025
  • FREE NEWSLETTERS
  • DONATE
  • Facebook Page
  • Instagram
  • News
    • Bay Area
    • U.S.
    • Israel
    • World
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Books
    • Ideas
    • Music
    • On Stage
    • TV & Film
  • Opinion
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Letters
  • Jewish Life
    • Lifecycles
    • Obituaries
    • Food
    • Religion
    • Education
    • Kids & Family
    • Seniors
    • Philanthropy
  • Calendar
  • Archives
  • Subscribe | Renew
  • Jewish Resource Guide

bat mitzvah

Judy Stein and family stand before the ark in 1957, with Rabbi Saul E. White. (Courtesy)
Posted inFrom the Archives

A 1957 bat mitzvah made San Francisco history — after a key compromise

David A.M. Wilensky
(Photo/Aaron Levy-Wolins)
J. The Jewish News of Northern California Staff Headshots. by David A.M. Wilensky March 23, 2026March 23, 2026

Judy Stein’s 1957 bat mitzvah was a milestone in the history of Bay Area Jews. Held at Beth Sholom, a Conservative congregation, it was the first time a bat mitzvah […]

(From left) Adam Sandler, Sarah Sherman and Dan Bulla with director Sammi Cohen on the set of “You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah.” (Photo/Scott Yamano-Netflix)
Posted inFilm, TV & Film

‘You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah’ director wants to normalize queer Jewish experiences

PJ Grisar by PJ Grisar August 23, 2023August 24, 2023
a generic image of a girl reading from the Torah
Posted inLocal Voice

How my community is trying to fix a broken b’mitzvah system

Zvika Krieger by Zvika Krieger June 22, 2023June 23, 2023
(Photo/Flickr-María Helena Carey CC BY-ND 2.0)
Posted inThe Matzo Chronicles

Long Island history gone awry: the story of my not-mitzvah

Karen Galatz by Karen Galatz August 10, 2022August 9, 2022
Lucia da Silva (center) prays with Women of the Wall during her bat mitzvah ceremony at the Western Wall. (Photo/Forward-Tal Kfir Schurr)
Posted inYouth Voice

I went to Israel for my bat mitzvah at the Western Wall — but an angry ultra-Orthodox mob tried to stop it

by Lucia da Silva and Forward August 4, 2022
Sonia Apfelblum, a Holocaust survivor, became a bat mitzvah at Peninsula Temple Beth El in San Mateo on May 12, 2022. (Photo/Miri Ekshtein)
Posted inBay Area

Two Holocaust survivors celebrate long-delayed b’nai mitzvah in San Mateo

by Dan Pine June 21, 2022June 23, 2022
Cooper Raiff as a bar/bat mitzvah "motivational dancer" in “Cha Cha Real Smooth.” (Photo/JTA-Courtesy of Apple)
Posted inCulture

Is ‘Cha Cha Real Smooth’ the first good bar/bat mitzvah movie?

by Andrew Lapin and JTA June 17, 2022June 17, 2022
Sandra Razieli officiated Teva Goldstein's bat mitzvah in Maui, Dec. 2021. (Photo/JTA-Anna Kim Photography)
Posted inTravel

Mazel tov in Maui, courtesy of former East Bay tutor  

Alix Wall by Alix Wall and JTA June 8, 2022June 8, 2022
Hands holding an AIPAC flyer with an image of Donald Trump on it
Posted inLetters

AIPAC goes too far; Bat mitzvah memories; Dangers of the French right; etc.

by J. Readers April 18, 2022
A 1949 announcement in this paper about Bat (or Bas) mitzvah classes
Posted inFrom the Archives

San Francisco’s first bat mitzvah in 1947 paved the way for others

Maya Mirsky
(Aaron Levy-Wolins/J. Staff) by Maya Mirsky March 29, 2022

Posts pagination

1 2 3 4 Older posts

Get J.'s latest headlines sent to your inbox:

MOST POPULAR

Organ donation: One heroic decision can save a life
Berkeley’s Beth Israel celebrates two decades of rabbi’s leadership
San Francisco Jewish Film Festival’s 2026 lineup: 65 films and an award for Rachel Bloom
5 synagogues step up to the plate in BATS — the Bay Area Torah Softball league
Cultural boycotts of Israel just reached peak absurdity
  • Facebook Page
  • Instagram

About

  • Mission
  • People
  • Policies
  • Financials
  • Careers

Ways to Give

  • Donate
  • Legacy giving
  • Donors

J. IN PRINT

  • Subscribe or renew
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Change of address
  • Archives

Connect

  • Free Newsletters
  • Jewish Resource Guide
  • Readers’ Choice Awards
  • Advertise

Submissions

  • Contact
  • News Tips
  • Calendar Events
  • Obituaries
  • Lifecyle Events
  • Letters to the Editor
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, see here: Privacy & Cookie Policy
  • © 2026 J.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
Powered by Newspack