It is not unusual to have difficulty expressing the depth of the feelings you experience, as you witness your child fast approaching young adulthood. Allow me to help turn your pride, joy, hopes, prayers and cherished memories into a heartfelt, and sincerely personal bima speech to your Bar or Bat Mitzvah.

Every child is a treasure and amazes us in their own way, and from the moment you came into this world, with your blonde curls and your blue eyes, it seemed like you already had an understanding of everything.

Right away, you were a real presence, and not just because you were absolutely THE BIGGEST BABY WE HAD EVER SEEN! 

Even though you are the son and I am the father, I always look to you with great admiration, Jacob,….not only because you can eat more than 4 grown men, or because you totally rock when you play Smoke on the Water on your electric guitar, or because you, along with your brother David, are on your way to committing every Simpson’s episode ever made to memory. No, I admire you because you are such an exceptional young man.   

You have really taken your Torah portion and made it your own, as you do with everything you set your mind to.  Your Torah portion speaks of Joshua’s direct connection to G-d.  Well, it is my belief that G-d connects directly with all of us if we remain open enough to listen.  And like Joshua, you have a way of listening to your God voice that I hope will continue to guide you to do good deeds and to be an important leader of your people and of your community.  By the time you were 4, you were already leading, with caution and with your head about you, which I also hope will continue.