Southern Simchas, Part II
A 1967 Bat Mitzvah
By Lyssa Kligman Harvey, Marcie Stern Baker, and Bonnie Rosen Nurick
The Bat Mitzvah class of Beth Shalom Synagogue, Marion St. Columbia, SC, June 1967. Image courtesy of Marcie Stern Baker.
History of a Bat Mitzvah
By Lyssa Kligman Harvey
The Bat Mitzvah Party of Eden Harvey Hendrick, Gregg Park Club House, Columbia, SC, May 1992. Image courtesy of Lyssa Kligman Harvey.
My 12 year old granddaughter, Hannah Hendrick is the third generation to have her Bat Mitzvah at Beth Shalom Synagogue in March 2025. Following the footsteps of her mother, my daughter, Eden Harvey Hendrick had her Bat Mitzvah in May 1992. Eden did the service on Saturday morning by herself and recited many of the prayers in Hebrew and read from the Torah. She has a big celebration later that night with an Atlanta Braves theme! I also had my Bat Mitzvah at Beth Shalom in 1967, at that time the synagogue was located on Marion Street. I shared my Bat Mitzvah with a group of 10 girls that I grew up with and still stay in touch with most of them. Over the years the Bat Mitzvah ceremony and celebration have certainly changed.
Bat mitzvah literally means "daughter of commandment." The word bat translates to "daughter" in Aramaic, The word mitzvah is Hebrew for "commandment."
The Bat Mitzvah is a Jewish coming-of-age ceremony for girls. It’s a rite of passage that signifies a girl’s transition into religious adulthood. Typically, it is celebrated when a girl turns 12. The ceremony involves the girl reading a portion of the Torah, (the scrolls containing the teaching of the Old Testament) for the first time. This reading is a significant part of the ceremony, demonstrating the girl’s understanding of her faith.
The ceremony is not just a religious event. It’s also a celebration involving family, friends, and the Jewish community. It’s a spiritual time of joy, reflection, and gratitude.
Three Generations, Lyssa Kligman Harvey, Eden Harvey Hendrick and Hannah Robbins Hendrick, who have been and will be Bat Mitzvahed at Beth Shalom Columbia, SC. November 2018. Image courtesy of Lyssa Kligman Harvey.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many Jewish communities began marking when a girl became a bat mitzvah with a special ceremony. This was a break from traditional Jewish custom, which prohibited women from participating directly in religious services. Using the bar mitzvah the religious ceremony when a boy turns 13 as a model, Jewish communities began to experiment with developing a similar ceremony for girls.
Today in Columbia’s Reform and Conservative synagogues the bat mitzvah ceremony has become almost identical to the bar mitzvah ceremony for boys. Girls will study with a Rabbi, Cantor, and religious school teachers for several months, and sometimes years. Since the involvement of women in formal religious ceremonies is still prohibited in many Orthodox Jewish communities, the bat mitzvah ceremony does not generally exist in the same format.
There is a tradition following the religious bat mitzvah ceremony with a celebration of food, music and dancing. Over the years, the Bat Mitzvah party has evolved. While it retains its traditional elements, contemporary trends have been incorporated including themed parties and personalized touches that reflect the girl’s interests.
The core significance of the Bat Mitzvah remains as a major Jewish life cycle. It’s a celebration of Jewish identity, values, and the transition to adulthood. It’s a testament to the enduring relevance of this ceremony in Jewish culture.
The Bat Mitzvah Party of Eden Harvey Hendrick, Gregg Park Club House, Columbia, SC, May 1992. Image courtesy of Lyssa Kligman Harvey.
Memories of my 1967 Bat Mitzvah
By Marcie Stern Baker
I was born and raised in Columbia, SC, as a member of Beth Shalom conservative synagogue. I hit bat mitzvah age in the late 1960s; to set the scene, think of it as the time between June Cleaver and bra burning. We studied at the Sunday school building on Trenholm Road that was next to the old Jewish Community Center. Our Bat Mitzvah service was held at the Marion Street synagogue. Unfortunately, the historic synagogue was torn down when the property was sold in the 1970’s.
Bat Mitzvah Matches, Columbia, SC, 1967. Image courtesy of Bonnie Rosen Nurick.
In preparation for my ceremony, I went to Hebrew school twice a week and on Sundays in a class of both boys and girls. We were a pretty wild bunch of 12- and 13-year-olds. I distinctly remember going through several Hebrew teachers, none of whom were terribly successful in controlling the class. For example, there was Mr. Katz who was with us for a short amount of time (bless his heart). But Cantor Murray Neiman stands out the most in my mind. He served as our rabbi and our teacher for a time, and while he was loud and boisterous — which made him not everyone’s cup of team — the kids loved him. I’m sure they taught us Hebrew, but I’m ashamed to admit that I retained very little of it.
At the time, girls didn’t have individual Bat Mitzvah ceremonies like the boys. We shared our special day with all 10 girls in our class. We all wore white matching robes. The entire ceremony was mostly in English, but the rest of the details are hazy. We did have a reception after the services downstairs in the social hall. There were mostly desserts that were homemade cookies and cakes by our Mothers. I didn’t remember that we had a party, but we did! We had a big party at the Jewish Community Center with a live band! But what I do remember is the spend- the- night -party with just the Bat Mitzvah girls at the Lake Murray home of Bonnie Rosen Nurick and Lyssa Kligman Harvey!
I do remember from that time was the closeness of all of the kids in our class. We were together every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday, and we shared the laughter and the grind of class…and the mischief. Most importantly, even after all of these years, I feel a closeness and stay in touch with some of the women who shared the bimah /pulpit with me that day. That is the best and most meaningful thing I got from those years.
For what it’s worth, while I can’t necessarily remember what I ate for breakfast today, I do remember my part in the B’nai Mitzvah, and I will share with you: “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.”
Bat Mitzvah Program and Party Invite, Columbia, SC, 1967. Images courtesy of Bonnie Rosen Nurick.
Thank you to Bonnie Rosen Nurick for her deep dive finding photos of the Bat Mitzvah invitation, program, Bat Mitzvah matches and to Marcie Stern Baker for the Bat Mitzvah group photo. Also, thank you for the contribution of the recipes by the mothers of the authors.
MyJewishLearning.com was the referral source for the history of the Bat Mitzvah.
Helene Kligman’s Lemon Squares
Lyssa’s mother Helene baked these iconic Southern dessert bars for many synagogue receptions and simchas. She always served them in pretty pastel colored paper cups.
Bottom Layer
1 cup butter
2 cups of all- purpose flour
½ cup confectioners’ sugar sifted
Top Layer
4 eggs slightly beaten
2 cups of granulated sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
4 tablespoons of flour
½ teaspoon of baking powder
Mix together ingredients cutting in the butter until the mixture is sticky. Press into the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Bake for 15 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven.
Combine ingredients for the top layer and pour over the baked bottom layer. Bake for 25 minutes until lightly browned. While warm, sprinkle the top with confectioner’s sugar. Cut into bars and place in paper cookie cups to serve.
Freezes well. Makes 30 bars.
Mrs. Stern’s Quick Coffee Cake
Marcie’s mother Sarah made this tasty sheet cake that is easy to cut and serve for synagogue receptions.
½ pound of butter
½ cup of sugar
1 egg
¼ cup of milk
½ teaspoon of vanilla or lemon juice
1 cup of flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
Pinch of salt
Pinch of Soda
2 cups of apples- peeled and thinly sliced
½ cup of sugar
2 teaspoons of Cinnamon
Cream the butter, sugar, add the egg, milk and vanilla or lemon juice..(not both). In another bowl sift flour, baking powder, salt and soda together. Mix together. Mix together the cinnamon and sugar for the topping and set aside. Pour into a 9 x 16 buttered and floured pyrex.. Arrange apples on top of cake mixture. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
Makes about 20 servings of cake.
Rose Rosen’s Fudge
This 1959 recipe from Bonnie’s mother is a classic southern recipe seen on Simcha tables.
4 ½ cup of sugar
½ pound of butter
1 large can of condensed milk
10 oz. bag of miniature marshmallows
3-6 ounces of chocolate chips
1 teaspoon of vanilla
In a sauce pan on the medium high heat bring sugar, butter and milk to a boil stirring constantly. Turn down heat to low and stir in marshmallows, chocolate chips and vanilla. Pour into a 12 x 12 pan lined with parchment paper. Cool and slice.
Makes 20 pieces of fudge.