My name’s Ruby Keve. I’m a 13 year old girl, living in London and a member of Belsize Square synagogue.  I wanted my bat mitzvah to feel meaningful and to make sure I wasn’t just going through the motions, learning my parasha and having a big party (though I’m obviously looking forward to that part too!). I felt it was important to spend some time exploring the stories of important people in my own family as well as some of the treasured elderly members of the Belsize Square community. Those generations lived in such a different world to me, I wanted to know where they came from, what they went through and what shaped them as people, and as Jews. I gained so much from the experiences and advice they shared with me, crying in pretty much every one of the six sessions. I know that I will carry their wisdom with me as I move into my teenage years and further explore my own Jewish identity. I asked their permission to share their stories online, perhaps inspiring other kids my age to interview their grandparents and members of their own communities.

I hope you enjoy reading it. Ruby xxx