Noa Fine’s Bat Mitzvah

Hello! My name is Noa Fine, and I am a sixth grader at Brandeis Marin. I began preschool at Beth Sholom and have been part of this community ever since. I am deeply grateful for the strong foundation and sense of belonging that Beth Shalom has given me.

In my free time, I enjoy playing soccer, practicing piano, reading, and tap dancing. I also spend my summers at Ramah Galim—this will be my fourth summer there, and it’s something I look forward to every year.

My parsha is Behar–Behukotai, which concludes the third book of the Torah, Vayikra (Leviticus). This double portion teaches that the land ultimately belongs to God, introducing the concepts of Shemitah (the sabbatical year) and Yovel (the Jubilee year) as ways to promote rest, renewal, and economic justice. They also emphasize the importance of treating others ethically, especially those who are vulnerable. The parsha concludes with blessings for following the covenant and curses for turning away from it. In my d’var Torah, I will focus on the curses—which are longer than the blessings—and explore what meaning we can find in them.

Many people have helped me reach this milestone. I would like to thank Noa Bar for teaching me to leyn, Rabbi Russell for guiding me with my d’var Torah, and my Beth Shalom and Mission Minyan community for supporting me along the way. I am especially grateful to my Aba, Ima, and my brother and sister for always encouraging me and being the best family I could ask for. Finally, I want to thank my Oma and Saba, my grandma, my aunt, cousin, my great-uncle and aunt, and everyone who has traveled from near and far to celebrate this special day with me.