\”I don\’t want a bat mitzvah,\” she told her parents. \”It\’s just for you and your relatives. You don\’t even need me there. So why don\’t you just throw your own party?\”
The event, which was staged by Cafe Europa, a Jewish Family Service program that serves as a social outlet and offers financial assistance and emotional support to Holocaust survivors, allowed those who shared a common experience to also share the joy of Chanukah with one another.
Flags flew at half-staff. People on the street made a stronger-than-usual effort to meet each others\’ eyes, acknowledging the sadness of the day.
B\’nai Tikvah Congregation: 9 a.m. Shabbat service. 5820 Manchester Ave., Westchester. For more information, call (310) 645-6262.
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