By Janet Arnold, October 2014
While those of us in the Valley and southern Arizona were lamenting the heat and preparing for monsoons, up in the cool climes of Flagstaff a joyous event was taking place. On Aug. 15 Greer Harrison Hanson was celebrating becoming a bat mitzvah through Chabad of Flagstaff. Making the day even more special is the fact that Greer is the first bat mitzvah at the Chabad; they have had six bar mitzvahs. Greer, an eighth-grader at Basis in Flagstaff, studied at the Chabad Hebrew School for five years and also studied privately with Rebbetzin Chaya Shapiro for a year preparing for this special day. Greer said the bat mitzvah was important to her so she could “embrace my Jewish identity.”
There are approximately 500 Jewish households in the Flagstaff area and another 500 Jewish students who attend Northern Arizona University. About 120 families are active in the Chabad, whose official name is Chabad Jewish Community Center of Flagstaff. They offer weekly Hebrew School from September to June and Camp Gan Israel during the summer. Rabbi Dovie and Chaya Shapiro also offer one-on-one bar/bat mitzvah tutoring.
Chabad Jewish Community Center of Flagstaff prides itself on being a vibrant place where every person is welcome regardless of affiliation or style of observance. They believe in promoting and strengthening Jewish identity, pride and awareness by providing a wide range of educational, cultural and social programs. In addition to the Hebrew school and camp, they offer adult education classes, social services, tourist assistance, weekly Shabbat services and Holiday celebrations, as well as many activities at the Rohr Chabad Jewish Student Center at NAU.928-255-5756 | jewishflagstaff.com
– See more at: https://azjewishlife.com/2014/oct/family/first-bat-mitzvah-chabad-flagstaff#sthash.1bR7ws01.dpuf
