By Steven R. Weisman
13 members of the Adult B’nai Torah class of 2026 were called to the Torah on June 13.
For more than 20 years, Temple Micah has invited its adult members to participate in a two-year program of Hebrew and Torah study to deepen their connection to our Jewish community while contributing to the rich heritage of Jewish past, present, and future.
The newest Adult B’nai Torah graduating class of 13 adults was called to the Torah on June 13, bringing their extraordinary study and commitment to the bimah. Their teachers were Rabbi Stephanie Crawley in the first year and Rabbi Dr. Kari Tuling in the second. They learned Hebrew both years from Miriam Grogan with the assistance of Lior Mackie and Geri Nielsen.
The Vine asked these adult learners how they felt about the challenges and rewards of trying to follow in the footsteps of countless generations. Many were Jews by choice who wanted to strengthen their commitment and honor the commitment of their children in religious school. Still others were inspired by other family members or expressed regret over not studying Hebrew while young.
“I’m not going to have my son prepare for bar mitzvah if I‘m not willing to do it myself,” writes Kate Stewart-Gerry, who adds that she came to Judaism from the Catholic church and that “the ability to perform liturgy as a woman, with or without ordination, is a big deal for me.” Jen Hellman converted to Judaism years ago, having gone to divinity school, where she learned Hebrew. “After watching my children complete their b’nai mitzvah, I was inspired to take my own studies further,” she writes.
“I think I always wished I had learned all of this when I was young,” writes Selena Simmons-Duffin, who wanted to be better able to create a Jewish home for her family. “It’s been deeply humbling to be a beginner out loud as a grownup, and to just try and keep trying until you kind of know what you’re doing. What a beautiful, sacred process.”
Many agreed that learning and especially chanting Hebrew as an adult was a major challenge. “I don’t read music and am fairly tone deaf!” writes Janet Wolf Bowen. Margaret Romig put it this way: “Trope scares the living daylights out of me. I don’t have a musical brain!” She praised Miriam Grogan as an “unflappable teacher” and drew advice from Sawyer Levin, who had recently become bar mitzvah at Temple Micah. “Sawyer told me it’s important to remember that the sanctuary will be packed with people who are so excited to be there for you on your special day.”
For many, the biggest reward of study was deepening their friendships with fellow learners and strengthening their attachment to the Temple Micah community. “The biggest takeaway has been the relationships formed within the class,” writes Lev Mackie. Seth Miller Gabriel said he decided to study after going through the process of his daughter’s bat mitzvah, and gained “a deeper understanding of the shared community experience.” Studying with others was as rewarding as the study itself, he said, adding: “That community very much includes our amazing teachers.”
This article originally appeared in the June/July/August 2026 issue of the Vine.