Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.
Today, Minnie Marvit was to do what any Jewish girl or boy does as a rite of passage to adulthood. She would stand before Congregation Sof Ma'Arav, read from the Torah in Hebrew, then give a speech about its content to demonstrate she is mature enough to join the adults. Better late
than never: A
bat mitzvah at 92Mary Adamski
Star-BulletinMarvit, 92, is 79 years beyond the usual age for a bat mitzvah or, for boys, bar mitzvah. "It's something I've wanted to do for a long time," she said "When I was a child, it wasn't available for girls. I was proud for the females who were able to do it."
It is actually a time of transition for the widow who moved to Hawaii this year and was freed from a commitment that kept her from pursuing her desire. She has long been the pianist with a choral group in her previous home, North Miami, Fla.
"Here, I have plenty of time. I wanted to do something worthwhile," she said.
Ken Aronowitz, who tutored Marvit in Hebrew for several months, said that even for an adult familiar with the difficult language, the Torah reading is a challenge because the Scripture scroll is written without vowels.
Unlike the usual adolescent jitters about her religious debut, Marvit was calm as she prepared to talk about sibling rivalry as reflected in the Torah reading about Joseph, who was sold by his brothers and rose to a prominent position in the Egyptian Pharaoh's court.
After youngsters complete this step, they are recognized in the Jewish congregation as an adult, responsible to observe the fast on the Yom Kippur holy day and counted as one of the 10 adults required to constitute a minyan, or quorum, for a public prayer service.
Marvit said it will enhance her participation in Sof Ma'Arav, a Conservative Jewish congregation which meets at 2500 Pali Highway. "I will be able to be called up to give a blessing."
Bat mitzvah is always grounds for a family celebration. Marvit's son, Elliot, arrived from San Francisco with two of her grandchildren to join her other son, Robert, and family of Honolulu in applauding the late bloomer.