Jewish girls across the world are joining Bat Mitzvah clubs. There are over 500 clubs in more than 30 countries! The girls receive journals and club kits as they prepare to embark on a year’s worth of cooking, art projects, volunteer projects and learning together. Each child also gets an apron to use when they are elbow-deep in crafting and cooking.

The groups meet on Sundays, twice a month, to discuss what it means to officially be approaching womanhood. They also talk through the practical aspects of preteen and teenage development, and seek to give the girls the confidence to make sound choices and do the right thing even when it’s not always comfortable or popular to do so. The girls also participate in mitzvah projects based on their interests, such as volunteering to pack food at a local pantry, sending care packages to Israeli soldiers and other ideas they offer.

For more information and to find a club near you, go to: www.batmitzvahclub.com.