Bar Mitzvah Magazine 2014

More Risk = More Reward: Friendship
Comment on the lessons
you learn from the stories at
By: Barbara Schwartzbard
Yeshivah of Flatbush
It was the summer going into 10th grade
and I couldn’t decide what I wanted to
do for the summer. Most of my friends
were going to the same camp that I have
been going to for many years. However,
one of my friends was going to Israel
for the summer to a sleep away camp.
She asked me if I wanted to join her
and I said no. I wanted to be in a camp
that I was comfortable in, that I knew.
When we all came back to school this
fall, she told me all about her summer.
This is when I realized I should’ve gone
with her to Israel this summer. Because
I didn’t take a risk, I missed out on an
amazing summer and a chance to see
new things and meet new people. This
experience shows me to take risks and
be courageous. The comfortable choice
isn’t always the best choice.
TorahContest.com
One man with
courage makes
a majority.
By: Evelyn Tawil
Yeshivah of Flatbush
Everyone wants acceptance. When you
are afraid, you lose opportunities you
would be able to take if you weren’t
afraid. When you take a look at teens,
you can pinpoint at least one fear - fear
of not being accepted. Nobody wants to
be rejected, alone, or not included. You
could be very talkative to one of your
close friends but, when presented in
front of someone foreign, you sometimes
get shy. Why does this happen? Why do
you suddenly bottle up and close the
doors to people you haven’t even met?
The reason for this is uncertainty. That
feeling of not knowing how you should
act. You have to face your fears head
on so you don’t lose the opportunity to
make new friends while simultaneously
remaining true to yourself. Only then will
you be truly happy with yourself and remove
yourself from the burden of fear.
By: Florence D.
Yeshivah of Flatbush
In life, there will be many challenges
thrown at us. But, it is our job to overcome
them. Last year, a friend of mine
hurt my feelings and did something unforgivable.
This was a very hard obstacle for
me to overcome. I am sure that most girls
fight with their friends and then bounce
back days later. But, this was different.
We didn’t speak for weeks and acted like
strangers. We both acted like we never
even knew each other. Finally, I decided
I had enough. I confronted my friend and
showed her my perspective. She understood
why I was upset and apologized. I
know this doesn’t seem like such a large
obstacle, but at the time it was my only
obstacle. My friend and I are now closer
than ever. It is very important to bounce
back. Even if we fail or are faced with a
challenge, we should try our hardest to
succeed and overcome it.
By: Sara Shtaynberger
Yeshivah of Flatbush
The trick in life is to be confident and not
scared of taking risks. If you see a new student
in your class, don’t just ignore her.
Walk up to her and introduce yourself.
You never know; that new student might
just be your new best friend.
By: Vicky Levy
Yeshivah of Flatbush
This past summer, I went to a new camp
and I didn’t know anyone there except
for one friend. We wanted to meet people
and develop new friendships but I
was afraid to approach people. When I
finally did, I made one of my best friends
today. If I wouldn’t have built up the
courage to talk to new people, I wouldn’t
have the friends I made. It’s very important
to overcome your fear and to take
risks because you might miss out on future
experiences.
80 Bar/Bat Mitzvah Magazine 718-909-6060 View magazine online at BMmagazine.com