Celebrating at Gishrei Shalom Jewish Congregation on June 11 were (l to r): Andy Selinger, Bryan Grover, Wendy Harwin-Bates, Beth Rosenblatt, Rabbi Shelly Kovar, Becker,Barbro Liftman, Kevin Andersen, Harriet Linder, Craig Minor, and Gilbert Linder.

Nine adult members of Gishrei Shalom Jewish Congregation in Southington marked the completion of a two-year course of study led by Rabbi Shelly Becker and her husband Marty Becker with a joint bar/bat mitzvah celebration on Saturday, June 11.  Each member of the group was called to the Torah and delivered a d’var Torah. In addition, group member Beth Rosenblatt performed an entitled “The Things That Have Brought Me Here”, co-written by her husband, Ed Rosenblatt.  In honor of the occasion, group member Harriet Linder created a painting depicting the Torah as a tree of life, and Temple president Barbro Liftman created an originally sewn wimple with pictures of the class and their families, as well as bits of yarmulkes and a chupa from the class.