Mincha Ma’ariv Service (Hybrid)

Our Mincha Ma’ariv service includes the celebration of the B’Mitzvah of Milena Faigel and Zoe Alfred.

Registration: This event is available in person and via live stream. Registration is not required. Click here to join the live stream at the event start time.

About Milena
Hello Temple Beth Elohim! My name is Milena Faigel and one of my favorite things to do is play softball. It gives me such an incredible rush, and I play with Wayland in the fall and Spring at my school. There are 5 members in my family. I have two younger siblings named Neev and Anaya. Neev is in 6th grade and is 11, and Anaya is in 2nd grade and is 8 years old. We also have a dog named Reese, who recently turned 4 in October. I am an 8th grader at Weston Middle School, and I love all my classes, particularly English. I enjoy writing and reading, so naturally, I enjoy English. Becoming a bat mitzvah has been one of my life’s hardest yet most rewarding experiences. I have been working towards this moment since 6th grade, and it has been extremely rewarding to see how far I have come. I have done most of my community service at Hebrew Senior Life, and it was one of my favorite things to do. I am so excited to see what my future at TBE and in Judaism will hold for me.

About Zoe
Dear TBE Community, I am Zoe Ifea Alfred, and I am a 7th grader at Wellesley Middle School. I love all of my school subjects, but my favorites are math and English (ELA). Math has always been a strength of mine, and I enjoy learning new ways to solve problems. ELA is a favorite because I enjoy making up stories and immersing myself in new books.

In my spare time, I dance, play violin, babysit, or paint. These things help me manage the stress of life in the 7th grade. Dancing has always been a big part of my life. I started dancing as soon as I was able to walk and have progressed from doing only ballet to now learning Latin ballroom, tap, jazz, contemporary, and hip-hop. I am also a musician. I started playing piano when I was two and transitioned to violin 3 years ago when I was 10. I love the violin because of how beautiful and graceful it sounds when I play. Finally, when I am not dancing or playing music, I am usually painting or babysitting since I love playing with younger children and painting trees.

I have four people in my family: my mom, Lina, my dad, Robert, and my eight-year-old sister, Ayla. I also have three pets: my dog Obi and my guinea pigs, Potato and Riley. I am also very lucky to have four grandparents living five minutes away from my home. My family is amazing, and I would never change anything about it.

As a bat mitzvah, I am honored to step into adulthood in the eyes of the Jewish community. For my b’mitzvah service project, I chose to help immigrants settle into their new homes in the Boston area—a cause close to my heart. Together with my mom and a few other volunteers, we worked to collect donations and set up welcoming, comfortable spaces for these families as they began their new lives. It was important to consider their unique needs and safety, like installing outlet covers to protect young children. I also had the chance to spend time with the children, playing games and helping them feel at ease in their new environment. Through this project, I learned how small acts of kindness can create a warm start for those embarking on a fresh chapter, and I am grateful to have played a part in their journey.

Becoming a bat mitzvah was a lot of work, but it was all worth it in the end.