Jeffrey Newmark

Jeffrey Newmark, son of Richard and Lizz Newmark of Newbury Park, was called to the Torah as a bar mitzvah May 31 at Temple Etz Chaim in Thousand Oaks. Rabbi Richard Spiegel and Cantor Pablo Duek officiated. Jeffrey also participated in the Friday-night service. Jeffrey will be an eighth-grader at Sycamore Canyon Middle School. He has attended Temple Etz Chaim since first grade. He enjoys surfing, snowboarding, sledding and slope style (terrain park jumps and rails). He likes to play football and lacrosse with his friends. He is a first-class scout in Boy Scout Troop 754 and hopes to become an Eagle Scout someday. He also hopes to make the Newbury Park High School football team and would like to attend college at either USC or Stanford.

Jeffrey would like to thank his tutor, Ed Jotkowitz. He also thanks Joyce Bronstein, Rabbi Spiegel, and Hazzan Pablo, for teaching him all he's ever needed to know about Judaism. He also thanks his parents for giving love and support.

Brittany Leonard

Brittany Leonard, daughter of Jeffrey and Risa Leonard, was called to the Torah as a bat mitzvah on June 28 at Temple Beth Haverim in Agoura Hills. Brittany's Torah portion was Korah. Services were officiated by Rabbi Gershon Weissman and Cantor Kenny Ellis.

Joshua Halem

Joshua Halem, son of Elliott and Jodi Halem, was called to the Torah as a bar mitzvah on June 28 at Temple Beth Haverim in Agoura Hills. Joshua's Torah portion was Hukkat.

Services were officiated by Rabbi Gershon Weissman and Cantor Kenny Ellis.

Adult ceremony held

Nineteen adults were called to the Torah in June as bar and bat mitzvahs at Temple Adat Elohim in Thousand Oaks. These adults have studied advanced topics in Judaism, learned Hebrew letters and prayers and learned to chant Torah and Haftarah over the past two years. This period of study culminated in their leading the Friday night and Saturday morning services and reading from the Torah.

Those called to the Torah: Marcia Benjamin, Sandi Black, Diane Darling, Miriam Goodman, Evelyn Green, Cory Jakl, Churee Josephson, Matt Kallinger, Leah Kaplan, Anne Katz, Jodi Matro, Stacy Sanett, Cindy Scott, Gregg Southard, Lisa Statner, Aurora Trogman, Christina Weinberg, Marna Wensil and Carol Zelden.

The class was taught by Rabbi Ted Riter, Rabbi Rebecca Dubowe, Cantor David Shukiar and Lisa Bock.