Lauren Mannheim’s history with Wise started in her earliest years as an Early Childhood student. Throughout her life she has been connected to Wise in deeply meaningful ways – ultimately celebrating three separate simchas in three separate spaces on our campus! We asked Lauren to take us down memory lane and she created this wonderful photo essay, sharing her earliest Wise memories at preschool, her Bat Mitzvah experience, her wedding, and wonderful photos from this year when her son Jonah became Bar Mitzvah.
Thank you, Lauren, for this awesome look back at three generations of Wise membership!
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My Stephen Wise Temple foundation began in nursery school:
My Bat Mitzvah
I was beyond nervous to speak and sing in front of my friends and family!
Wedding
Marrying my partner in crime, Michael, at my childhood temple was like coming home.
My Son Jonah’s Bar Mitzvah
In 2015 we attended Wise’s High Holy Days Services at the Skirball Culture Center with my dad during his visit to Los Angeles. We like to think it was besheret: “Grandpa” brought us back home and we rejoined Stephen Wise Temple. Sadly, my dad passed away in October 2015. I know he watched and listened with great pride as his grandson Jonah became Bar Mitzvah wearing his tallit. Jonah’s gift of singing, public speaking, and the arts were beautifully honored and celebrated with Rabbi David Woznica’s and Cantor Nathan Lam’s support.
Editor’s Note: The art you see in the backgrounds of these photos was created by Jonah.
