A Friendship Born at Or Ami

Then: Brooke Dunoff (left) and Emily Weiner. In the background is Tyler Goodman, also a member of Or Ami, who will become bar mitzvah on June 14. And now: Emily (left) and Brooke

By Lauren Dunoff
Or Ami is a place to celebrate milestones: baby namings, bar and bat mitzvahs, marriages and anniversaries. We are so excited to have a milestone this June, as our daughter, Brooke, becomes a bat mitzvah. Making the day even more special, we get to share the occasion with wonderful friends, the Weiner family, as Brooke and Emily become b’nei mitzvah together on June 21st.
Brooke and I met Emily and her mom, Jenn, when the girls were just three weeks old. It was right here at Or Ami, in Libby Kaiser’s baby-and-me class. We found out that the girls had been born just a day apart. This began a friendship that continued in play dates, camp and nursery school (here at Or Ami). Even though the girls went to different elementary schools, they stayed
connected at religious school. Our families also grew as friends with evenings out and trips to the shore.
The girls have united again at middle school, and they even go to summer camp together. They have so many personal jokes, stories, and memories that hearing them talk is sometimes like listening to another language. They share many friends, but each also has her own interests and individual friendships with others. Brooke and Emily are sweet, funny girls, who are involved with their community. Emily helps organize school events like 4 on 4 for ALS, and Brooke volunteers in the Gan class and at synagogue events. They make both families so proud.
When it came time to choose a date for the girls’ bat mitzvah service, it seemed a very natural thing for the girls to be on the bimah together on their special day. Neither girl hesitated to say “yes” to the idea of a shared b’nei mitzvah date.
As June 21st approaches, we are so excited to experience the b’nei mitzvah of Emily and Brooke. Having our two families together, along with so many friends from our community, will make the day twice as sweet. While each girl has a separate party planned, the extended weekend will be filled with celebrations appreciated by two families who became friends at Or Ami.