Destination: Virgin Islands

A dream took root 15 years ago in the salt-aired sanctuary of the St. Thomas synagogue. Parents Rachel and Jonathan Halitsky were there for a cousin’s bar mitzvah, where the magic of that weekend that felt less like a formal ceremony and more like a soulful family vacation.

In that moment, the couple shared hope one day, they would return for their own child’s ceremony, which was held Jan. 16-19, at Westin St. Thomas and Hebrew Congregation of St. Thomas.

Hazel exclaimed, “Looking back at the adventure, it was amazing getting to have my bat mitzvah double as a vacation with so many people who are so close with my family and whom I love so much! The temple was so special — it felt amazing to be there and learn all about the history. Every night was a different place with a different vibe, and it was just so much fun!”

In planning the event, Rachel mused, “We wanted a celebration that felt authentically ‘us’—an environment where Hazel could thrive.”

Understanding the logistics of international travel, they expected a modest group of 25-ish guests. Ultimately, 99 guests flew in to join this special milestone. The celebration began at the St. Thomas Westin with the welcoming of steel drums for the Friday night Shabbat dinner. On Saturday morning, open-air vans transported the group to the historic Hebrew Congregation of St. Thomas. Built in 1831, the synagogue, with its storied sand floors and ancient stone walls, acted as a bridge between the past and the present. It was the first time Hazel had set foot inside and, for a rare moment, she was speechless.

The service centered on a Torah portion that carried the weight of 35 years of family history. It was the exact same Parsha Rachel had studied for her own bat mitzvah, falling on the very same day. Thirty-five years ago, Congregation B’nai Torah was Modern Orthodox, which meant women were not permitted to read from the scrolls, and Rachel’s father, Stan, volunteered to read the entire portion on her behalf.

In St. Thomas, that cycle evolved into a powerful L’dor V’dor moment. With special permission from the temple, Stan read the first Parsha, Rachel read the second, her first time ever reading from the Torah, and then Hazel took her place for the third. To Hazel, Parsha Vaera meant, “I believe the lesson from my parsha, Vaera, is that relationships, people, and their perspectives are dynamic and always changing … underneath all of that is love that never waivers.”

Following the service, the celebration moved across the street to the Lillenfeld House for a kiddush luncheon overlooking the aqua Caribbean Sea. The festivities continued into the night with dinner and dancing under the stars, with Hazel’s favorite parts being getting to dance with her dad and her grandfather. The cuisine was a sit-down dinner with choice of filet or sea bass and an ice cream sundae bar.

The real “sweets” of the weekend were grandmother, Debbie Soneneshine’s, homemade mandel bread which was included in the “welcome bags” at the hotel. She had to use a full carry-on suitcase to transport and prevent breakage/handling on the flight.

Favors were canvas beach bags, cozies, and handheld fans. Those were a big hit, especially at the temple where they do not have air conditioning. The sign-in board was a Jenga set.

Sunday evening featured a beach barbeque with a live band, games, and an orange sunset as the background.

Rachel looked back and said, “We felt so immensely loved and supported. We truly have the most incredible and loyal family and friends anyone could ever ask for and seeing them do so much to love and support Hazel meant the world to Jonathan, my parents, and me. It was the happiest I ever remember feeling. Without question, the best weekend of my entire life.”

Hazel, a student at The Galloway School, plays basketball, volleyball, golf, and loves musical theater. Her mitzvah project was in support of Backpack Buddies, where her dad is the director of operations and her grandmother serves on the board.