Oui Oui! Cami’s ‘French’ Bat Mitzvah

On Saturday, Aug. 9, French speeches, food, and fashion flowed through Ahavath Achim Synagogue with the bat mitzvah of Camille Weinstein. The party was celebrated on Aug. 10 at the Whitlock Inn in Marietta.

The theme of Camille’s bat mitzvah was a compendium of the most iconic female voices. The invitation was designed as a CD featuring her own recorded voice inviting guests to the celebration with two tracks in English and French. Family members from France, including aunts, uncles, and cousins, traveled to celebrate here, with many French expats residing in Atlanta. Much of the ceremony was translated into French; and during the party, the DJ included songs by famous French singers.

Camille, a student at the Atlanta International School, speaks English, French, and Spanish, and has a talent and passion for singing. She began formal training with the Atlanta Young Singers at 7 and is now a member of the Treble Concert Choir, a pre-professional ensemble. She has performed at the Georgia State Capitol for the Holocaust Remembrance ceremony, where she was the only soloist. Camille has a penchant for musical theatre where she began performing at 8. Her most recent role was Morticia in “The Addams Family Jr.,” where she took the lead.

For her mitzvah project, Camille raised funds for Songs For Kids Foundation, an organization that brings music and performance opportunities to children with illnesses, injuries, or disabilities, helping them express themselves, build confidence, and find joy in difficult times. In January, Camille will sing a duet with these children in their annual Coldplay show.

During her Dvar Torah for parsha Vaetchanan, she said, “Every human being will have moments where there will be obstacles … G-d created a world that’s not perfect, so that we, as humans, can bring light into darkness through our actions. G-d gave us the responsibility to do good because every act of kindness, every moment of helping someone in need, brings us closer to His purpose for humanity.”

For his charge to Camille, Rabbi Laurence Rosenthal highlighted her determination to lead service prayers. He reminded her not to strive for perfection or to focus on singing every note and melody flawlessly. “If life were perfect, we wouldn’t need G-d. It’s within imperfection that we truly find G-d.”

For the party, Camille wanted a daytime garden celebration that reflected her love of nature along with elegant and refined touches. The cocktail hour was outdoors in a Southern-style setting, with hors d’oeuvres served alongside classic American and French cocktails. Lavish floral arrangements adorned tables, while exquisite French desserts prepared by a French pastry chef and couture dresses from renowned French designers added to the sophistication. After the cocktail hour, guests were invited inside the historic Southern home which was decorated with the iconic female singers theme. Each table was styled with vinyl records and pop figurines of famous female artists. Guests signed a unique guestbook — a vinyl record displayed on a turntable.

Before Camille took the stage, a short video highlighted her journey as a performer, from her early singing moments at age 4 to her more recent performances. The soundtrack featured many of her favorite artists: Dua Lipa for her grand entrance, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, and Sabrina Carpenter for the fun dance moments, followed by timeless songs by Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, and Whitney Houston during the slideshow and candle-lighting ceremony.

As the evening concluded, guests left with creative party favors: microphones filled with M&Ms and small vinyl-themed bags as keepsakes.

Parents Randy, an officer at Ahavath Achim, and Dr. Aurelie Weinstein, relayed, “What made Camille’s service unique was that she was the first bat mitzvah to choose the prayer track instead of the haftarah track. Her goal was to truly understand and lead the prayers so that when she attends services on Saturday mornings, she’ll be able to follow and participate fully.

On Friday evening, the celebration began with Absolute Shabbat at Ahavath Achim — renamed “Absolute Camille” for the occasion, where she led several prayers inspired by famous songs, including, “Flowers,” for the candle blessings and, “What Was I Made For?” for the “Aleinu.”

Vendors:

Flowers and decorations: Helena Brante Floral Design
Videographer: Dre Streat Media
DJ: One Nate
Party Planner: Dani Oren
Hair: Laetitia Blanche