Dear Lia:

Commitment and responsibility are big and important words. The challenge of adulthood is to make these abstractions tangible through action.

What does this mean? It means that the first project of adulthood should be to find something to which you can commit yourself, something that you can and will be responsible for. It is important that you decide, for yourself, what this "something" is. Think hard about what is most important to you. You may find that your commitment is to an area of study, an extracurricular activity at school, or to service on behalf of the Jewish community.

Whatever you choose, make sure that your choice will inspire and motivate you even through the most trying times, because that is what commitment and responsibility - and hence adulthood - are all about.

With every best wish for you on the occasion of your Bat Mitzvah.

Sincerely,

Hugo F. Sonnenschein

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