On a toasty Friday afternoon in a Reseda courtyard, nine people gathered with broad smiles on their faces, decked out in their prayer shawls and yarmulkes, looking out at family members and close friends from all over the world. The males would celebrate their Bar Mitzvahs, and the females would celebrate their Bat Mitzvahs.

Rabbi Karen Bender presided, playing traditional Hebrew tunes on her guitar and singing along with the crowd.

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Earlier, she had explained why the ceremony is so important to people of Jewish faith.

“Once you’ve reached the age of 13, you’re mature enough to take responsibility for your own actions," she said.

But the nine honorees were nowhere near 13, and mature doesn’t even begin to describe

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