Kristy takes next step on Jewish journey

As secretary of the Executive Board, president of Haverot, and director of Hillel, it is a wonder Kristy Bresette had any time to prepare for her Bat Torah.

But Kristy always seems to find time, whether it is to call someone in need, to grab coffee with a friend, or to donate her time to a worthy cause. If she believes in it, she finds a way, and so it went with her Bat Torah.

“I knew I wanted to experience my own Bat Torah after feeling all my emotions watching the other students’ Bar/Bat Mitzvahs,” said Kristy. “I had this voice in my head that said, ‘Wow, I want to do that. I want to feel that, join that, be that.’”

The hardest part, of course, has been fitting her studies into her busy schedule.

“It has been hard to work full time, continue with my service positions in Chico and study,” she said. “Fortunately, I am learning how to set priorities and manage my time.”

Kristy started preparing for her Bat Torah years ago. She created a checklist to help make the challenge “less scary”, starting with Hebrew lessons, working with her Jewish mentor Sue Mintzes, and finally meeting with Rabbi Julie and her Hebrew tutor to prepare for the event.

“(Sue) has been an inspiration and a positive light for me to follow,” Kristy said. “She sees the big picture of my life and breaks it down for me when I get in the fog.”

Though much of her journey to the bima involved careful planning, Kristy selected her Torah portion by chance. She pointed to a weekend in February that seemed like a good time for her schedule and, luckily, she found her portion extremely relatable.

“It is about giving to your community, being a shining light in the world, and creating a mini-sanctuary in your home,” she said.

How fitting, since Kristy seems adept at all of these.

“Kristy is an inspiration to me because at a young age she has gotten so involved in the leadership of our congregation,” said Rabbi Julie Danan. “I love watching her in action as she connects to everyone with warmth and enthusiasm.”

Not only has Kristy been involved at CBI, but she also runs Chico State Hillel, where she has secured greater funding and encouraged more student involvement.

“At Hillel, she makes every student feel like part of the family,” said Rabbi Julie. “She has taken our Chico Hillel to new levels and gotten many more students involved. Her excitement for Judaism is contagious.”

Kristy attributes much of who she is today to her parents. Her mother offers fun ideas, enthusiasm, and encouragement in Kristy’s areas of interest, while her father asks the right questions to help her think decisions through. Ultimately, though, she pushes herself the hardest, she says.

“I am drawn to specific feelings and then I run to them,” Kristy said. “I converted to Judaism almost 10 years ago after learning about the culture in my Cultural Foods class…and I was hooked.”

Kristy instantly felt drawn to the religion, culture, and now, even the food.

“I do love me some fresh gefilte fish from New York,” she said.

Kristy is looking forward to having her family and friends gather at CBI on Friday and Saturday for her Bat Torah. She is hoping to create an “intimate” environment and share her favorite parts of services.

“It is similar to a wedding in that you get to make it unique and special,” she said. “But it is all about me and my journey!”

Kristy will be leading services with a D'Var Torah speech on Friday, February 20 from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Services will be followed by an Oneg hosted by Haverot Members. Her Bat Torah will occur on Saturday, February 21 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and will be followed by a Kiddush gathering at Grana at 1 p.m.

With another chapter of her Jewish journey coming to a close, how will Kristy feel?

“Accomplished, super Jewish and connected to the People Israel,” she said. “It is a relief to feel more connected to the religion I chose, and I truly believe that my soul was at Mount Sinai alongside all the other Jewish souls.”