With an Italian father — her mother hails from North-West London — Jodie’s batmitzvah was in Rome, where she lived until she was two. Home is now in Stanmore, Middlesex, and she attended the Sinai School before becoming a Watford Grammar girl. Her passion is dancing — ballet, tap and jazz — and she plays the violin and enjoys learning languages
What was special about your simchah?
It was in Rome because my dad’s side of the family live there, and it was an opportunity to get together with all my Italian family. I had to learn about the dietary laws and the Jewish festivals in Italian and do an exam. When I passed, I was given a gift by the Jewish community of Rome, a pendant with the Star of David on it.
Tell us about the ceremony
It was in the Great Synagogue, by the River Tiber. The synagogue is very big and bright and has an amazing ceiling — a star-studded sky is painted around the dome, which has a rainbow and trees on it. Normally the women sit upstairs on the balcony, but when a girl has her batmitzvah she sits downstairs in a special area which is separated from the men by a fence of wood and iron. Two other girls were having their batmitzvah that Saturday and we all had to read aloud the main part of the Shema, first in Hebrew, then in Italian. After this, the rabbi gave us a blessing by putting his large talit over our heads.
Tell us about the celebration
On the Sunday I had a party at a villa surrounded by gardens and a lake, located just outside the city. There was a lot of food, including loads of pasta, music and dancing with all my aunts, uncles and cousins. My grandma came over from England. In keeping with Roman tradition, I gave a bomboniera — a little gift — to all the guests, which was a ballerina ornament with a lilac bag attached containing chocolates with a sugar coating.