Jersey City residents will notice how communities across the Hudson County area continue to support life changes at every age after Roy Woods, an 83-year-old Jersey City resident, celebrated his first bar mitzvah this spring at the Chabad of Bayonne Jewish Center.
The milestone, observed decades after the usual age of 13, came after Woods reconnected with his Jewish heritage during a family ceremony earlier this year. He said the experience of opening the ark at his great-grandniece's bat mitzvah set him on a path toward formal observance.
What changed for residents
For neighbors and faith communities in Jersey City and Bayonne, Woods’s decision underscores local opportunities for adult religious education and inclusion. Chabad of Bayonne provided one-on-one preparation led by Rabbi Yisrael Bennish, who guided Woods through learning Hebrew, wearing a tallit and tefillin, and reciting Torah blessings.
- Age: 83 — recognized in some Jewish traditions as a time for a "second" bar mitzvah.
- Preparation: Six months of study with Chabad of Bayonne.
- Support: Connection facilitated by the Aleph Institute, a nonprofit that previously assisted Woods’s family.
Woods told the gathering that the ritual was “all about love, respect, and knowing that you're never too old to go back to your roots.”
"My bar mitzvah was all about love, respect, and knowing that you're never too old to go back to your roots," Woods said.
Local context and aftermath
Born in Jersey City to a Jewish mother and a Catholic father, Woods grew up aware of his Jewish background but did not practice as a child. The renewed engagement began in 2025 during his great-grandniece’s bat mitzvah and culminated with prayers at the Ohel in Queens before the Bayonne ceremony.
Religious leaders and social-service organizations in Hudson County say stories like Woods’s reflect broader patterns: adults returning to faith later in life, and community institutions responding with customized education and ritual support. The Aleph Institute, which connected Woods with Chabad of Bayonne, has been active locally in providing counseling and reentry support for families touched by incarceration.
| Event | Timing |
|---|---|
| Great-grandniece's bat mitzvah (inspiration) | 2025 |
| Six months of study with Rabbi Yisrael Bennish | Following bat mitzvah to ceremony |
| Trip to the Ohel in Queens | Before the bar mitzvah |
| Bar mitzvah at Chabad of Bayonne | Recent ceremony in Bayonne |
For Jersey City neighbors, the event serves as a reminder that municipal, religious and nonprofit groups often collaborate to meet individual needs. It may encourage others considering spiritual steps later in life to reach out to local congregations or organizations that offer adult education and ritual preparation.
Chabad of Bayonne and the Aleph Institute did not provide additional public comment beyond the accounts shared at the ceremony. Woods’s celebration drew family and community members from the surrounding towns, reinforcing ties across generations in Hudson County.
This report focuses on local implications for Jersey City residents and the connections among houses of worship and community organizations in the region.
