Jacob Barkan, son of Joshua and Gina Barkan, was called to the Torah as bar mitzvah on Jan. 31, 2015, at Congregation Sinai, Minneola, Florida.

Jacob is in the seventh grade at South Lake Middle School where he plays basketball. His interests include shooting, video games and playing outside with his friends.

Jacob is very interested in diamond and watch appraisal, and would like to study gemology.

Sharing in the family's simcha were Jacob's older brother Corey, from Israel, and his younger brother David, who will begin bar mitzvah lessons soon. Also present were many friends and family from Israel. Jacob will have a second bar mitzvah in Jerusalem in March and celebrate again with his Israeli family and his grandfather.