conundrum

We got a very pretty invitation to a bat mitzvah this week. We've known the young lady and her parents since she was six (and now she's almost twelve and taller than her mother. *shakes head*) She's extremely bright and very much into fantasy, but also has a head for learning Jewish material. We're getting her a Talmud desk set - she's going to a co-ed school where the girls learn what the boys do - plus I'm getting her Tamora Pierce's "Defender of the Small" series, which I think she'll love. Something for the new Jewish adult, something for the preteen.

The invitations were for the lunch after morning services (she'll give a speech after morning services,which is what the girls do at our shul,although they get the same gift as the boys) - this is for everyone. The women are invited to an afternoon service where she will lein - no men allowed. (Or, rather, there can be nine men, behind a mechtiza, but no more.) By this you will know that the girl and her mother are both feminists who enjoy women's services. Note that the mother is known in the synagogue by her birth name.

Since we were also invited, with a separate card, to the dinner on Sunday, we had to send a reply card back. The little preprinted/stamped envelope included for the reply card was addressed to Mr. and Mrs. S. Lastname. Yeah. I'm guess it cost extra to have both names, but it looks so odd from them.