Two San Diego psychologists celebrate second bar mitzvah at 83

Two 83-year-old psychologists living in San Diego celebrated a rare second bar mitzvah ceremony together. Sanford Braver and William Soltz, both residents of the Wesley Palms retirement community, stood before the Torah and chanted Hebrew songs they first learned 70 years ago.

The second bar mitzvah tradition is rooted in Psalm 90, which considers 70 years as a full lifespan, making a man of 83 symbolically 13 again and eligible for the ceremony. Braver said the event also honored family tradition, as his father had a second bar mitzvah at the same age.

Braver spent four decades as a psychology professor and author before retiring. After living in various places including Carlsbad, he and his wife moved to Wesley Palms in March 2025, attracted by its amenities and community atmosphere, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

The ceremony was attended by roughly 100 residents, family members, and friends.