A bat mitzvah, as said several times on this season of “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City,” is an important rite of passage for a Jewish girl — or a 52-year-old Jewish woman named Meredith Marks.
In this week’s episode, Meredith and her family finally host the big event. In confessional, Meredith said she decided to go through with it “to affirm my faith, to affirm my spirituality and my heritage.”
The ceremony was filled with symbolism and plenty of hugs and tears from family and friends. The reception afterward — where guests enjoyed caviar, fondue and vodka — saw some past arguments reconciled. But others grew into full-blown bonfires.
Meredith’s big day
(Fred Hayes | Bravo) Lisa Barlow, Bronwyn Newport, Heather Gay and Whitney Rose talk at the reception before Meredith Marks' bat mitzvah in Park City, in an episode of "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City."
For much of the season, viewers have seen brief snippets of Meredith preparing for the ceremony. She’s been meeting with her rabbi, Ruth Abusch-Magder, to learn her Torah. She’s been practicing Hebrew, even in the bathtub.
Meredith arrives at Deer Valley’s Empire Canyon Lodge with her family in a horse-drawn sleigh, a dramatic touch that impresses the Housewives. Those present include Meredith’s mother, Gloria; her sister, Myra; her husband, Seth, and their three children: Chloe, 22; Brooks, 24; and Reid, 26, who lives in New York and hasn’t been seen much on the show. “He’s a very private person,” Meredith says in confessional.
Rabbi Abusch-Magder began the ceremony by calling on Gloria to put a tallit, or prayer shawl, around Meredith’s shoulders. From the middle rows, “friend” Britani Bateman whispers, “the scarf goes well with her outfit.”
Meredith didn’t choose the tallit because of her fashion sense. We’re shown that it’s the same tallit Seth wore for his bar mitzvah at age 13. Wearing it, Meredith says in confessional, means “we’re sharing this experience, and connecting in our faith in a way we never have before.”
The rabbi then brings Meredith over to read from the Torah, first instructing her to lay the fringe of her tallit onto the parchment. As she reads in Hebrew, the camera catches Seth tearing up.
Meredith then gives a speech, where she gets teary-eyed herself.
“I never had a bat mitzvah when I was growing up. For most of my life, that didn’t bother me. I knew that my heritage was Jewish, and that was enough,” Meredith says. But with the rise of antisemitism, she added, “I decided that I wanted a chance to publicly affirm my pride in being Jewish.”
She concludes, “My hope and prayer is that we come together in community across our differences — Jewish, Mormon, Christian, Muslim, gay, straight. In doing so, the world will truly become a better place.”
The ceremony ends with a symbolic passing of the Torah, with each member of Meredith’s family briefly holding the scrolls, and Meredith offering a short prayer. Then the rabbi tells everyone to offer their congratulations — in Hebrew, “Mazel tov!” — and they do with enthusiasm and joy.
Meredith and Mary
(Fred Hayes | Bravo) Meredith Marks, left, and Mary Cosby talk after Meredith's bat mitzvah in Park City, in an episode of "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City."
At the pre-ceremony reception, Angie Katsanevas asks: “Is Mary coming tonight?”
That’s a loaded question, considering how chilly relations between Mary and Meredith have been recently. Meredith walked out of Mary’s house during the “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” brunch episode two weeks earlier, and there was a bitter conversation between them last week at a Park City art gallery.
In a flashback filmed a week before the bat mitzvah, Angie asks Mary how things are with Meredith; Mary says “no comment.”
In confessional, Mary explains that she’s got bigger problems — with the bombshell last week in which Mary’s 21-year-old son, Robert Jr., acknowledged that he’s become addicted to drugs.
“I’m more concerned about what I’m doing and what I’m dealing with,” Mary says in confessional. “Right now, my family needs me, and that’s what’s important here.”
[Read more: ‘Real Housewives of Salt Lake City’ recap: After ‘girls camp,’ Mary learns distressing news close to home]
Angie asks Mary “Is everything OK?,” and Mary doesn’t answer. Angie says she won’t pry, adding, “I’m here when you’re ready.”
Mary ultimately decides to attend Meredith’s bat mitzvah, despite their disagreement. “Religion is important to me,” Mary says in confessional. “I still think it’s important to show up, and I’m here for her today.”
She arrives late, though, and the producers wring some comedy out it, showing Mary peering through a window (right behind Meredith and the rabbi) before finding a side door.
At the post-ceremony reception, Mary and Meredith each apologize for hurting the others’ feelings at the “Tiffany’s” brunch, and the two hug.
“Meredith is one of my closest friends,” Mary says in confessional. “Looking back on our fight, it seems silly. I’m glad to just let it go. … I can’t be bothered with stuff that don’t matter.”
After ‘Mazel tov,’ the arguments
(Fred Hayes | Bravo) Meili Workman, Angie Katsanevas and Mary Cosby, from left, talk at the reception after Meredith Marks' bat mitzvah in Park City, in an episode of "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City."
Before the ceremony, Bronwyn makes a witty remark about where she stands among the other Housewives: “I’ve been on the outs with almost everyone,” she says, noting that at some point, everyone has badmouthed everybody else to her, “because I didn’t like them then.”
Bronwyn’s remark foreshadows the complex web of teetering friendships that come out during the post-ceremony reception.
Angie takes Bronwyn aside, and Bronwyn expects an apology for the number of times Angie yelled at her during last week’s “girls camp.” But Angie thinks she deserves an apology from Bronwyn, because she “twisted something I said.” The conversation only ends when Bronwyn’s husband, Todd Bradley, comes over to break it up.
Meanwhile, Whitney goes over to Heather to talk about Bronwyn, who made comments before “girls camp” about how Heather said something about Whitney. Heather reassures Whitney, “We’re still good.” This conversation would have ended amicably, until Lisa jumps in to defend Bronwyn and loudly refute Whitney.
Bronwyn lands at a table with Britani and this season’s other “friend,” Meili Workman. “My, how the tables in this friendship turn,” Bronwyn says. “Who knew I’d be friends with you two?” Britani replies that she would like to keep this friendship with Bronwyn for “a hot minute.”
Then Angie joins the table, and Britani takes up Angie’s comment (during Mary’s brunch) that she’s dating three guys simultaneously. That’s when Bronwyn turns on Britani, telling Angie what Britani said about her before the bat mitzvah.
Bronwyn, in confessional, comments, “Britani wanted to be friends for a hot minute. I gave her five. That s---’s over.”
(Fred Hayes | Bravo) Britani Bateman, Bronwyn Newport and Meili Workman, from left, talk at the reception before Meredith Marks' bat mitzvah in Park City, in an episode of "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City."
Angie unloads on Britani, criticizing how she dresses and wears her hair. Angie, who owns a chain of hair salons, clarifies in confessional that “I called her hair slutty. That’s not slut-shaming, that’s hair-shaming. And in my business, there’s a difference.”
Britani walks away, tells Whitney and Meili that she’s leaving, and is heard crying off-camera. Meredith, after hearing Britani crying, tells Angie to leave, and calls over two security guards — identified as Tua and James — to escort her out.
“I don’t like people who slut-shame,” Meredith tells Angie. That’s followed by past clips of Angie making accusations about other Housewives’ relationships — including Meredith’s last season.
Lisa’s final surprise
(Fred Hayes | Bravo) Whitney Rose, Heather Gay and Lisa Barlow, from left, talk at the reception after Meredith Marks' bat mitzvah in Park City, in an episode of "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City."
As the party winds down, Lisa talks to Meredith about what just happened. Lisa remarks on the timing, after what Lisa did just before the bat mitzvah.
The producers then hit rewind, to show how Lisa has “planned the perfect girls trip,” to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico — which is seen in the teaser for next week’s episode.
“Obviously, you can’t plan for everything,” Lisa says.
Next week’s episode is scheduled to air on Bravo on Wednesday, Dec. 11, at 8 p.m. Eastern time — and airs at 6 p.m. Mountain time on DirecTV and Dish, and 9 p.m. Mountain time on Xfinity. (The show streams the next day on Peacock.)
