What to Do When You’re Divorced and Planning a Bar Mitzvah: Seven Tips
By Carol Sorgen
Planning what should be a joyous occasion when parents are divorced can be no laughing matter.
“If I have to make one point, I’d make this in big, bold letters,” says child psychologist Dr. Ottenstein, “it’s that this is a special occasion for the child. It’s important that both parents show their […]
Josh Spokes’ Green Bar Mitzvah
By Rochelle Eisenberg
With clarity, Ellen Spokes recalls the day that she selected her son’s bar mitzvah theme. She had just received an invitation to an out-of-town bat mitzvah.
“It had layer after layer after layer of paper — inserts, bows, vellum,” she said. “It was gorgeous, but when I threw it out, I felt, like, […]
Bar/Bat Mitzvah Planning Guide - A Timeline of What Needs to Be Done & When
Your child’s Bar/Bat Mitzvah is a special day you begin to think about on the day your child is born. It’s thirteen years in the making and it takes planning, planning and more planning! Organization is the key to a memorable b’nai mitzvah celebration and planning can actually get underway as early as three years […]
13 Tips On Writing & Delivering the B’nai Mitzvah Speech
After the Bar or Bat Mitzvah student has read from the Torah, he or she is usually asked to present a speech, or D’var Torah, which will elaborate on the Torah portion’s meaning and how it relates to his or her life. This can often be the cause of much trepidation, as you stand before […]
Remember Us: The Holocaust Bnai Mitzvah Project
Remember Us: The Holocaust Bnai Mitzvah Project offers an invitation to children preparing for bar/bat mitzvah to connect with the memory of children lost in the Holocaust before they could be called to the Torah.
This is a very simple idea. The Project provides the student and the bar/bat mitzvah teacher with the name of a […]
Including Loved Ones Who Have Passed Away
When an important event such as a Bar Mitzvah occurs, there is a great joy in gathering the family together for this momentous occasion. There is also sometimes a sadness when we think of those who have died and won’t be there to share in that joy. There are ways to bring the spirit of […]
Consider Going “Green” For Your Bar, Bat Mitzvah Or Other Event - Table Centerpieces And Decorations
Some families have gone away from disposable items to decorate their Bar and Bat Mitzvah events. Instead they choose to donate centerpiece items to charities and worthy causes. Gift baskets filled with donation items are another alternative for both Bemah (raised platform in a Synagogue) baskets and centerpieces.
Our daughter was a Bat Mitzvah in 1993. […]
Top 10 Tips to Writing Great Candle Lighting Ceremony Poems
10. Get inspired.
Think about an anecdote or personal trait that makes this person special to you and write it down.
Example: For a bar mitzvah boy’s grandfather who passed away very recently, the notes one could write about him are as follows:
He was Irish, Catholic, not Jewish. He was so proud of the man that David […]
Bat Mitzvah and Bar Mitzvah Save the Date Cards - Top Dos and Don’ts
A bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah ceremony is meant to be shared with friends and loved ones. As your son or daughter comes of age in the Jewish faith and you are planning the celebration for this rite of passage, you may want to consider sending save the date cards. These announcements can give your […]
Interfaith Bar/Bat Mitzvah Families: Questions and Opportunities
Sam and Mary had an appointment with the rabbi. Their daughter, Rachel, was scheduled to become a Bat Mitzvah in less than a year. Mary was nervous. Sam did all the talking.“With all due respect, rabbi,” Sam began, “we want to know what we are getting into before Rachel starts her Bat Mitzvah studies. You […]
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