It’s almost time for this year’s Super Bowl!
We wanted to share a recent find from Little Black Dress Paperie who designed this custom football Bar Mitzvah invitation.
Over 200 lucky guests received this invitation, inviting them to catch the action at Ian’s Sports Zone. Guests were asked to respond via a game ticket and reserve their seat on the team bus!
To learn more about Little Black Dress Paperie, visit their Website.
Jeans, Jewels & Jerseys! Do we have your attention?
That was the fun theme for family and friends at Tyler Gersten’s Bar Mitzvah. His Mom tells us that ever since Tyler was little, he has worn a jersey to school. Instead of asking what he should wear, he would ask, “Who should I wear to school?”
His Havdallah service was held in 2011 and led by Rabbi Nadia Gold. His celebration followed at Fenway Golf Club in Scarsdale, New York.
Pictured above (L-R): Mom Laurie, Bar Mitzvah boy Tyler, Dad Rich and older sister Hallie.
All party photography was done by Ray Karaman and the additional vendor information is at the bottom of the spotlight.
The bottom of the invitation let guests know what to wear: Jeans, Jewels & Jerseys
Tyler is all smiles wearing his favorite article of clothing – a jersey!
Mom Laurie tells us her guests thanked her for being able to dress so comfortably for an event!
If you look closely, the numbers on the Jersey reflected everyone’s ages
The place card table greeted guests upon arrival
The kids area was in a tent with Tyler’s NFL and NBA jerseys hanging from the ceiling
The lounge area featured Tyler’s “G” logo. Not only for Gersten, but also for his favorite drink – Gatorade
Navy linens combined with gold chiavari chairs and gold charger plates gave a masculine and elegant look
Mitzvah Mom Laurie worked hard on creating a special sign-in book for Tyler. Each page had a different theme
Tyler’s friends signing in
Tyler making his entrance. Notice his grandfather to the left in his “77” jersey!
At the end of the night, guests were treated to Tyler’s two favorite treats: Gatorade and rock candy!
The sweatshirts for Tyler’s friends were navy blue with gold ink and were a fun twist on the Gatorade logo
The front of the sweatshirt
The following vendors helped to make Tyler’s celebration special. If you give any of them a call, please be sure to tell them you heard about their services on MitzvahMarket.com.
Venue: Fenway Golf Club
Party Planner: Mom Laurie Gersten
Music Entertainment: MC Tommy C, E Three Productions, 212-921-1080
Favors: Samantha Karofsky, 914-419-9166
Party entertainment: Photo booth, airbrushing/arcade games, The Main Event
Magician: Chris DeLeo, 516-314-5319
Invitations: Staci Rahamin, Sincerely Staci, 914-769-6902
Décor/florist: Diane Amante, Xquisite Flowers and Events
Photographer: Ray Karaman, 914-906-7538
Videographer: John Braile, Riversound, 631-476-4840
Sign-in book: Made with love by Mitzvah Mom Laurie
Jerseys: NFL.com
Dresses for family members: Mom’s Service Dress, Goldstein’s, 201-567-0550
Hallie’s Service Dress: All Dressed Up, 914-690-1593
Tyler’s Suit: Nordstroms
Hair: Tina of Hair Express, 914-760-4345
Makeup: Essie Cohen, Xpressivefaces, 914-575-9227
Jessica Flaum celebrated her Bat Mitzvah on May 7, 2011 at The Regency Center in San Francisco.
This family had a Saturday night VIP Hollywood party with lots of great special touches! From a red carpet entrance to celebrity cut-outs, it seemed as though guests were entering a Hollywood bash!
We thank them for sharing their ideas with Mitzvah Market.
All party photography was done by Jennifer Paschal of Bruce Forester Photography and the rest of the vendor information is listed at the bottom of this spotlight.
Pictured above (L-R): Mom Debra, Bat Mitzvah girl Jessica and Dad Morris
Jessica’s invitation was designed and printed by Alisa Flaum, her sister. This VIP invitation looked like you were invited to a Hollywood party!
Jessica’s friends were photographed “walking the red carpet” with cutouts of either Justin Bieber or Jessica as shown above
When the party began, guests entered the main room and were greeted by a VIP lounge full of glitz and glam reminiscent of the best parties in Hollywood
Jessica is sitting on one of two white circular sofas in the VIP lounge
As you can see in the back of this photo, a large Hollywood backdrop was set up behind the band
In the center of the room there was a large lighted bar and dance floor
Guests provided their “autograph” and best wishes for Jessica in a personalized scrapbook designed for the occasion by Wendy Reagor
Jessica “makes her entrance”
To the tune of “ I gotta a feeling,”Jessica ran out onto the stage to sing with the band
The band played on and guests danced to their favorite songs throughout the evening
The band, Mixx Company
Special friends and family participated in the candle lighting ceremony
Each station was named after a Hollywood movie and featured hand painted Hollywood clapboards that listed the menu for the station
Denon & Doyle provided the photo booth where guests could have personalized photos taken with a choice of a Hollywood or San Francisco backgrounds
One of the many special touches! Each sofa surrounded a digitized coffee table playing a photo montage of Jessica’s family and friends
Mom Debra is giving us some Mom-to-Mom advice:
“I hired a party planner, Joannie Liss, which was the best thing I did. I also advise, start early, be decisive (there are lots of great choices so you can’t really go wrong), ask your friends for recommendations, and hire vendors who work with lots of Bar/Bat Mitzvah parties. I also kept a large binder with all the information I received and all contracts and details as they were finalized.”
For her Mitzvah Project, Jessica volunteered one Saturday at the Sonoma Humane Society. In addition, she held a bake sale and donated the proceeds to the Marin Humane Society. She also donated 10% of all money she received as a gift to the same organizations.
The following vendors made Jessica’s party special. If you give any of them a call, please let them know you read about their services on MitzvahMarket.com.
Venue: The Regency Center, San Francisco 415-447-4908
Party Planner: Joannie Liss, Joannie Liss Events 415-775-2020
Band: Mixx Company, 415-775-2020
Party entertainment: Denon & Doyle, green screen photography, 925-944-5021
Invitation: Designed and printed by Alisa Flaum
Décor/florist: Blue Print Studios, Mircea Manea, 415-922-9004
Sign-In Book: Wendy Reagor, 904-219-6133
Dresses for family members: Jessica, from Betsey Johnson, Mom Debra, Nicole Miller
Suit for Dad: Zegna
Hair/makeup: Christophers of Tiburon for Mom, and d’Pietro Todd of Mill Valley for Jessica
Makeup for Jessica: Ally Klionsky
Photographer: Jennifer Paschal, Bruce Forester Photography, 415-422-0944
Caterer: Elaine Bell Catering, Napa, 707-603-1400
Celeb Cutouts: Party Standups
Linens: Big 4 Rentals, Corte Madera, CA
Lighting: Northern Lights, San Leandro, CA 510-483-9307
We wanted to let you know about a new take on photo favors from Simon Elliot Events!
We’ve all attended Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebrations with green screen photo favors. The frames are cute, but how many can you display before running out of room?
Simon Elliot Events is taking photo favors to a whole new level, literally!
Stick-a-Pic™ frames are die-cut removable adhesive frames that you can stick on your wall, locker, fridge, or just about any flat surface.
When you’re ready to take them down or move them, they peel right off without ruining paint or leaving a residue. With wall graphics such as Fatheads becoming extremely popular in recent years, give your guests the opportunity to have their own custom wall graphic with Stick-a-Pic™
Create an interesting collage on your bedroom wall without damaging the surface
Your guests will pose for a photo in front of a green screen where they will have a choice of over 100 backgrounds, or you can create a custom vinyl backdrop to match the theme of your affair. They will then choose a Stick-a-Pic™ frame to compliment their photo.
Stick-a-Pic™ vinyl frames come in a variety of categories including antique frames, sports, places, fun frames, and much more. Their design team can also create one or more custom Stick-a-Pic™ frames for your affair to add an extra element of customization.
To learn more, visit the extended profile page for Simon Elliot Events in our Vendor Directory.
Tori Silberfein from Short Hills, New Jersey will always remember her cool Bat Mitzvah date of 9-10-11!
This family chose to have an elegant, yet fun affair at The Grove catering venue with a special guest appearance from another special Jersey girl!
All photography was done by Wendy Robinson Photography and the rest of the vendors are listed at the bottom of this spotlight.
Pictured left (L-R): Sister Julie, Bat Mitzvah girl Tori and Mom Carol.
Tori’s Bat Mitzvah service was held at Temple B’nai Jeshurun in Short Hills, New Jersey.
Tori’s service dress was from Holly Green
The invitation was created by Simply Invitations incorporating a pink and green theme.
Tori has some great style and looks beautiful in her pink dress which she got from Lynn Kohls.
Tori had an elegant yet fun affair at The Grove. Party Planner Beth Flyer helped Mitzvah Mom Carol with the decor which included beautiful pink linens with sheer overlays having a classic circle design and pink roses for the adults. The kids area was a young hip lounge area in white enhanced with a touch of pink on the pillows.
Gotta love the date
White leather couches and lounge furniture were accented by pink pillows and up lighting
Custom pillows were placed in the lounge area
Pretty pink table linens and pink roses added to the elegant adult tables
Up lighting really adds warmth to a room
Pure Energy provided lots of great music and MC Brian was part of all the action!
Tori’s “shout out” entrance video from Carl Hartman, Green Cheese Media was a big hit!
Everyone watching Tori’s montage
Justin Bieber was one of many celebrities that wished a Mazel Tov to Tori
Olivia Blois Sharpe from the TV hit reality show “Jerseylicious” surprised the guests. She was friendly and added extra excitement to the event. Adults and kids enjoyed her being there. She signed photos, danced and socialized with the guests of all ages. The energy from Olivia added to this wonderful affair.
Palermo Bakery created Tori’s cake.
Bat Mitzvah girl Tori, Mitzvah Mom Carol and sister Julie at the end of the candle lighting
The sign in was one of the custom pillows made for the lounge area that is now in Tori’s bedroom.
Holly Green created the sweatshirt favors.
Tori’s friends received “Flash Dance” style sweatshirts
As guests left the party, they received personalized water bottles and a box of Dunkin Donuts.
The following vendors helped to make Tori’s party special. If you give any of them a call, please make sure you let them know you read about their services on MitzvahMarket.com.
Venue: The Grove Michael Subarsky 973-239-0370
Party Planner: Parties Simplified by Beth Flyer 973-809-7573
DJ/MC: Pure Energy Entertainment, MC Brian 732-536-6195
Favor Person: Chelsey Blake by Holly Green 516-477-8188
Party Entertainment- Creative Games 516-626-1900
Invitations– Simply Invitations 732-617-7211
Calligraphy: Sarah Hayden Calligraphy 973-493-3477
Cake: Palermo Bakery 201-641-1654
Décor: Jersey Street Furniture Rental 973-684-2244
Flowers: Where Flowers Bloom 973-476-0097
Sign in Pillow: Jersey Street Furniture Rental
Service dresses: Mom Tibi-Soho, sister Julie and Bat Mitzvah girl Holly Green
Party dresses: Mom Carol, Tibi-Soho, Bat Mitzvah girl Tori, Lyn Kohls 973-467-7800, sister, Julie Holly Green
Hair: The House Salon 973-379-4233
Makeup: Elaine of Bobbi Brown at Saks-The Mall at Short Hills
Transportation– Barker Bus
Party Security: The Grove
Photographer: Wendy Robinson Photography 973-736-5060
Food at the end: Water bottles with logo and 6-box Dunkin Donuts
Printing for stickers with logo: Print Tech NY/ M Z Print 917-642-6275
Two months before celebrating her Bat Mitzvah, Samantha Abbe and her family took a trip to Israel. They traveled from Scarsdale, New York and completed her Mitzvah Project while on this family trip.
Legacy: The Bar and Bat Mitzvah Program of the Jewish Enrichment Center, which is where Samantha prepared for her Bat Mitzvah, coordinated all of the details for the Abbe family. There were three components of this trip: Mitzvahs, learning and leisure.
Pictured left: The Abbe family
We spoke with Samantha to get more details about her trip and Mitzvah Project which benefitted Legacy:
MM: Please describe your Mitzvah Project:
SA: Legacy set up a trip for my family and I. We went to Israel as a culmination of my years of learning. First we went to a farm where they grew butternut squash and we gathered it from the fields. The next day we went to a soup kitchen and began to cook and serve food to hundreds of hungry poor families. I also gave out bags of canned food to the needy as well.
MM: Why did you decided to take on this particular project?
SA: I learned the Mitzvah of Leket while preparing for my Bat Mitzvah. The torah commands every Jew to leave a portion of their farm to poor people so they can collect and eat food.
MM: Why did you want to do a Mitzvah Project?
SA: I felt it was important, because it’s one thing to learn a Mitzvah but to actually do it is what it’s all about. It was such a great feeling when we handed out the food to poor people. One of the men even told me, ” You are a blessing.”
Samantha Abbe
We thank Samantha and Legacy for sharing this project with our readers.
There’s nothing like seeing pictures of inspiration for your child’s Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebration!
Have you been hearing friends talk about the newest craze, Pinterest.com?
Pinterest is a virtual pinboard that organizes and shares things that you find on the web. People use it to plan their parties, decorate their homes, organize interesting recipes and so much more…
Best of all, you can browse pin boards created by other people. Browsing pin boards is a fun way to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interest.
We’ve been “pinning” as fast as we can! We love this candy button cake from bottleyourbrand.com!
Fashion cupcakes from Cupcakes, Cookies & Pie, Oh My!
If you are interested in learning more about Pinterest be sure to check out a Pinterest tutorial. If you would like to join, a current member (like us!) must invite you, so just send us an email at info@MitzvahMarket.com and we will send you back an invite.
Be sure to check out things that are pinned from MitzvahMarket on Pinterest and let the games begin, but be careful…you WILL become highly obsessed!!!
Are you having a “game” theme for your child’s Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebration or looking for fun games to play with the young guests?
PythonPrintableGames.com has many options. This Website allows you to choose, download and print as many copies of your favorite party games.
The B’nai Mitzvah Mad Libs For Girls is only $6.95 to download and is exclusively for girls at a Bar/Bat Mitzvah party.
They fill in the blanks to complete a funny story about what happened at the fantasy Bar/Bat Mitzvah. After everyone has chosen their words, read the story aloud for guaranteed laughs.
This do-together girls’ activity is a fun Bar/Bat Mitzvah game. They also have a Mad Libs for Boys edition and other games as well.
Like many young boys, Matthew loves baseball. His room is a shrine to his favorite team, the Yankees. He is an avid sports memorabilia collector and attends spring training each year with his Dad.
When the new stadium for the Yankees opened, this family knew it would be the perfect venue for Matthew’s Bar Mitzvah party! It was the ideal backdrop for their celebration with many creative touches.
Although it was a cold, snowy January night in 2011, that didn’t stop friends and family from partying with this family.
April Photography took all the photos and the rest of the vendor information is listed below.
Matthew’s friends arrived by bus for his celebration at Yankee Stadium.
Yankee Stadium
This family was able to use many areas of the stadium for their celebration
“Mazel Tov Matthew” was shown on the screens around the stadium which guests could see through the glass windows
Victoria Dubin from Victoria Dubin Events didn’t miss a special touch anywhere! She orchestrated every aspect of the décor including pillows, light up tables, table place cards and logos. They had their cocktail hour in the Delta Sky Suite and the party in the Legends Restaurant. They had the name of every guest scrolling on the Jumbotron during the cocktail hour. Guests loved this touch and took pictures of their names on the screen.
Place cards featuring baseballs in the corner told guests where they would be sitting
When guests arrived, they entered at the Legends Suites entrance where they served hot dogs and cracker jacks, took photos in a subway background and were entertained by a subway drummer
Customized pillows could be found throughout the party space
Kids lounge area
Digital light up tables were very cool!
This light up table matched the custom cartoon that was commissioned by Alpine Creative Group and used for Matthew’s invitations
The party took place in the Legends Restaurant with linens, rentals and tabletop by Victoria Dubin Events
Total Entertainment provided the music entertainment with Vinny as the MC. Their mother/son dance was a “seventh inning stretch” and they did the YMCA dance.
Matthew makes an entrance with dancers from Total Entertainment in Yankee T-shirts
Guests enjoyed partying with Matthew
Guests gathered to watch Matthew’s entrance video, created by Reelife Media on the big Jumbotron. The theme of the video was Matthew winning an award for being the world’s greatest Yankee fan. At the end of the video Matthew invited everyone downstairs to party!
Most guests came outside to watch the entrance video even though it was cold and had just started to snow!
Friends and family signed-in and left special messages for Matthew on the custom poster designed by Victoria Dubin.
Guests enjoyed a variety of games and activities provided by Total Entertainment.
Young guests were given tube socks with gray and blue stripes. They were embroidered with “Matthew Rocks My Socks”
The cake was created by Lulu Cake Boutique of Scarsdale.
Perfect for their baseball theme!
Total Entertainment provided these custom graffiti lockers where young guests found their favors.
A wall of graffiti lockers added to the decor in the kids area
Total Entertainment created a personalized magnet, so each child could find their own locker. Inside were sweatshirt favors, a baseball cap and the draw string bag below created by Samantha Karofsky
Guests were treated to a large concession stand created by Victoria Dubin with every candy you can image. There were baseball pens, water bottles with Matthew’s logo, tons of candy, popcorn baseballs, chocolate covered peanuts, lollipops with the invitation drawing on it, cracker jacks, big league chew gum, gummy hot dogs and much more! Adults were given slippers with the Yankee Logo when they left.
The stand included logo’d water bottles!
The Gatorade “G” series logo was the inspiration for the above custom labels
The following vendors made Matthew’s party special. If you give any of them a call, please let them know you read about their services on MitzvahMarket.com.
Venue: Emily Hamel, Director, Non-Baseball Events, Yankee Stadium
Caterer: Jaisun Ihm from Yankee Stadium and Foremost Caterers for kosher guests
Photographer: April Photographers Inc.
Event Planner: Victoria Dubin, Victoria Dubin Event Planning and Design
Music Entertainment: MC Vinny, Total Entertainment
Games/Graffiti Lockers: Total Entertainment
Cake: LuLu Cake Boutique of Scarsdale
Favors: Samantha Karofsky, Samanthak@zagwear.com
Invitations: Barbara Schaffer, Alpine Creative Group
Bus Transportation: J and R Tours
Bus Chaperones: Bar Mitzvah Bouncers Inc.
Lighting and Staging: Jeff Ledford, Bentley Meeker Lighting and Staging
Entrance Video/Montage: Reelife Media
When was the last time you tasted the challah at a Bar/Bat Mitzvah?
Meet the Challah King of Beverly Hills Chris Brugler. His challah loaves range from cinnamon and white chocolate to black mission fig and smores.
How about putting a different variety on each of your guest’s tables?
Chocolate Chip challah
The Challah King is located in Beverly Hills, but will ship anywhere in the country.
Contact him at 310-728-0258 or challahking@gmail.com. Visit their Website here.
