September 14th, 2015
A Magical Bar Mitzvah was the theme for Jack Rosenberg’s celebration. The service was held at Shaare Torah Congregation in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The party was held at Normandie Farm Restaurant, Potomac, Maryland.
Jack is a Harry Potter fan who read and enjoyed all the books and movies, so this was a perfect Bar Mitzvah theme and Jack helped create many of the decor elements.
Pictured above L-R: Dad Michael, older brother Sam, Bar Mitzvah boy Jack and Mom Sheryl.
Andrew Morrell Photography was the photographer and the rest of the vendor information is listed at the end of the spotlight.
The save-the-date cards, created by Rebecca from sweetinvitationco on Etsy, featured an owl, a reference to Hedwig, Harry Potter’s pet owl and the source for delivering mail
Mom Sheryl came up with the concept for the invitation and logo and worked with Jessica Garmise from Out of the Box Creations on the execution. The invite resembled the invitation to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry and the envelope was sealed with a red wax seal just like students received in the book. Each save-the-date and thank you note was sent with a Harry Potter Forever postage stamp
A Havdalah service was chosen because it was Jack’s grandmother’s favorite service. Now deceased, the weekend of Jack’s Bar Mitzvah would have been his grandmother’s 75th birthday. The suede kippot had a graphic design of Harry Potter glasses and the scar in a repeating pattern
Out of the Box Creations also designed the Hogwarts-inspired crest logo that was used throughout the party
Bar Mitzvah boy Jack handmade each place card which was a painted wooden wand with a tag indicating the guests’ table assignment. In the center of the “place card” or “Sorting Table” there was a Sorting Hat on a stool just like the one mentioned in the books and movies
Normandie Farm Restaurant was the perfect location to celebrate, as it gave the feeling of being inside Hogwarts Castle. Each table represented a different place in the Harry Potter series with handmade centerpieces courtesy of Jack and his mom, Sheryl
Hogwarts Year 2: the Chamber of Secrets table centerpiece featuring the Gryffindor sword, Tom Riddle’s Diary, the Basilisk tooth and Colin Creevey’s camera
Borgin & Burkes Dark Magic Shop is known for selling unusual and ancient wizard artifacts. The Hand of Glory was created by Jack
The Forbidden Forest centerpiece
When checking into the hotel, out-of-town guests received goodies in a bag that had a plush owl attached. The owl theme carried through from the save-the-date and invitation to the hotel bags
Dobby’s Sock Drawer held the socks for the guests to wear on the dance floor. In the Harry Potter books and movies, Dobby, the house elf, was given a sock to set him free, thus the sign stating: “Take a pair of socks for dancing and free your inner house elf!”
In keeping with the theme, signage at the bar read: “Underage wizards and witches will not be served alcohol”
Jack’s mom Sheryl designed the New Student Attendance Book using Shutterfly. The cover photo was a picture of Jack when he was younger wearing Harry Potter glasses at the Harry Potter book 7 release event in NYC
The sign-in table had a sign asking all guests to sign the “New Student Attendance Book,” but beware of the Monster Book of Monsters, which was also on the same table. The pens used to sign the book were white quill pens made by Jack’s aunt
MC Chris Schultz of Unique Dreams Entertainment did a great job. Jack entered the room through a doorway that had fabric hanging to look like a brick wall coming through “Platform 9-3/4.” There was a fog machine running that looked like the steam from the train’s engine as people walked through the “brick wall.” Jack was accompanied by one of the DJ’s dancers wearing a Gryffindor scarf and tie to keep in the Harry Potter spirit
A great shot of Jack up in the chair for the Horah, while his dad, Michael helps lift the chair wearing his Professor Dumbledore hat
The photo booth stopped working before the first picture was even taken, but the DJ quickly jumped in and played tons of party games with the children while the adults enjoyed the cocktail hour
The candle lighting was designed by Jack’s mom, Sheryl. There were lights in each of the colored bottles to make the bottles glow and look magical. The candle used to light the others was in a Miller Lite beer bottle, which was a special way to remember Jack’s uncle who passed away before the Bar Mitzvah. Each song used during the candle lighting ceremony was a musical theater song chosen by Jack, to tie in with the “theater cake” to represent Jack’s other love — musical theater
Jack surrounded by his friends
This amazing cake was created by Fancy Cakes by Leslie. It was designed by a family friend and Jack’s brother and included musical theater elements. Each layer of the cake represented a different show that Jack had performed in. The top tier from Honk!; the second tier from Winnie the Pooh; the third tier from Annie; and the bottom layer from Beauty and the Beast
The mason jars each had a homemade chocolate frog in them, just like the ones sold in Honeydukes Sweet Shoppe in Harry Potter. The jars were also used to take home candy from the candy table
The candy table was labeled with a “Honeydukes Sweet Shoppe” sign. Honeydukes Sweet Shoppe is the name of the candy store in the Harry Potter movies and books
The candy buffet was visually beautiful and had magical selections for guests to enjoy
The Rosenberg family wore custom Quidditch jerseys the morning after the celebration for brunch at their house
Jack, Dad Michael and Brother Sam all wore the jerseys that coordinated with the Hogwarts House ties they wore during the Bar Mitzvah service
Some advice from Mom Sheryl:
“Choose a theme that the whole family loves. And have fun and be creative in planning it. The more you like the theme, and the more you know about it, the more creative ideas that you will come up with.”
The following vendors helped to make Jack’s Bar Mitzvah special. If you give any of them a call, let them know you read about their services on MitzvahMarket.com.
Venue: Normandie Farm Restaurant, 301-983-8838
Photographer: Andrew Morrell Photography, 301-529-3410
Party Planner: Mom Sheryl Rosenberg
Invitation/logo concept: Mom Sheryl Rosenberg, sherylrosenberg@gmail.com
Invitation/Logo execution: Jessica Garmise, Out of the Box Creations, 917-518-9389
Printer for invitations/Thank you notes: Rockville Printing, 301-251-0001
Centerpiece Decor: Mom Sheryl Rosenberg
Save-the-date cards: Rebecca from Sweet invitation co on Etsy.com
Party set up: Karen Nelson, Enchanting Affairs, 301-452-4143
Music Entertainment/MC: Chris Schultz, Unique Dreams Entertainment, 301-253-9021
Mug Favors: DiscountMugs.com
Cake: Fancy Cakes by Leslie, 301-652-9300
Sign-in board/book: Shutterfly.com
Kippot: Best Kippah, 800-435-1621
Dresses and suits for family members: Nordstrom
Transportation for kids from service to party: Martin’s Sedan & Limousine Service, 301-260-9393
September 9th, 2015
We’re happy to share this important cause with you as an option for your child’s Bar Bat Mitzvah Project:
For Joyce Davis, President of Keeping Babies Safe, inspiration was born of tragedy. Joyce lost her four month-old son, Garret, through the simple act of adding a supplemental mattress to her boy’s portable crib—a mattress advertised as suitable and safe.
Determined to spare other families this heartbreak, she founded Keeping Babies Safe to educate parents about crib and sleep safety, and to advocate for more stringent consumer product safety regulation laws.
Pictured above: The Davis family
“These dangers are completely preventable,” Joyce says. “Cribs are the most important product in your home for your baby, the only place where your child is left unattended. We supply reliable information to parents so they can be better informed to protect their babies.”
Joyce’s three daughter’s, Eliza, now 20 years old, Lauren, now 19 years old and Jamie, now 13 years old, have all done different Mitzvah Projects benefitting their family’s organization Keeping Babies Safe.
Each of Joyce’s daughters raised money for Keeping Babies Safe to help ensure that all babies had a safe sleep environment. They donated all the money raised from each of their events to purchase cribs and sheets and safe sleep educational materials for families in New Jersey and worked with the New Jersey Department of Child & Family Services to identify and distribute the cribs.
Here’s more details of each Mitzvah Project:
Eliza held a 5K Run/Walk at Harry Dunham Park in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, and raised over $50,000!
A banner sign for the 5K Run/Walk
A big crowd came out for this event
For Lauren’s Mitzvah Project, she decide to hold a Spin A Thon and raised over $3,500.
Jamie held a group workout with Guerrilla Fitness Crossfit and raised over $4,000.
Students can incorporate Keeping Babies Safe into any aspect of their Bar Bat Mitzvah celebration. For a donation, they offer centerpieces, party favors and displays that show your commitment to the cause.
Keeping Babies Safe bima basket that was recently used for a Mitzvah Project
LOOKING FOR A MITZVAH PROJECT NOW?
Get involved in the upcoming 5K Walk/Run taking place on Sunday, October 11, 2015
If you would like your Mitzvah Project to benefit Keeping Babies Safe or more information, please contact Joyce Davis at jdavis@keepingbabiessafe.org.
September 9th, 2015
The Ryder and Ohel families celebrated their daughters’ B’nai Mitzvah together. Chloe Ryder and Becca Ohel’s celebration took place at the Marriott Lincolnshire Resort, Illinois.
The two families celebrated both the service and party together with a “Chill Out” theme. Mom Jill Ryder works for M&M, The Special Events Company, specializing in designing Mitzvah décor for clients.
Mom Jill and Mom Shoshana collaborated from start to finish with many unique touches. Every detail was thought out!
Pictured above L-R: Good friends Chloe Ryder and Becca Ohel
The photographer was Lee Ross Photography and the rest of the vendors are listed at the end of the spotlight.
The theme was clear once guests received their hand delivered invitation, hot chocolate and mug! The mug read, “Warm Up Before the Big Chill.” Inside of the mug was hot chocolate and a spoon with
Chloe and Becca’s picture
Mugs and invitations ready to be delivered
The service and party were both held at the Marriott Lincolnshire Resort. The girls were privately tutored together and the service was very warm and special. Here’s Chloe Ryder…
and Becca Ohel
The girls’ service program
Both families were very chic and stylish with Chloe and Becca deciding to wear white cocktail dresses from Peaches Boutique. The Ryder family wore blue and the Ohel family wore purple to keep with the color theme. The Ryder family (L-R): Sister Melanie, Dad Adam, Bat Mitzvah girl Chloe, Mom Jill and Sister Jordan
The Ohel family (Clockwise from top): Dad Ziv, Brother Jordan, Mom Shoshana, Sister Gabby,
Bat Mitzvah girl Becca and Sister Hannah
These families got very creative for their place cards. They used Ice Breaker mints with custom labels. The place card table was at the entrance to the ballroom. Once guests picked up their place card they entered a draped tunnel complete with light-up icicles and hanging crystal chandeliers
Each Ice Breaker had a custom label with the guests’ name and table assignment. Creative table names included: “Frozen,” “Glacier,” and “Chillin”
Both girls had a sign-in book
The party took place in a white tent at the Marriott Lincolnshire Resort that lent itself to the theme.
M&M Special Event Rentals provided the décor including the gorgeous linens, Chiavari chairs, lounge furniture, light-up bar, stunning centerpieces and more. Kids chilled in the “Crystal Ice Lounge”
There were several sections of white lounge furniture with custom pillows and white furry ottomans for guests to enjoy
The girls in bathrobes “Chillin’ Out” before the party
Moms Shoshana and Jill in front of the stunning ice sculpture which set the tone of the party. The enormous ice sculpture was a luge for signature drinks and a display for appetizers and desserts
The Crystal Ice Lounge bar
The signature drink included cotton candy which looked like melting snowballs
The dance floor had a Gobo, “Chill Out with Becca & Chloe.” Tall spandex icicles flanked the dance floor and changed color throughout the night
The adult tables were a mix of round and over-sized king tables to create interesting seating. The round tables had purple ribbon linen with white Chiavari chairs and royal blue cushions. There were crystal candelabra centerpieces for a sophisticated elegance
The over-sized king tables had elegant textured white ribbon linens with white leather chairs. The chargers created a look of blue water in the center
There were alternating centerpieces, pictured here: a sophisticated floral design in a mirrored vase and votive candles
The elevated Lucite centerpiece, with gorgeous floral decor, had hanging crystals, glass snowballs and
snowflakes
Each napkin had custom snowflake napkin rings embellished with crystals. There were also glow-in-the-dark ice cubes in blue and purple in all of the water glasses
The kids’ centerpieces had lifted puffs of baby’s breath with twinkling white fairy ball lights and vases lit with crystal collars
Hotel guests received a collection of creams and gels from Bath and Body Works
The custom cocktail napkins were printed in blue and white
The glass “ice” block logo was used as another accent element on the tables
For the girls grand entrance, Xpress Video produced a great music video parody to, “Ice Ice Baby.” Also, the girls recorded a song with their own words to the tune of “Count on Me” that played during the montage section of the girls together
Watch here
After the video, the girls made their entrance out of smoke
Becca’s Dad Ziv surprised everyone (including his own family) with a choreographed dance. Drew from Sole 2 Soul, the teacher that choreographed the dance, on the left and Dad Ziv Ohel on the right
Daughter Becca is the one with the shocked look!
MC Johnny and Revelation Productions provided the music entertainment and rocked the house! They also provided special lighting that changed with the music. Here Becca is up in the chair for the Horah
Chloe up in the chair for the Horah
There was lots of great music for dancing and giveaways that guests enjoyed
The dance floor prizes were a big hit especially the color-changing straws and furry light-up snowballs
Guests enjoyed the photo booth especially the wonderful people Mom Jill works with at M&M The Special Events Company!
The theme continued right up until the end of this celebration. Some of the great dessert options included: Frrrozen Hot Chocolate from Serendipity 3 (flown in from NY)
There was also Baked by Melissa Cupcakes (also flown in from NY!)
Liquid nitrogen, that turned into delicious ice cream, really wowed guests
Cleverly worded labels on the water bottles: “Thanks snow much. It’s been Nice. Please enjoy this melted ice.”
Promotional Product Partners created the drawstring bags and sweatshirts. All of the giveaways matched the theme and color scheme
The back of the sweatshirt favor
What a great memory for two special friends and their families
Chloe and Becca collected holiday games and toys for Toys for Tots
Some advice from Moms Jill and Shoshana:
“We are great friends and after some wine came up with the idea to have our girls’ Bat Mitzvah together. Two great minds that didn’t stop brainstorming (and yes lots of wine!). While the girls were bonding with the Rabbi, the moms had so much fun planning this amazing event. Mom Jill works for M&M The Special Events Company and specializes in designing Mitzvah décor for clients. So when it came to our party, we knew we had to pull out all the stops. Along with my expertise and Shoshana’s very clever ideas; together we were a great team, and it made the process lots of fun!”
The following vendors helped to make Leah’s celebration extremely special. If you give any of them a call, please let them know you read about their services on MitzvahMarket.com. – See more at: https://mitzvahmarket.com/mitzvah-spotlight/family/the-glaser-family-bat-mitzvah-spotlight/#sthash.QJfWqxTx.dpuf
The following vendors helped to make Chloe and Becca’s celebration extremely special. If you give any of them a call, please let them know you read about their services on MitzvahMarket.com.
Venue: Marriott Lincolnshire Resort, 847-634-0100
Party Planner: Jamie Joffe, 708-799-9383
Music Entertainment: MC Johnny B, Revelation Productions, 847-564-9944
Photographer/Videographer: Lee, Lee Ross Photography, 847-786-4400
Décor/Florist: Mom Jill, M&M Special Events Company, 630-514-1530
Invitation/Mug/Hot Chocolate: Zazzle.com
Ice sculpture: Jeannie, Art Below Zero, 414-779-7000
Entrance Video: Xpress Video Production, 224-723-5111
Sweatshirt/Drawstring Bags: Michael, Promotional Products Partners, 847-970-9797
Sign-In: Books made by Moms
Party entertainment: Hal or Wayne, PhotoBooth Time, 847-220-4878
Below Zero Frozen Dessert: Wonka Desserts, 224-802-2222
Cupcakes: Baked by Melissa, 212-842-0220
Mitzvah Exit treat: Aunt Annie’s Pretzels
Frrrozen Hot Chocolate: Serendipity 3, 212-838-3531
Bat Mitzvah girl dresses: Peaches Boutique, 773-582-0102
Hair/makeup: Melissa, ZaZa, 847-793-1111
September 7th, 2015
Hayley celebrated her Bat Mitzvah in April, 2014.
For her Mitzvah Project, she designed bracelets that she sold to help Summer Camp Opportunities Promote Education (SCOPE).
Hayley understands the importance of camp and wanted to share the camp experience with kids who might not be able to go due to financial hardships. An 8th grade Honor Roll student, Hayley raised over $3,000 for SCOPE combining her passion for community service, summer camp, and design to create an original SCOPE bracelet for sale. She was also honored last month with the SCOPE Leadership Award and Jefferson Award at SCOPE’s annual New York Benefit Dinner.
This non-profit organization provides children in need the edge to succeed in life through the summer camp experience. They provide camp scholarships for children in need to attend overnight summer camps. They are also very involved in helping with Mitzvah Projects allowing Bar and Bat Mitzvah students to be directly responsible for giving to kids who otherwise couldn’t afford the chance to experience the magic of camp.
MM: Can you give us details of your Mitzvah Project?
HC: For my Mitzvah Project, I designed and sold “SCOPE” bracelets to raise money and help send children to summer camp.
Hayley’s design
MM: Does your project have a start and end date, if so what are they?
HC: I completed my Mitzvah Project, but I continue to find new ways to raise funds for SCOPE like selling SCOPE T-shirts.
MM: Why did you decide to take on this particular project?
HC: My father has been very involved with SCOPE over the years and I have learned a lot about SCOPE’s mission. Summer camp has always been a very important part of my life. Because of my own personal experiences at camp, it became important for me to share this opportunity with children who are less fortunate and for kids to have fun during the summer.
MM: In your own words, what does it mean to you to do a Mitzvah Project for your Bat Mitzvah?
HC: For me, doing a Mitzvah Project means giving back to the community.
Hayley was presented with the SCOPE Leadership Award and Jefferson Award on April 16, 2015 at SCOPE’s annual New York Benefit Dinner
MM: If your project involved a donation, what are you doing to spreading the word?
HC: To spread the word, I have used email and social media (Instagram and Facebook).
MM: How long can people donate to this charity?
HC: You can donate to SCOPE at any time!
MM: Anything else we need to know about your Mitzvah Project?
HC: Helping to send children to camp through the sale of my bracelets made me feel very good about my choice for a Mitzvah Project. Because of this, I decided to continue fundraising for SCOPE after my B’nai Mitzvah. This year, I designed and sold t-shirts for SCOPE. I hope to continue doing these types of projects to support SCOPE in the future.
We thank Hayley for sharing her great Mitzvah Project with our readers.
For additional information about Scope you can visit their Website or Facebook page.
September 7th, 2015
By Carrie Berk
I’m an 8th grader and live on the Upper East Side in NY. I love fashion, soul cycle, theater, hanging out with friends, and cupcakes (I have a blog on them). My home over the summer is Camp Hillard where I serve as a CIT with my best friends. My Bat Mitzvah project is for my old dance teacher and friend, Elizabeth Maria Walsh, who died of a rare form of cancer at just 26 years old. Direct message me on Instagram (@carrieberkk) for information on how to donate, and follow me for sick Bat Mitzvah photos!
When I recently got the evite to Jessi Finkelstein’s Bat Mitzvah, I knew I was in for a “wild” time!
Jessi and Carrie at her celebration
The venue was the Brooklyn Zoo NY, so a lot of guests (including me!) expected we would be surrounded by animals. Instead, it was a cool graffittied parkour gym with breathtaking views of New York City.
The service was held upstairs in a space surrounded by floor to ceiling windows.
There were Havdalah spices that were given out to guests as we listened to Jessi chant her Torah portion
Guests sat at long tables with white benches
Once the service was over, the kids went downstairs and on to a bouncy floored lounge with blowup couches.
It was uber modern, and was even more fun when the disco lights turned on and lit the space in a swirl of colored dots. We got black sunglasses to wear as we walked around.
There was also a photo booth in front of the graffiti wall–the photos were printed out with Jessi’s logo on them
There was a pizza truck outside the space where you could customize your own slice, as well as dig into penne alla vodka and caesar salad, all of Jessi’s favorite foods. Once the dinner was over, we arrived downstairs to many surprises.
We were told to get in a circle while a special break dance squad burst into the room. The dancers spun on their heads, right in front of our eyes! There was even a guy who bounced off of the bouncy floor back to a platform that was fifty feet off the ground! Jessi got a chance to jump off of the platform, and so did we!
This party truly represented Jessi’s personality: laid-back, city-cool and infused with the best Big Apple fun!
Vendors
Photographer: Kelvin Almonte, Venue: Brooklyn Zoo NY, DJ: X-Ray; Dress: Guess; Pizza Truck: Jiannetto’s
Read more of Carrie’s blog posts:
Blog #1 here
Blog #2 here
September 7th, 2015
During the summer of 2014, Andrew Khafif and his family were all set to travel to Israel to celebrate his Bar Mitzvah when their plans suddenly changed. Two weeks before their scheduled trip, they made the difficult decision to cancel due to unrest in the area.
Mom Leslie quickly shifted gears and within days had a 3 week trip planned to Italy instead. As an added bonus, they were able to see family they had never met who helped Andrew celebrate a Kosher style Bar Mitzvah Italian style!
Although Andrew called their Italy trip, “an event of a lifetime,” he mentioned to his Mom that he missed their special Mother/Son dance and hearing his Dad’s speech. This stuck with Leslie, who is part of a big family. When she realized that Passover is the one time during the year this large extended family gets together, the wheels were set in motion.
With family members calling her crazy, she set out to surprise Andrew with a Bar Mitzvah in the backyard during Passover. No one could believe what she pulled off.
We are excited to share this surprise Bar Mitzvah celebration with our readers!
Pictured above L-R: Brother Theo, brother Sammy, Dad Albert, Mom Leslie, Sister Emma, Bar Mitzvah boy Andrew.
During their trip to Italy, the family all wore matching t-shirts in honor of Andrew’s Bar Mitzvah. With family enjoying an annual traditional seder inside, a tent was waiting in the backyard for the fun to begin.
Three variations of an invitation were sent to family and friends. Those invited to Leslie’s usual Seder were asked to wear jeans and a white long sleeve shirt. Andrew was told that his Uncle and cousin, who led the service, thought it would be fun to have everyone wearing the same thing.
Andrew’s Uncle and cousin lead the service
Notice everyone in their white shirts!
As the Seder was ending (and guests were arriving outside), the young cousins took Andrew to the basement to look for the afikomen.
Guests were waiting for Andrew’s arrival dressed in their #andrewfest t-shirts
Blindfolded, Andrew enters the tent for his big surprise!
It worked and he was shocked!!!
Once Andrew arrived, the fun began with MC Deano.
All guests got into the action!
Deano performs!
There were blackjack tables
Andrew with his MC and dancers all in #andrewfest shirts
Up in the chair for the Horah
Guests looked on as Andrew got his two special moments.
His Mother/Son dance with Mom Leslie
His Dad’s speech
Everyone loved the food from Miraj Healthy Grill.
Mom Leslie also created a candy bar
Andrew got another surprise when his cake was cut. It was a Mazipan cake which is his favorite! The cake was from Spiga Bakery
Mom Leslie got creative since this celebration was during Passover.
One of the owners of Streits Matzo provided matzo & matzo boxes
A duffle bag, with the logo “Always Killin It” was inside the Matzo boxes
The following vendors helped to make Andrew’s surprise Bar Mitzvah a huge success. If you give any a call, please let them know you read about their services on MitzvahMarket.com.
Music Entertainment/Photography/Tent: PartyGroove NYC, Deano Tracey, 516-782-2549
Food: Miraj Healthy Grill, 516-747-3181
Favors: Susan Gordon, And That, 516-567-7645
Cake: Spiga Bakery, 516-218-3242
September 2nd, 2015
A tennis themed Bar or Bat Mitzvah is a great way to share your child’s love of the sport with family and friends.
With the U.S. Open tennis tournament starting this week in Flushing, Queens, New York, it was the perfect time to look back at some great tennis Bar Bat Mitzvah ideas.
Let Mitzvah Market serve as your inspiration to ace your special day. Here are a few of our favorites.
The light-up bar featured silhouettes of a boy playing tennis and skiing, two of Jack’s favorites! To see more about this dual sport celebration, click here
For the traditional candle lighting ceremony, Fos Decor created a custom built acrylic table displaying hundreds of
tennis balls. To see more of this celebration, click here
A R.S.V.P. that includes tennis lingo from Proper Notice. To see more tennis themed invitations from this company, click here
The Backalar family celebrated their daughter’s Bat Mitzvah with a tennis themed celebration including the kippot! To see more of this party, click here
An “H” for Haylie, dotted with mini tennis balls added to the bar decor. To read more about the Laff celebration, click here
For the Zapken Bar Mitzvah, the cake, created by Morrell Caterers, was in the shape of a tennis court. To see more of this Bar Mitzvah, click here
This colorful tennis themed Bat Mitzvah invitation from TheCoolestgiveaways.com featured clever sayings such as, “You’ve Been Served”
Did your child’s Bar or Bat Mitzvah celebration have a tennis theme? Let us know at info@mitzvahmarket.com.
August 30th, 2015
More and more, Mitzvah Moms turn to Etsy.com “shops” for unique special touches for their child’s Bar Bat Mitzvah celebrations.
Whether you are looking for unique clothing or accessories, decor, invitations, custom food and more, Etsy has become a go-to destination for out-of-the-ordinary products.
Here are some past Mitzvah Family Spotlight stories and creative ways our Mitzvah Moms have used Etsy for their Bar Bat Mitzvah celebrations:
Mad Libs was used as this Bat Mitzvah sign-in. It was designed by Cami’s Paperie on Etsy.com. To read more about this Bat Mitzvah, click here
Emma is wearing an additional three-tiered removable over-skirt that Mom Hollee had custom-made by a designer she found on Etsy. To read more about the Becker Bat Mitzvah, click here
The Glaser family lived in Japan when daughter Leah celebrated her Bat Mitzvah. As a special gift, Leah received custom-made silver tallit clips with a sakura flower (cherry blossom) that was the symbol of the ward they lived in while in Japan. They were created by the Etsy shop, KanoaPureSilver. To read more about this Bat Mitzvah, click here
For this camp themed Bar Mitzvah, guests were shown their seats by little tree stumps found on Etsy.com. To read more about Camp Mitchell, click here
The Kaufman Bar Mitzvah had a boardwalk theme. Place cards were made by The Fancy Lady Gourmet on Etsy.com. To read more about this Bar Mitzvah, click here
The Frankel family had customized marshmallows created by FeteSetter on Etsy.com. To read more about this Bat Mitzvah, click here
Did you have a clever find from Etsy.com? Let us know at info@mitzvahmarket.com.
August 30th, 2015
The Dictrow family from Marlboro, New Jersey, celebrated their daughter Sydney’s Bat Mitzvah with a Havdalah service at Congregation Ohev Shalom in Marlboro, New Jersey.
Not even a snow storm could prevent this family from having a sophisticated and “Sydsational” reception at Temple B’nai Tikvah in North Brunswick, New Jersey.
We featured sister Jordan’s “An ExJORDANary Evening” and we couldn’t believe it was already sister Sydney’s turn!
Pictured L-R: Dad Adam, Mom Debbie, younger sister Ryan, Bat Mitzvah girl Sydney and older sister Jordan.
Joe Siracusa of JS Photography, Inc. was the photographer and the rest of the vendors are listed at the end of the spotlight.
Mitzvah Invitation, Service & Style
When it came time to choose the invitation, the family returned to Cindi of Simply Invitations and Party Planning. They chose a custom white card with a turquoise border on the front. The back featured words describing Sydney. Sydney’s special night started with a beautiful Havdalah service at Congregation Ohev Shalom.
Guests were asked to dress "Formal & Fabulous"
The RSVP stamp
Reading from the prayer book
Sydney with her mom and dad holding the Torah
Handmade yarmulkes and head coverings made with love by her Bubby and Grammy
Even with a snow storm outside, this family knows how to be stylish! Mom Debbie, Bat Mitzvah girl Sydney and older sister Jordan were beautifully dressed in gowns from Diane & Co. Little sister Ryan looked amazing in her gown from Macis Designs. Dad Adam wore his own tuxedo
In her gown, Sydney wrote her name in the snow...we love that!
Mitzvah Details
There was no set theme for this celebration, but they did incorporate three words which are important to Sydney: “Smile, Hope and Dream,” which also happen to be her initials. The family wanted a continuation from sister Jordan’s “An ExJORDANary Evening” and came up with “SYDsational.” For their decor, Mom Debbie once again called in Phyllis Skolnick of Extraordinary Productions who worked on sister Jordan’s Bat Mitzvah.
The gobo projected on the Temple wall and was seen by guests as they entered
This clear plexi-glass structure served as the escort table which included custom decals and colorful votive candles
Continuing with the circle theme, each place card was in a circle of blue water
Sydney posed in her lounge area
Votive candles and tall clear vases added a warm glow to the room
The room was filled with love and warmth despite the snow outside
Cocktail napkins with written text: "Sydney," "Smile, Hope, Dream," and "Sydsational"
Finishing touches included custom chargers at each adult place setting
Guests enjoyed the heartfelt "Thank You" note at their place setting
Dad Adam works for PR Newswire, an industry leader in communication services. "Congratulations on becoming a Bat Mitzvah. You are Sydsational!" lit up the corner on Times Square a few weeks prior to her special day
Her sign-in board featured the photo that was used in Times Square
Music & Entertainment
MC Brian and his team from Pure Energy Entertainment kept guests dancing all night.
Dad Adam entertained the crowd on the dance floor
Sydney and her friends posed on the risers
Sydney was the center of attention surrounded by her friends
Sydney, her sisters and guests all enjoyed some hair bling!
Here a young guest gets her hair braided. The glass tables used in this area featured color collages of Sydney throughout her 13 years, created by Mom Debbie. She got this idea from the
Weilheimer Family Spotlight featured on MitzvahMarket.com
Mitzvah Exit Treat & Favor
Top Elements created Sydney’s favors for her friends.
A tote bag given to each of Sydney's guests
This beautiful logo was used on back of the zippered sweatshirt favor for the girls. The inside of the hoodie was also imprinted with "Smile, Hope, Dream." The boys received pullover hoodies with a vintage logo
Everyone got to enjoy some goodies for the car ride home from Godfather Catering Party Truck
The last of the Dictrow girls, Ryan's Bat Mitzvah in 2017
Mitzvah Project
For her Mitzvah Project, Syd chose Cleats 4 Kids due to her passion for soccer and Kicking 4 Celiac Foundation because her grandfather has Celiac Disease. With the help of her friends, through texts, emails and Facebook, Syd collected over 118 pair of cleats. She was so excited to help get more kids on the soccer field!
Syd with cleats she collected
Mom to Mom
Some Mom to Mom advice from Deb:
“Planning another Bat Mitzvah the second time around was definitely easier! It’s important to feel confident with the vendors you choose and rely on them to make it all work. Be detail-oriented, every little detail counts. Enjoy the moment, appreciate friends and family that all came to celebrate this important milestone. The night goes so fast but the memory is forever! Sydney wanted snow and she got it! It not only snowed for pictures the week before, but it snowed again for her party… that was stressful. Ice scrapers were a last minute idea and Thank God everyone made it safely to her celebration and back home! It was formal, fabulous and Sydsational, just the way we hoped!”
Vendor Directory
The following vendors helped to make Sydney’s celebration special. If you give any a call, please make sure they know you read about their services on MitzvahMarket.com.
Venue: Congregation B’nai Tikvah, 732-297-0696
Catering: Classical Caterers, 732-297-6444
Party Planner: Phyliss Skolnick, Extraordinary Productions, 732-308-3080
Photographer: Joe Siracusa, JS Photography Inc, 718-967-6912
Videographer: Michael Scoblete, 347-539-9568
Music Entertainment: MC Brian, Pure Energy Entertainment, 732-536-8991
Cocktail Hour Music: Pure Energy Entertainment
Favors: Top Elements, 732-972-8290
Décor/florist/lounge furniture: Extraordinary Productions, 732-308-3080
Invitation/menu/thank you notes: Cindi, Simply Invitations & Party Planning, 732-617-7211
Party entertainment: Photo favors, Pure Energy Entertainment, 732-536-8991
Tattoos: Tattoos by Bernadine Ferrari, 973-299-9146
Custom Cake: Classical Caterers
Times Square Signage: PR Newswire, 800-776-8090
Candy truck: Dennis, Godfather Catering, 516-790-5288
Dresses for Mom, Sydney and sister Jordan: Diane and Company, 732-635-8001
Ryan’s dress: Macis Designs, 732-246-2988
Hair/Hair bling and crystals for party: Studio 455 Salon, 732-972-9890
Makeup: Melanie Kotes, 732-456-1897
Transportation: First Class Limousine, 732-972-3200
Party Bus: V.E.I Limousine, 732-441-9400
Kids Transportation: Shamrock Bus Company, 732-787-1113
August 26th, 2015
Every Bar and Bat Mitzvah celebration is full of special moments.
Here are some party details that are fast becoming new traditions at many Bar and Bat Mitzvah events.
Incorporate some, or all of them, and add your own creativity to make your child’s celebration something your family and friends will remember for years to come.
GRAND ENTRANCES
Why not have the guest of honor enter the party in style, depending on your theme or budget? You can create a memorable entrance with a real red carpet, an arch of balloons or flowers or even a doorway decorated to look like a larger than life book so everyone steps into a fairy tale. Kids have entered their party on Segways, skateboards or held aloft on a surfboard. You can involve your child’s friends and other guests to form a welcoming crowd that showers them with confetti sticks or greets them with a colorful array of ribbon wands. Just make sure your child wants to be introduced with such fanfare or if they’d rather have something a little lower key.
See grand entrances here
UNIQUE ENTRANCE VIDEOS
These are all the rage as families create a video to start the party off. Some are stories of how the child got to this day or adventures in the big city ending with the Bar/Bat Mitzvah child entering the room as if they just stepped out of the screen or storyline. Some videos even place the child into his or her favorite movie or TV show or show celebrities sending congratulatory shout-outs.
See creative entrance videos here
CANDLE LIGHTING
The formal candle lighting ceremony has become a tradition at many parties as a way to honor all the relatives and friends who came to celebrate with you or have particular meaning to your child. But these days many people are going way beyond the standard 13 candles in a cake and finding alternative and creative ways to honor those most dear to them, giving a new spin on a traditional idea. So why not try something that fits with your theme, your child’s passions or just to be different from everyone else? Try floating candles, a “cooking” candle lighting where everyone comes up to add ingredients into a bowl to create the cake, or even 13 cupcakes. Or forgo the whole “candles” idea and do a video that honors each person or group with a tribute.
See creative candle lighting displays here
MONTAGE
For many families this is the highlight of the party and there’s often not a dry eye in the place as 13 years of memories are compressed into 10 minutes of screen time. You can make the montage funny or sentimental, or a little bit of both, complete with scanned photos, video clips, music and more. Add interviews with elderly grandparents and you have an instant family heirloom that will long be cherished! If you are hiring an expert to create a tribute for you, they’ll tell you how many photos you need and help you choose the music to tell your child’s story. If you are doing it yourself, the standard length is from 10 to 15 minutes; longer and you’ll lose people’s interest. Figure you’ll need about 100 to 150 photos. And be sure to start working on it at least six months in advance even if you are hiring an expert and your only job is to choose the photos; even that takes longer than you think.
ROCK THE RECEPTION
The Learning Channel’s “Rock the Reception” show has inspired many a family to add this as an extra treat at the party. This can involve anything from getting all your child’s friends to practice beforehand to learn a dance routine to be performed as a surprise for your guests. Or even a special father/daughter dance choreographed for the occasion. Or how about the Bar/Bat Mitzvah family doing a Gangnam Style routine! The sky’s the limit here. Ask your entertainment company if they can help or hire a local dance student to put the polish on your steps.
Watch this Rock The Reception surprise dance here
Did you have a special Mitzvah Moment at your child’s celebration? Let us know at info@MitzvahMarket.com.
