How to ELEVATE Your Bar Mitzvah & Bat Mitzvah Desserts
August 17th, 2019

How to ELEVATE Your Bar Mitzvah & Bat Mitzvah Desserts

Let’s face it, dessert is right up there with swag as the best part of a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah celebration. From carnival-inspired cotton candy to decadent creme brulee, a sweet treat is what guests look forward to at the end of a long Bar or Bat Mitzvah celebration. The party planners at Elevate Event Lounge in Yorktown Heights, New York, have raised the (dessert!) bar even higher with their signature “Sugar Rush Light-Up Carts” for Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. These one-of-a-kind light-up carts can be customized in any color along with graphics and signage to fit your theme.

Offering everything from an LED Light-Up Donut Wall, Sweet Cereal Bar and Waffle Bar, to Churros and Custom Dipped Cannolis, they’ll make your sweetest dreams come true. These awesome indulgences can be enjoyed at your event, or bagged up to take home. Plus: all dessert stations can be customized with your signage!

Get Your Sweet On!

To learn more about how Elevate Event Lounge can make your Bar or Bat Mitzvah unique, visit their profile page in the Vendor Directory.

Mitzvah Market Magazine: Weaving a Family Heirloom A Tallit To Treasure
August 11th, 2019

Mitzvah Market Magazine: Weaving a Family Heirloom A Tallit To Treasure

By Bethany Kandel

When Jacob Solomon stands on the bimah to read from the Torah for his Bar Mitzvah on February 5, 2022, he will be wearing a very special tallit. In fact, although he’s only nine-years-old, he’s already helped design and weave it himself, with his siblings, parents and grandparents. Even his 92-year-old great grandmother wove a few lines.

Pictured above: Mom Laurie at work.

The Livingston, N.J., family began creating this labor of love for Jacob, along with a tallit for his 5-year-old brother, Liam — who won’t be Bar Mitzvahed until 2026 — and a challah covering for his 7-year-old sister, Marisa. They started years in advance to make sure all their loved ones were able to participate.

“I felt it was important for them to have something to cherish forever,” says Jacob’s mom, Laurie Solomon, who came up with project. “I could have bought a tallit in the store and that would be totally fine, but this adds another layer of meaning about the importance of Judaism and family, too.” Besides, she says, she likes the idea of giving her children a beautiful heirloom to which all the important people in their lives have contributed. “It’ll make them think of us when we’re not all around someday.”

Hand weaving a personalized tallit has been a tradition in Solomon’s family. She and her family wove a tallit for her older brother Carey’s Bar Mitzvah in 1986. The original weaver they worked with had since passed away. Another weaver suggested she contact Neve Shalom Synagogue in Metuchen, NJ, where three years ago, the sisterhood created a “loom room” with a donated loom. There, congregants, students and visitors have woven close to 100 tallit, tefillin bags and matzah and challah covers with the guidance of trained volunteers.

“The beauty of this is that you are creating a Judaica heirloom that is totally customized, will last a lifetime and that you created yourself,” says Cory Schneider, founder of the Neve Shalom loom room. She has personally created tallitot for her three sons, friends, other relatives and several grandchildren. “Every time a child puts on hand-woven tallit, they will remember the participation of their family members, living and passed. When you’re wrapped in it, it’s like being hugged by them.”

Solomon began making the three-hour roundtrip to Neve Shalom several times a week to get the bulk of the weaving going. Soon she was spending up to four hours at a time working on the various projects. “It was relaxing. Some days I’d drop the kids off at school, drive there and spend the whole day weaving. The only reason I stopped was that I had to pick up the kids from school. I got in the groove.”

On weekends, she began bringing her children and various family members to weave so everyone was represented. Even her five-year-old would painstakingly add a few threads to his and his brother’s tallitots. The boys chose contrasting colors: Jacob’s tallit has a white background with five blue stripes representing the five members of their immediate family; Liam’s has a blue background with five white stripes.

In total, Solomon estimates, they spent more than 65 hours on the projects. “I enjoyed the process and was sad when it was done.”

“It’s so special,” says Jacob’s grandma, Lois Solomon, who loved being included. “Everyone had a hand in it. Laurie knows who did what lines; someday when I’m not here, she can point to them and say ‘This was done by Grandma Lois.’ That makes it much more significant. A piece of me will always be here with them.”

Jacob agrees: “It’s a good memory,” he says. And of his treasured tallit, “I’ll save it forever.”

After removing the tallitot from the loom, they will each be attached to an atarah (neckband) embroidered with their Hebrew names and the names of their parents, and four corners with Jewish stars. The family will complete them by hand-tying the tzitzit, or knotted fringe.

Then the two finished tallitot will go into their matching woven pouches, waiting patiently for each boy’s Bar Mitzvah day.

What is a tallit?

The tallit is a four-cornered prayer shawl with specially knotted fringes called tzitzit. The tzitzit are a visual reminder of God’s commandments. Men and women are traditionally wrapped in the tallit when they pray or read from the Torah. Boys and girls usually receive their tallit in preparation for their Bar/Bat Mitzvah and often they are handed down from generation to generation.

Here are some ways to create your own hand-crafted tallit:

• To learn more about the Neve Shalom weaving program, contact Cory Schneider, 717-574-1807
or email, corstan65@gmail.com, www.neveshalom.net/sisterhood

• There is also a loom room at the JCC of Wyoming Valley in WilkesBarre,
PA, 570-824-4656 x:237, www.jewishwilkesbarre.org/activities/programming/tallisweavingatthejcc

• Pennsylvania Rabbi Rayzel Raphael makes personalized silkpainted tallit. She also holds workshops where you can make your own. shechinah.com/shechinahsilks.html. For more information 215-782-1221.

• Look on Etsy.com for customized tallit. Many artists will incorporate your design, colors and materials to make a one-of-a-kind prayer shawl.



Get a copy of Mitzvah Market Magazine here.

Custom Graphics & Decor Make a Splash at Pool Party Theme Bar Mitzvah
August 11th, 2019

Custom Graphics & Decor Make a Splash at Pool Party Theme Bar Mitzvah

Counterpoint Graphics Event Decor specializes in original designs to bring a unique spin to your Bar or Bat Mitzvah celebration. Recently they worked with a family living abroad, who had a dream of a stateside pool party themed Bar Mitzvah reception for their son.

Design began with the logo of the Bar Mitzvah boy’s name, Mitchell, spelled out in a combination of fonts and pool theme objects that resembled letters in his name – a Tiki torch for the I, a beach umbrella for the T, bent pool noodles for the C, an inflatable floral E and two side view sand chairs for the letter Ls. This whimsical logo, featured on the invitation, sign-in pillow, candle lighting display, sticker and thank you note, became the jumping off point for the fun, beachy party at the Heritage Hotel in Southbury, Connecticut.

Splashing Decor

For more information about Counterpoint Graphics Event Decor, visit their profile page in our Vendor Directory.

You can also ask questions and get advice about unique event decor in our regional Bar Bat Mitzvah planning groups on Facebook. Join here.

Mitzvah Market Magazine: Moms Tell All
August 3rd, 2019

Mitzvah Market Magazine: Moms Tell All

Preparing for a Bar or Bat Mitzvah is a lot of work for both the child, who is learning to read Torah, and the parents, who are designing a celebration of the event. But there is no need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to party planning. You can always get some great advice from others who have been there/done that. Check out our Mitzvah Market regional Facebook groups for tips from others in your community or general advice from those with experience.

Here are some of our favorite tips from our Mitzvah Moms about what’s important and what’s not:

Give A Gift With Meaning
Every time I give a Bar or Bat Mitzvah gift I also include a blank check for $50 for the child to send to a charity of their choosing. This way they get to think about donating to a cause that means something to them. One girl gave it to an organization that was fundraising for a disease that one of her friends was fighting and another boy gave it to a breast cancer charity in honor of his mother. The kids get so many gifts. They appreciate this because it makes them think a little. It’s a lot better than me saying: ‘I made a donation to a cause I care about’ in their name. Why not let them choose? After all, that’s what becoming a Bar/Bat Mitzvah is all about.
– Donna Bernstein

Get Organized
I know it’s a Mitzvah Market thing itself…but the Mitzvah Organizer was the best tool/purchase I made. I used it for both my kids. That, and starting thank you notes as soon as they begin receiving gifts. Finish all those before the Bar/Bat Mitzvah and then all they have to worry about are the ones from the weekend.
– Dorey Krinsky Kappel

Make Memories
Looking back to my kids’ B’nai Mitzvah (they are boy and girl twins), there are not many regrets that come to mind. It was a joyous service and celebration. The one thing I can tell families is to stick to what is good for you and your kids. Do not feel pressure to do anything out of your comfort zone, financially or otherwise. Our culture puts a lot of pressure on us not only to keep up, but to surpass everyone else with whatever we are doing. When it is all said and done, it is you, your kids and your bank account. And the most important memories will not revolve around how much money you spent on centerpieces.
– Kori Rehfield

Be Your Own Trendsetter
Don’t let the latest trends sway your budget or you/your child’s taste and/or comfort level.
– Robin Hochroth

Make The Party About Your Child
Make sure the party is all about your child, not just what the parents want. My sister hated her Bat Mitzvah because it was more like my mom wanted to make a party and invite all her friends instead of a celebration of my sister and what and who she liked. Use your child’s interests and hobbies to make it their special day. If your child is very shy, they may not like a big party. If your child is very artistic, use one of their drawings on the invitation. It personalizes it and makes the kid feel great because it’s really all about them and their talents.
– Leora Lambert

Do What’s Meaningful For Your Family
I highly recommend the Monday morning Bar or Bat Mitzvah; shorter service, none of the Shabbat restrictions. Serve brunch to everybody; go home. Keep your eye on what is important about the event for your family. Is it about the religious observance? Is it about being with your family? Is it about sharing with as many people as you can, or just with a few close friends and family? That is the place to start planning. If you are unsure that something is necessary (band, photo booth, benchers, party favors, inviting coworkers, whatever…) then it’s probably not. Take a lot of pictures.
– Lynn Cohen Berman

Create A Timeline
Work with your DJ and/or party planner to create an event timeline and give it to all your vendors so everyone is on the same page. This way the DJ knows when to play quieter music during the meal and when to rev things up. The caterer knows when to wheel out the cake, etc. It will make the whole event go smoothly.
– Rachel Fishbein

Celebrate The Inner Journey
Keep directing the Bar/Bat Mitzvah to their inner journey, what’s meaningful to them, while setting specific times to learn together, using the Torah or some other touchstone, as it will relate to the big day. It’s not just a party, but a time to grow and bond.
– Sheila Kaufman-Lewis

Hire A Helper
I wish I had hired someone to help me with the details on the day of the event. Someone who could make sure the centerpieces were straight, collect gifts, ask the DJ to play certain songs, etc. Not a party planner, just another helping hand. Even an organized college student would work.
– Jennifer Unter

Be Prepared
Have the tips and payments ready to go and labeled in envelopes before the day starts.
– Michele Erenfryd Minick

Get Your Child Involved
Ask your kid about all aspects of the service and party. A whole year before the big day, we sat down and discussed whether he just wanted an aliyah, or if he wanted to prepare to read from the Torah. Once he said he wanted to read from the Torah, we discussed how much he was going to read. He also said he wanted to give a speech in front of the extended family on Friday night, rather than before the entire congregation the following day. We made a plan for how he would prepare the reading and the speech, and he stuck to it. Also, I narrowed down the invitation selection to three, then showed those to him. He picked the one he liked best. Ask them what foods they want served at lunch or kiddush. When we called the caterer, they had several selections for the package we purchased. We ran the dishes by our son, and he let us know which items he and his friends would enjoy the most. When it came to the cake, he had a particular flavor combination that he wanted quite badly. The more affordable bakeries did not offer either the icing flavor or the cake flavor he wanted, so we asked him if he wanted to serve pastries instead, and which ones. We asked his feedback on other aspects of the Bar Mitzvah, too. It’s important to ask your child and get their input. Becoming Bar or Bat Mitzvah means they are taking responsibility for their spiritual life. If we plan and execute every detail of their lives for them, how will they learn to take responsibility? Also, preparing to read Torah, lead part of a service, speak in front of people, learning the obligations of adult Jews — these are all tasks that require time and effort from them. If they help decide what they want the final product to look like, kids are more willing to spend the time and effort on making it a reality.
– Rebecca Klempner

Plan Your Photos
Give the photographer a list of photos to be sure to take. We never got a great family photo with the four of us because we were so busy making sure our daughter was photographed with everyone else.
– Jane Hiriam

Enjoy The Moment
Take a minute or two to stand in the back of the room and take it all in. Look at your child, friends, and family and enjoy the moment. It goes by very quickly!
– Mindy J. Schmidt

Make It About Your Child
#1: It shouldn’t be all about the party. #2: The party should be all about them…a party for them and their friends, not a big dinner dance for all the parents’ friends.
– Keren David

 

Get your free copy here

Transforming A Bar Bat Mitzvah Venue: Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment
July 28th, 2019

Transforming A Bar Bat Mitzvah Venue: Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment

If you’re looking for a flexible event space near NYC that can easily be turned into the Bar or Bat Mitzvah venue of your dreams, check out Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment in East Rutherford, NJ. Their in-house events team are experts at transforming spaces. With several state-of-the-art event venues to accommodate anywhere from 200-500 guests, their all-inclusive event experience offers custom lounge-style furniture, plasma TVs, dramatic lighting, A/V and gourmet catering on site. Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment special event planners will work with you to create an unforgettable celebration.

Read on to see some incredible before and after photos from recent Mitzvah celebrations.

Total Transformations

To learn more about the Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment, visit their extended profile page in our Vendor Directory. 

 

Mitzvah Costs: The Complete Checklist
July 21st, 2019

Mitzvah Costs: The Complete Checklist

When you begin to plan your child’s Bar or Bat Mitzvah celebration, it’s helpful to sit down and come up with a budget. That usually begins with a list of the various Vendors you will need to make your celebration special. Something similar to the below:

Catering Hall/Venue
Kiddush
DJ
Photo favors
Photographer and Videographer
Invitations
Centerpieces/Decor
Sign-in Board
Favors
Yarmulkes
Clothes for family
Hair/Make Up

But what about all the other hidden costs you might not be thinking about? We sat down with some Mitzvah Moms who have already been through the planning process and they recommend that you remember to think about the following when planning your budget!

Lots of tipping – Many venues, entertainment companies and florists will provide you with a list of suggested tips for their staff. This is sometimes a surprise and not something you included in your budget.

Your favors – They are ordered and look great, but then you realize you want to present them in a bag of some type with tissue paper. This is an extra cost that can come up unexpectedly.

Labels/Waterbottles – Hopefully your children can make their own labels on the computer, but you might need to buy cases of water bottles so your guests won’t be thirsty on the ride home! Read more: DIY Water Bottle Labels

Place cards – If you are having calligraphy done for your place cards, don’t forget to factor in this added cost. Get inspired with these place card ideas.

Stamps/postage – After you approve the text and design of your invitation, your child might talk you into a matching customized stamp. To have a stamp that matches your invitation design or with your child’s initials or their photo, could cost double of what postage would be with a regular stamp. Read more: Tips For Custom Stamps

An additional photo session – Many photographers offer a casual portrait session. If you are a family of girls, the hair and make-up bill is something you might not have thought about.

Amenity baskets – This is usually not remembered until the end of your planning. You might want one for the catering hall bathroom and a basket to hold the yarmulkes at your Temple. Many Moms create these themselves, but you still need to buy the items and in some cases the basket and ribbon. Get a Bathroom Basket list.

Insurance – Especially if your child’s party is during the winter months, you might want to consider taking out some party insurance. Do you remember our archived story, Bari’s Bat Mitzvah Blizzard!

Thank you notes – These are sometimes ordered with the invitations, but it is an additional cost and don’t forget about the postage! Get a “thank you” note idea.

Socks – Many of the kids (especially the girls) remove their shoes shortly after arriving at the party. Many Moms buy socks in bulk to have handy for the kids to wear on the dance floor, but don’t be surprised if they are also grabbed by your adult female guests!

Bus Transportation – If your child’s celebration is immediately following your service or if the party is a distance away, you might want to provide bus transportation for the kids. You will need to plan ahead and include this information on your invitations.

Party Security – If your venue doesn’t include this service, you might want to consider hiring outside security so you can enjoy the party knowing that the young guests are being supervised.

End of night treat: Although most parties have terrific dessert buffets, many families choose to have a parting food treat as guests are leaving or a candy buffet with bags. Either way, you need to consider these costs in your budget. Get ideas about Mitzvah Exit Treats.

Limo/Car Service – Another last minute thought is to arrange for your immediate family to get to and from the party via limo or car service. This usually isn’t something that goes into your original budget 1-2 years before your planning begins.

Day after Brunch – Why not continue the celebration the day after with a brunch. Although it might only involve bagels and coffee, it does add up!

We hope you found the above information helpful. Now that we have put you into budget panic mode, you might want to read our archived story, Mitzvah-Nomics: Cost-Saving Tips!

Use this helpful form: Keeping Track of Your Costs.

 

 

Keren Or INC
July 16th, 2019

Keren Or INC

Keren Or Inc. Jerusalem center for Blind Children with Multiple Disabilities addresses the complex needs of children who are both blind or visually impaired and also cognitively, developmentally and or physically disabled

Get to Know Elana Goodridge: Award Winning Bar Bat Mitzvah Photographer
July 14th, 2019

Get to Know Elana Goodridge: Award Winning Bar Bat Mitzvah Photographer

Elana Goodridge is an award winning Bar and Bat Mitzvah Photographer in the New York Metropolitan area. A “fascination with faces and the way people express themselves,” led this NJ mom to develop an interest in photography as a child and ultimately to create a business out of her passion. With more than 15 years’ experience photographing Bar Bat Mitzvahs, Elana Goodridge Photography takes a unique approach to capturing family milestones.

“Events like Mitzvahs and Weddings both include certain ceremonies like candle lighting, cake cutting and speeches. While those moments provide a context and a structure to the event, it’s the emotions that are being experienced that I am drawn to,” explains Goodridge. “One of the unique things about my work is that in those particular moments, I work to capture what the Mitzvah boy or girl and their family are experiencing but then I work to include the reactions from families and friends. By doing that, it creates a greater narrative and allows for reliving that day when looking at the pictures.”

Having worked with hundreds of Bar and Bat Mitzvah families, Goodridge offers sage advice about the big day: “There are so many moving parts to planning an event and it seems that not everything goes according to plan or schedule. That’s when you need to let go and trust that all the work you’ve done leading up to this moment will ensure that those hiccups won’t interfere with the love, joy and happiness of the celebration. Enjoy the day. Celebrate your family because that is by far the most important thing.”

See below for examples of Elana Goodridge Photography’s unique Bar and Bat Mitzvah snapshots.

To learn more about Elana Goodridge Photography visit their extended profile page in our Vendor Directory.

Shalva
July 11th, 2019

Shalva

Shalva provides an all-encompassing range of services for thousands of people in Israel with disabilities from infancy to adulthood and their families.

Long Island Bar Mitzvah Mom Shares Her Tips
July 9th, 2019

Long Island Bar Mitzvah Mom Shares Her Tips

When the Feirman family of Long Island began planning their son Jared’s Bar Mitzvah, they knew mom Michele’s 20+ years of experience as a corporate and non-profit event planner would come in handy. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my career, it’s that vendors can make (or break!) the event,” says Michele. “For Jared’s Bar Mitzvah I interviewed vendors, spoke with friends who had already planned their Mitzvahs and did a ton of online research utilizing Mitzvah planning websites and social media groups. I chose vendors who were creative, responsive and most of all, understood our vision.” 

Feirman’s team of vendors helped to transform the ballroom at North Shore Synagogue into a sleek club-like atmosphere with dramatic lighting and plenty of space for multiple entertainment options for guests. The theme played off of Jared’s initials (JFF), last name, and love of sports. Several taglines, designed by The Coolest Giveaways, really defined the event: “Just Frickin Fun,” “Totally FEIRless” and “No FEIR” were used throughout the reception. Combined with a distinct orange/grey/black color scheme, the result was totally modern and fresh with a just a bit of an urban edge.  The best part of the night? “Being surrounded by friends and family,” says Michele.

A complete list of vendors follows at the end of this spotlight.

Service

FEIRless Decor

Non Stop Action

Memorable Moments

Mitzvah Advice

“Don’t wait until the last minute. Plan ahead, work with well known amazing vendors and everything will run smoothly,” says mom, Michele.

Mitzvah Project

Jared raised more than $4,500 and collected swim goggles for Sunrise Day Camp, a Long Island based day camp for children with cancer and their siblings. Jared visited the camp and raised money via social media. During Jared’s Bar Mitzvah service he discussed how cancer had touched his family and why he in turn wanted to help those affected by the disease.

Vendor Directory

The following vendors helped the Feirman family to create the the Bar Mitzvah celebration of their dreams. If you contact any of them, please let them know you read about their services on Mitzvah Market.

Venue: North Shore Synagogue, 516-226-1460
Caterer: The Standard, 516-226-1460
Event Planner: mom Michele
Music/MC/DJ: ET Events, DJ Showtime, 516-826-6900
Photographer/Videographer: Hi Tech Events, David (photo), Mark (video), 631-923-2260
Montage: Elissa Owen Montages, 617-480-4935
Selfie Booth: Le Selfie Booth, Shobie, 917-856-8912
Favors & Logo Design: The Coolest Giveaways, Sue and TCG Team, 516-439-4303
Blackjack Table and Wheel: Send in the Clowns, Lindsey, 516-962-3691
Invitations/Place Cards/Yarmulkes/Napkins: Designs by Donna, Donna Wexler, 516-379-0655
Cake: Cakes with Character, Jean, 516-935-6924
Decor/Sign-In Board: Dazzling Parties, Barbara, 516-766-1471
Dresses: Eleanor Schain, 718-444-4253 (mom) and Designing Dreams, 516-248-1988 (sister)
Suits: Mur-Lee’s Men & Boys Shop, 516-599-7777
Custom Shirts (boys) & Custom Sports Jacket (dad): Stacy Solow, 516-375-4876
Hair/Makeup: Entourage Salon, Megan (hair), Brittany (makeup), 516-496-1700
Food Truck: Mobile Delights, Steven, 631-786-2657
Transportation: Late Night Chauffeurs, 631-601-7503