July 7th, 2013
When Aaron Fils of Boca Raton, Florida was looking for a Mitzvah Project last year, he had no idea that the one he and his family would choose would teach him about an ancient custom and help out his Jewish community as well.
A student at Congregation Shaarei Kodesh, Aaron spoke with co-president Amy Grossblatt Pessah who suggested that he create a geniza as his Mitzvah Project. A geniza means “hiding place” in Hebrew, and is a depository for holy books and other items that contain God’s name. This ancient ritual dates back several thousand years and was needed for Congregation Shaarei Kodesh’s old prayer books, used Kosher holy books and for tallitot and tefillin.
Grossblatt praised Aaron for his character and tenacity. “He really liked the idea and he ran with it,” she said “It was a long project. It took about a year. Aaron did a great job.”
More than 1,000 books were left after the Conservative synagogue in West Boca Raton gave about 500 prayer books to a fledgling congregation.
“We had to sort all of the books by the year they were published,” said Aaron, who had help from his younger sister and several friends.
“He really stepped up to the plate and achieved a great thing,” Rabbi David Baum said. “He educated our community about what to do. It was a really meaningful experience and more meaningful because it was one of our bar mitzvah students.”
Eternal Light Memorial Gardens in Boynton Beach, Florida provided two ground burial plots for the geniza and two additional plots. “It’s a mitzvah. It’s an honor,” said Darren Shapiro, cemetery general manager. “It was a nice service too.”
Rabbi Baum recited the shehechiyanu, a blessing that thanks God for a particular moment of joy, as he participated in his and the synagogue’s first geniza at the end of May.
“Nobody that was at the geniza ceremony had ever been to one before,” Aaron said. “They thought it was a great experience.”
Aaron’s project is “an indication of his compassion and dedication to Jewish tradition and beliefs, and that items containing the words of God must be “properly put to rest,” said his dad Albert. “I’m very proud that he got involved in this and that it helped out our synagogue and other people,” said Ann Fils, Aaron’s mother.
Aaron will be entering 9th grade at Emanuel G. Rosenblatt High School in the fall.
This article is courtesy of writer David A. Schwartz and the The Florida Jewish Journal.
June 23rd, 2013
Camp Hess Kramer, part of the Wilshire Boulevard Temple Camps was the beautiful setting for this terrific outdoor Bat Mitzvah which celebrated both the natural rustic beauty of Southern California and it’s beaches the Bat Mitzvah girl loves so much.
The event planner was Judi Walley better known in Southern California as founder of Mitzvah Mama Special Events.
Photography by Karen Ard.
The welcome sign to the campgrounds
The Bat Mitzvah girl making her way to the service with the cantor and her friends
The beautiful outdoor bimah among the rocks
The beautiful outdoor bimah among the rocks
The beautiful service surrounded by nature
After the service, the Bat Mitzvah girl arrived to her party in style
The Bat Mitzvah girl making her way in
The Bat Mitzvah girl also loves the beach, so starfish place cards were used
The tables set up for the reception
The beach theme centerpieces
Casual but delicious food
A dessert bar with some beach decor
Everyone received a personalized bag of sweets for the ride home
We thank Karen Ard Photography and Mitzvah Mama Special Events for sharing this wonderful Bat Mitzvah with our readers.
June 19th, 2013
We love getting emails from our readers who want to share their ideas with MitzvahMarket.com.
We recently received an email from Mitzvah Mom Andi Ackerman who lives in Princeton, New Jersey and celebrated her son Alex’s Bar Mitzvah in April 2013.
Here’s what she said: “I did all the decor myself and used EVERY idea from Mitzvah Market! I used a giant letter A and covered it in blue and white York Peppermint Bites (instead of M&M’s) for the candy buffet. I covered a glass cylinder with a B&W image of my son on transparent paper for table numbers. Even the out-of-town boxes were from your Website. I am a huge fan of Mitzvah Market. Thank you for all of your ideas!”
Look for the Ackerman Bar Mitzvah Family Spotlight story soon, but in the meantime, we wanted to share her DIY place card idea. Her son has a great bobblehead collection, so they incorporated these into the party using them for a uniquely personalized place card.
Each photo is of every guest! Andi used Facebook to find photos of the adults and the yearbook for pictures of the kids
The names and table numbers are on the bottom of each bobblehead. To make it more casual, she used only the first names of the adults.
We thank Andi for sharing this great idea with our readers and can’t wait to spotlight the rest of this great Bar Mitzvah soon.
If you have an idea you would like to share with our readers, email us at info@mitzvahmarket.com.
June 12th, 2013
Ann Marie Casey Photography sent in this cool “Seussified” styled Bat Mitzvah!
A love for Dr. Seuss’s colorful drawings, whimsical characters and rhythmical stories were brought to life in honor of Sophie’s Bat Mitzvah.
This celebration took place at the Merion Tribute House in Merion, Pennsylvania. As you will see below, along with Sophie’s guests, there were many characters from the “Fox and the Socks,” “The Lorax” and “The Cat and the Hat” on hand to celebrate.
Anne Marie Casey was the photographer, All Around Entertainment provided the music, decor by Campbell Studios and the cake was created by Truly Custom Cakes.
The family at the entrance welcoming their guests
The Fox, in his socks, showing guests the way
Guests had a choice “To There” or “To Here”
Sophie becomes part of the whimsical decor
The room was set up with round adult tables in one area and dais seating for the kids
Sophie loves her colorful table decor
One fish..two fish table decor for the kids
The adult tables were fun and elegant with Dr. Seuss books intertwined with beautiful flower arrangements
A special chair for the Bat Mitzvah girl Sophie…and Seuss
The Bat Mitzvah girl’s parents and brother pose in the hat giveaways
The cake was truly special and really captured the theme
The Cat hanging out
Thing 1 and Thing 2 holding the “Mazel Tov Sophie” sign
To tie-in with her theme, Sophie’s pedicure was red and white stripes
We thank Ann Marie Casey Photography for sharing these great pictures with our readers.
June 12th, 2013
When planning your child’s Bar Bat Mitzvah celebration, it’s fun to bring their personality into their special day.
Many families are doing this with their child’s Bar Bat Mitzvah party entrance. We have previously written about Creative “Make An Entrance” Ideas and decided to round up some more.
Some are funny, some coordinate with a theme, but all are memorable! Here are some of our favorites to inspire you when planning for your child.
Party Harty Entertainment shows us how the entire family got into the entrance fun with the Bar Mitzvah boy entering on a dirt bike (top right) at his celebration at Driftwood Day Camp
The DanceJock Productions dancers help this Bar Mitzvah boy “Ride the Wave” into his party
From A&G Picture This!, Max enters his sports themed party with guests waving rally towels
Sarah Merians Photography & Video Company captured this Bar Mitzvah boy’s friends carrying him in for his entrance
Lighter Than Air can create a “break through” wall to match any theme like they did above for Jordan’s World Cup Bar Mitzvah
Jimmy Dee Entertainment shares Max’s entrance on roller blades
Casual Candids captured this Bar Mitzvah boy’s entrance on a motorcycle
Event planner Melissa Imberman of The Event of A Lifetime had daughter Morgan carried into the room by her DJ dancers to “Queen of the Jungle,” on a raft that was adorned with zebra print fabric, neon pink ruffles, leaves, and flowers
This Bar Mitzvah boy made his entrance into his party on a custom built “Zamboni” by X-Quisite Flowers and Events Inc
R.E.A.D. Amusements offers Segways to rent for your child’s Bar Bat Mitzvah entrance!
Christine Foster Photography sent in this guest appearance by The Phillie Phanatic to get Jake’s party started!
From Beautiful Blooms, Bat Mitzvah girl Shayna makes her entrance on the boardwalk in Atlantic City
Did your child have a creative Bar Bat Mitzvah entrance? Let us know at info@mitzvahmarket.com.
June 5th, 2013
There are many details and creative ways to make your child’s Bar Bat Mitzvah celebration unique and memorable.
Table numbers can be one of those! They are essential if you are not doing open seating or a club lounge set up.
Whether they’re hanging, floating, edible or funky, table numbers have become a great way to incorporate your theme and make your guests proud to sit at their table!
There are many creative ideas out there. Look at our previous story here and take a look at some new ideas we have found below:
From the Lindsay Silverman Mitzvah Family Spotlight, this family used photos of the Bat Mitzvah girl at various ages as table numbers!
Sarah Merians Photography & Video sent us these pretty table numbers that match the flowers used in the centerpieces
Event planner Melisa Imberman of The Event of a Lifetime used tree bark as table numbers for her daughter Morgan’s jungle inspired theme. See the rest of this spotlight here
Total-Party created this book centerpiece for a Bar Mitzvah boy’s book of life theme starting with Chapter 1 for Table 1!
A football themed table number from One of A Kind Party Design
Simcha Events created ice sculptures in the form of hockey helmets with the Bar Mitzvah boy’s favorite numbers on them
For a butterfly theme, Two Thirds Design Shop creates these table numbers on Etsy
Oh So Fabulous event planners used this fun table number for a recent event
Verbena Designs Inc. used pieces of colored pencils to create the table numbers in the Brenner Bat Mitzvah Family Spotlight
The Portrait Shoppe helped create these table numbers for a guest of honor that loved all types of movies
Linzi Events had airplanes flying over each table to signify where guests should sit
Balloon Artistry shows us table numbers not only incorporating the Bar Bat Mitzvah child’s picture, but also their favorite TV shows!
Occasionsonline featured a baseball themed Bar Mitzvah with baseball phrases etched on pendants
Creative Events Charlotte used dancing styles for each table number for a dance themed Bat Mitzvah
The table numbers were matched to individual starfish place cards. All of these were for a Bat Mitzvah at The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk
The 8 yard line is this table’s number for a football themed Bar Mitzvah from North Shore Photography
For this Rock n Roll themed Bar Mitzvah at the Crystal Ballroom at the Radisson Freehold, each table is represented by a different classic rock band. Photos courtesy of David Todd Photographers
The Cookie Girl Bake Shop created these cookie table numbers for a Bat Mitzvah girl with the initials “BFF.” Her theme was texting, and pictured above is the OMG table
This Bat Mitzvah was a real treat, with a décor plan that centered on all that was “pretty tasty in pink.” Philadelphia-area event design boutique La Petite Fleur created candy shoppe centerpieces that incorporated the table numbers as a design element. Die-cut gold-glitter numbers were suspended from the sticks of pink swirl suckers and secured on top of candy canisters with pink satin. Photo Courtesy of La Petite Fleur
For this Bat Mitzvah from Lifetyme Photo & Video, words like Peace and Love were used as the table names
This idea is from Flower Power Designs for a “Mollywood” themed Bat Mitzvah. Each young guest received an “Oscar” (left) that told them what “movie” table they were sitting at (right)
Dazzling Parties created these table numbers for brothers who had a basketball themed Bar Mitzvah
Did you have a great Table Number idea? Send it to us at info@mitzvahmarket.com.
June 2nd, 2013
We found these cool one-of-a-kind art pieces by PrintChicks on Etsy.com. They are personalized for the recipient and would work as a gift for the Bar Bar Mitzvah child or as decor for their celebration.
Customization includes the child’s name, 3-4 color scheme options and up to 4 words (if any) that you would like to include in the print. You can also personalize the print with team colors, a favorite players’ number, or add some favorite team words.
Standard poster sizes come in 5 x 7, 8 x 10, 11 x 14 and 16 x 20 but they can also create a 24 x 36 size upon request.
They will send you a proof within 48 business hours of your purchase. Take a peek at some samples below:
In navy and black for a soccer player named Aiden
In the navy and orange color combo
In pastel colors, this one is for an ice skater
Here’s one for Sara, who likes soccer
To learn more, visit their Website.
May 28th, 2013
In 2010, Philadelphian moms Cheryl Friedenberg and Valerie Franklin (pictured left), created The Mitzvah Bowl Website to provide a database of meaningful community service projects for both Bar and Bat Mitzvah students, as well as teens seeking volunteer opportunities.
The Website is organized in such a fashion that it allows kids to find the right project based upon a subject matter that they are passionate about or something that piques their interest. Friedenberg and Franklin’s goal is to uncover unique projects for teens that reach beyond basic fundraising. They want children to learn a sense of tikkun olam (repair of the world), responsibility, and a connection to their Jewish identity, as well as their community.
The Website, which is very easy to navigate, walks students through the process of choosing a Mitzvah project. Parents can work along side their children to help guide them the numerous choices.
For a variety of additional volunteer ideas, visit their page, More Ideas, to spur even more creativity when deciding on a Bar or Bat Mitzvah project.
You will also find additional ideas on MitzvahMarket.com in our Mitzvah Project resource section.
May 19th, 2013
Event planner Melisa Imberman, owner of The Event of a Lifetime, Inc. in Westchester County, New York, worked closely with the creative team at X-quisite Flowers & Events and transformed the grand ballroom of the The Ritz Carlton White Plains Hotel.
Tripp Street Studios was the photographer.
Pictures are great, but take a moment to watch this time lapse video that documents this truly spectacular transformation.
The ballroom when Melisa and her team arrived
Watch the transformation here
Now the ballroom is ready for a party!
The columns are covered with a mural of the Bat Mitzvah girl’s photos and logo
Melisa had a state of the art aqua mirrored seamless dance floor installed
The ceiling is adorned with a shower of icicle lights, crystals & ribbons
One of the special decor elements included covering the walls with fabric and up lighting in soft changing color tones of blue
The cocktail napkins had the simple but chic logo
Pretty turquoise and purple pillows
Each centerpiece had a modern flair surrounded by gorgeous arrangements
Beautiful and elegant menus were at each place setting
Staying in the color theme, the dessert table looked great
And so did the cake!
We loved this room transformation and thank Melisa Imberman of The Event of a Lifetime for sharing her ideas with our readers.
May 14th, 2013
The Schneider family from Solon, Ohio celebrated son Josh’s Bar Mitzvah on September, 29, 2012. The service was held at Temple Emanu El and the beach themed party followed at The Bertram Inn in Aurora, Ohio.
There were many creative “beachy” details in this party. We thank the Schneiders for sharing them with our readers.
Elizabeth Pruitt was the photographer and the rest of the vendors are listed at the bottom of this spotlight.
Pictured L-R: Dad Randy, Bar Mitzvah boy Josh, Mom Melissa and younger sister Leah
Josh did a great job at his service at Temple Emanu El which was followed by a Kiddush luncheon hosted by his grandparents. For one of his two Mitzvah Projects, Josh coordinated with the National Council of Jewish Women of Cleveland to collect new and gently used books.
Josh smiling on his big day
Books that Josh collected were beautifully wrapped and used as centerpieces for the luncheon and then distributed to local schools
Mitzvah Mom Melissa worked with Save The Date! Invitations & More to create Josh’s invitation. The invitation featured a layer of champagne colored cover stock on top of a layer of dark brown suede-like material with touches of aqua.
Josh and his sister Leah looked great waiting for guests to arrive.
Sister Leah in a dress from Two Sisters Boutique and Josh in a suit from Nordstrom
The beach theme that Josh chose reflected the Schneiders’ many wonderful summers at the Delaware beaches and other beach vacations.
The logo was Josh’s initials in an oval, similar to the magnets you find in many beach towns
Tariko Kendall of Whimzey Event Design brought the look and feel of the beach to the ballroom of the Bertram Inn for the ultimate beach bash.
Place cards for the adults were vintage-inspired postcards. Each postcard represented a different beach that Josh has visited
Vintage beach signage was next to the place card table
There was a beach cabana set up in the kids area
The linens in the ballroom were navy and orange, and beach balls hung from the ceiling
The centerpieces on the adult tables included sand, candles, and shells. The vintage postcards were also incorporated into the centerpieces to designate the table’s name
The centerpiece on the kids table included Josh’s name
Custom pillows completed the beachy look.
Photos of Josh at the beach
There were two different sign-in options for Josh’s guests.
Josh’s friends signed-in on a skim board
At each table, there was a card asking the adults to write Josh a postcard filled with good wishes
There was also a special mailbox for adults to “return” the postcards
The music entertainment was provided by Terry Macklin Entertainment and they kept everyone on the dance floor all night.
Josh is up so high he can touch the beach balls!
Photobooth Cleveland provided an old fashioned photo booth just like the ones you find on the boardwalk.
Guests using the touchscreen photobooth
Sister Leah and her cousin
Bar Mitzvah boy Josh and two friends
Each strip was then placed in a special scrapbook for Josh and his family to enjoy
Whimzey Event Design also set up a custom t-shirt shop so guests could customize a shirt.
The Schneider t-shirt shop logo
Mitzvah Mom Melissa designed several beach-inspired logos and shirts were created on site
The finished product!
When the guests left, they received bags of saltwater taffy, flip-flop shaped lollipops and more!
Also available were water bottles with Josh’s logo and a thank you message
Six months before his actual Bar Mitzvah, Josh played the role of Evan, a Bar Mitzvah boy in “13 The Musical” for a local community theater production. Josh used this opportunity to kick-off his Mitzvah Project. He raised money and awareness about Myasthenia Gravis, a neuromuscular disease that his grandfather has. (Coincidentally, one of the characters in this musical also suffers from a neuromuscular disease). During one of the weekends of the show’s run, friends and family helped out and ran the concession stand with all proceeds being split between University Hospital Neuro-muscular Center and the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation.
Team Schneider
Josh contacted the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation and the first ever Ohio MG Walk was held on September 23rd, the week before Josh’s Bar Mitzvah. Josh has also been selling special bracelets with the word, “Purpose,” as that is the name of a song that Josh sang in another show, and he felt that doing this Mitzvah Project helped to give him a real “purpose” or mission. In total, Josh raised over $3000 and was the top fundraiser for the State of Ohio.
Some advice from Mom Melissa:
“My biggest regret is that I did not hire an event coordinator to represent me on the night of Josh’s party. You really do need someone there to represent you and your child’s wishes for the evening. Otherwise, you may end up wasting time working with your DJ, photographer, caterer, etc. instead of enjoying time with your guests! That being said, one important lesson that I learned is that the Mitzvah family sets the tone. If you are having fun and able to overlook the little things that might not go your way, then your guests will definitely have fun too!”
The following vendors helped to make Josh’s celebration special. If you give any of them a call, please let them know you read about their services on MitzvahMarket.com.
Venue: The Bertram Inn, 330-995-0200
Music Entertainment: Terry Macklin, Sounds of Entertainment, 216-464-9002
Photo Booth: Photobooth Cleveland, 888-767-0559
Caricature Artist: Larry Weber, Flower Entertainment, 440-934-3157
Invitations: Rachel, Save The Date! Invitations and More, 734- 995-9361
Décor/T-shirt Shop: Tariko Kendall, Whimzey Event Design, 216-245-5355
Cabana Lounge/Chair and Table Linens: Lasting Impressions Event Rentals, 216-591-1177
Men’s Service Suits: Nordstrom
Leah’s Service Outfit: Fancy Pants, 440-498-1121
Party Dress for Leah: Two Sisters Boutique, 302-543-7532
