March 24th, 2019
LOOKING FOR AN ‘OUT OF THE BOX’ VENUE OPTION FOR YOUR CHILD’S BAR OR BAT MITZVAH CELEBRATION?
The Event Center at IPA may be just what you are looking for. The state-of-the-art, contemporary event center in Freehold Township, New Jersey is attached to an indoor family entertainment complex. They can host small groups of 40, to exclusive full-park rentals for groups up to 3,500. iPlay America offers a 12,000 square foot event space, 20,000 square foot Warehouse, VIP lounges and an indoor theme park all under one roof!
There are many reasons to book your child’s celebration at iPlay America, here are just a few:
It’s More Fun At iPlay America
iPlay America is a premier, full-service events and party venue and the best place to Get Inside the Fun! Its family-friendly indoor Boardwalk theme will provide your Bar Bat Mitzvah guests with nearly four acres of outstanding rides, games and attractions making it the perfect destination for fun year-round for guests of all ages. From the Freedom Rider Spinning Coaster to Central New Jersey’s largest two-story Laser Tag Experience, to the thrilling 4-D Movie Theater, a giant arcade and a host of other great attractions, iPlay America provides you with exciting options and opportunities to create and customize a wonderful Bar Bat Mitzvah celebration for your child’s special day.
The Perfect Space For Every Occasion
iPlay America has the accommodations you’re looking for, with a wide selection of party rooms, VIP Suites, iPlay America’s Event Center and Warehouse 100 – their warehouse-styled event space. Stylish and inviting, iPlay America has a host of amenities to offer, and their expert planners can work with you and your family to choose linens, lighting and fabulous decor that will make your child’s Bar Bat Mitzvah celebration an event your guests will talk about for years to come.
They Know Entertainment
In addition to Bar Bat Mitzvah celebrations, iPlay America is host to hundreds of birthday and anniversary parties, sweet 16’s, special events, galas, trade shows, meetings, corporate events and concerts. Their professional expert event staff has access to top-notch vendors to plan important milestones.
Amazing Food
Chef Adam Livow recently returned to iPlay America after being featured on season 14 of Hell’s Kitchen with celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay. Chef Adam will be working with the team at the Event Center @iPA to set new menus and presentations that reflect how events and celebrations have been evolving in recent years, providing clients the ability to integrate the theme of their events into the food and presentation.
They Can Make It Happen
With a variety of room options, excellent menu selections, and outstanding décor choices available, iPlay America’s experienced event planners can create the perfect Bar Bat Mitzvah celebration for your child. From LED screens and lounge furniture, to light up bars, concert grade tress and lighting, illuminated tables, and more, iPlay America’s talented staff will help bring your theme to life!
To learn more about iPlay America, visit their extended profile page in our Vendor Directory.
March 4th, 2019
By Sophie Glaser
The first time I heard about the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, I was at dinner with my family. I was nine at the time. My parents pulled up a photo of one of our close family friends who had shaved his head to raise money and awareness for pediatric cancer. Something tugged at my heart as I watched the videos on the St. Baldrick’s website about kids with cancer and thought about the many adults in my life who were also diagnosed with cancer.
That was when I knew what I wanted to do. As my long curly hair bounced on my shoulders, I announced to my parents that I wanted to shave my head too. And so, it happened. That was just the first time.
I’ve long been involved with St. Baldrick’s, a non-profit organization that partners with kids, teens and adults to raise money for pediatric cancer research. Volunteers educate, fundraise and spread the word. They also shave their heads in solidarity with those who have lost their hair during chemotherapy treatments.
Towards the end of third grade, I shaved my head for the first time. I raised more than $12,000 for St. Baldrick’s. The fundraising took place over a month, and I wrote letters, contacted my friends and spread the news via the internet to raise awareness about the cause. It was one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life. That’s why, more than three years later when I was thinking about what I wanted to do for my Bat Mitzvah project, it was the first thing that came to mind.
I also wanted to give back directly to the community and do something more personal than simply raising money. So, I taught myself how to knit hats on a loom. My intention was to donate them to the kids in the pediatric oncology ward to keep their bald heads warm during the cold Connecticut winters.
In order to make the greatest number of hats possible, I taught my family and friends how to knit them too. I also taught a class at a local store where I asked my students to donate their first hat to my Bat Mitzvah project.
In the end, I donated more than 65 hats to the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. I started raising money the September before my Bat Mitzvah. I posted on Instagram and my parents’ Facebook pages, wrote letters, talked to friends and family and even spoke to students at my school about what I was doing. My goal was to raise $5,000.
On February 25th, 2017, the day of my Bat Mitzvah I had raised more than $7,000! But that wasn’t all. During my reception, as I was surrounded by family and friends, I shaved my head for the second time in my life. (This was also after I had already cut off most of it to donate to Pantene Beautiful Lengths, an organization that makes wigs for people with cancer).
Sophie at her Bat Mitzvah before she Braved the Shave!
Guests watched as Sophie did her Mitzvah Project "live!"
The end result and a contagious smile!
The room was brimming with excitement! I had my mom, dad and sister behind me as I sat in the middle of the room facing the enormous crowd of my family and friends. I felt the warmth and support of the people around me permeate the air. Underneath the cheers of my classmates and relatives, I could hear my family sniffle a little from emotion, just like they had done when I shaved my head in third grade. I cried, too, not only because I felt so lucky to be surrounded by the people who supported me, helped me and listened to me as I completed my Bat Mitzvah project, but also because of how important my Bat Mitzvah and my project was to me. Finishing it and seeing all of my hard work culminate in this wonderful event was so special; it was an emotional moment.
One of the things that I learned while doing this project is that it is important to have patience and be confident in yourself and your abilities. While I was fundraising, there would be periods where it looked like I wasn’t going to reach my initial goal. That just made me work even harder, and I surpassed my goal by $2,000. This project also helped me increase my social skills, as I often had to introduce myself to strangers and talk to them about the cause.
This project meant a lot to me, and it really made my Bat Mitzvah special. The support I got from my family and friends on the day of my Bat Mitzvah was overwhelming, and I feel so lucky that I was able to complete my project surrounded by them. My project proves that anyone, anywhere, can help others. I took something as simple as knitting hats and turned it into a long-term project that positively affected my community. When I donated those hats, I felt such a sense of accomplishment and pride.
Shaving my head in solidarity with those who have cancer connected me to them. It helps to break down the stereotypes that come with a bald head; associations of sickness and masculinity. It also empowers me, and others, to take action and help people in any way possible. Hair, to me, is a form of expression, and I feel like there is no better expression than of support and solidarity.
In the months after my Bat Mitzvah, many people asked me why I was bald. When I told them about my project, I helped spread awareness about pediatric cancer and helped point them in the direction of a great organization that helps people around the world. I hope that I can continue my work with the St. Baldrick’s Foundation in the future, whether it is by helping them fundraise, raising awareness or by shaving my head again.
Sophie Glaser is in the 9th grade at Phillips Academy Andover. She lives in West Hartford, Connecticut. Find out more about St. Baldrick’s Foundation, stbaldricks.com and Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, connecticutchildrens.org
Read more about Sophie’s Bat Mitzvah Celebration.
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February 24th, 2019
Dave & Buster’s has been open in Massapequa since June 2018 and they are offering $500 off when you book by March 31st! Plus all kids get “unlimited simulator play” when you book.
For an afternoon party, they can close down so your young guests can have the space exclusively for a 60-90 minute period of time. They are also offering a 100 person all-inclusive package, or you can customize your event. They hold events in the sports lounge, private room or dining room all featured below.
With a full game room, billiards and a sports lounge, Dave & Buster’s is the ultimate venue for celebrations. Their restaurant and private rooms will be perfect for parties of any size.
To learn more about Dave & Buster’s Massapequa, please contact Karen Kelly at 516-809-8514 or email her at karen_kelly@daveandbusters.com.
To learn more about Dave & Buster’s, visit their extended profile page in our Vendor Directory.
February 17th, 2019
By Emily Ray Baraf
We live in an age of hyper-personalization, and yet, some of life’s greatest milestones and rites of passage have become rote and even ordinary. This is just what Jacey and Daniel Taub, of Rye Brook, NY, wanted to avoid when planning their son Zack’s Bar Mitzvah.
Having lived through the Bar/Bat Mitzvah scene a few years earlier with their daughter Lily, they wanted Zack’s Bar Mitzvah to be more than just another party with dinner and dancing (though they wanted that, too). They wanted to find a way to make sure the religious and cultural meaning was paramount in the whole experience, truly forging the connection of what it meant to become a Bar Mitzvah.
So, mom Jacey, and dad Daniel, began to think about doing the Bar Mitzvah in Israel. It seemed like the perfect solution. And, while the initial thought may have percolated around the time of Lily’s Bat Mitzvah, the real seeds were planted almost 20 years earlier when Jacey and Daniel ventured to Israel on a family trip. “I was young and had been working non-stop, and then all of the sudden I was part of this multi-generational group of people ages 8-80 for two weeks,” recalls Jacey. “It just felt so special and incredibly meaningful. I wanted to re-create that feeling for my kids.”
Once Zack was on board, Jacey began planning a trip that would be truly special. It needed to be more than just a vacation or a big tour, it needed to be a journey that would ignite a deeper love of Judaism and an appreciation of the values and history inherent in it. “We live in a very Jewish area, and I often worry that the ‘specialness’ of being Jewish is lost on my kids. They take it for granted. I wanted this trip to kindle a newfound love and appreciation for not only the religion, but also our family heritage and all that we’d overcome.”
Zack and family at the Wall
Zack and a soldier
Zack and his family playing basketball with Brothers for LIfe
Zack post basketball
Planning the kind of trip that would check all those boxes was a huge undertaking and became Jacey’s full time job. “I think you get out of it what you put into it…. Basically, I didn’t sleep,” she recalls. She talked to people, searched the Internet and put a lot of thought into what kinds of experiences would make a genuine impact. “I knew I wanted to support the Reform Jewish movement causes on our trip, so our rabbi suggested using ARZA WORLD and Da’at Educational Expeditions to help coordinate things on the ground.”
Despite having a “team” helping her out, Jacey remained firmly in the captain’s seat. She made sure she was an integral part of each and every detail. She Googled, brainstormed and brought her ideas to the experts at ARZA, hoping it was something they could execute. “I didn’t want mainstream,” she says. “I did have to accept that sometimes things wouldn’t work out, but I also made it a point to be really explicate in what I had in mind. More than once, I found myself explaining and re-explaining until I was confident that my ideas had been properly communicated. In short, I made sure that I was creating the kind of experience I wanted, even if that meant a one-on-one with ARZA’s CEO.”
Though it was trying at times, the hard work paid off. From day one, the Taub’s 10-day journey to Israel was unique, meaningful and imbued with spirituality and family history. The very fact of the trip alone was symbolic, creating another entry in the family history book. Almost 20 years to the day after Jacey and Daniel’s first trip, there they were again with the whole family. “It was (basically) the same group, only this time the tree had changed; some of the leaves had fallen off but there were also new branches.”
In many ways it felt like they had come full circle. Decades prior, Zack’s great-great-grandfather had sought refuge in what had then been Palestine. Jacey couldn’t help but wonder what he’d think if he could have seen this group of 26 — including four generations of his family — arriving in Israel to affirm their Judaism.
Rather than take the more common approach of starting in Tel Aviv and ending in Jerusalem, building up to a big Bar Mitzvah finale of the trip, they flipped things upside down. “I didn’t want Zack to be nervous the whole trip,” says Jacey. “I knew after he fulfilled his Bar Mitzvah commitment, he’d be able to more wholeheartedly enjoy himself.”
Zack during his Bar Mitzvah service on the top of Masada
So, they began in Jerusalem, had the Bar Mitzvah at Masada, and then made their way to Tel-Aviv. It unfolded like a journey; starting with religion and history, and culminating in the energy of everyday Israeli life in the city. Along the way they hit all the major sites, getting the full depth of experience in each location.
They didn’t just go to the shuk and look around, they brought a chef, went shopping and then cooked a meal as a group. They didn’t just venture into souvenir stores, they visited a Kabbalah jewelry store and got a taste of Jewish Mysticism. They didn’t just visit war memorial sites, they went to an active base and interacted with Israeli soldiers. In fact, they took this one step further and spent a day with Brothers for Life, an Israeli-based charity focused on helping injured soldiers reintegrate into everyday life.
They spent time with the Brothers for Life community and played a full game of basketball, with each participant playing seated, from a wheelchair, like many of the soldiers. Watching “our whole group, ages 3-73, sitting in wheelchairs, playing with these soldiers, was an amazing experience,” she says. The soldiers thought so too. At the end of the day, they presented Zack with a Tanach – a Hebrew bible — with a heartfelt inscription.
Listening to the soldiers’ stories, made Judaism, Zionism, religion, history and the spiritual meaning of it all come alive, explains Jacey. The experience left an indelible mark on the group, especially Zack. “He left the base thinking, ‘I want to fight for this country; I want to be in the (Israeli) army,’” says his mom.
The actual Bar Mitzvah ceremony took place on top of Masada. Like everything else, it was meticulously planned and entirely unique. When their hopes of having their clergy accompany them on the trip didn’t pan out, Jacey’s cantor in Rye Brook connected her with her cantorial teacher in Israel. The Taubs had a very specific idea of what kind of service they wanted. “I didn’t like that my daughter’s service felt somewhat ‘off the shelf.’ I wanted something more personal this time, so I actually wrote Zack’s service,” says Jacey. “The cantor was amazing at adding the musical element to the service, which is very important. She also put Zackat ease and conducted the service to match what we had in mind. The entire day became a beautiful celebration about welcoming Zack into the Jewish community. It incorporated family, felt relatable and utilized prayers that really meant something to us. Furthermore, we got to integrate pictures, quotes and family heritage. Zack read the Shema out of the prayer book my great-grandmother brought with her when she emigrated, and we drank wine made by her husband, my great-grandfather, that we carried in our suitcases. It was all just so meaningful.”
Jacey also coordinated with a local photographer. “I really wanted a fantastic photographer to capture this once-in-a-lifetime experience so I asked a friend who had lived in Israel for a recommendation of someone great…and he was. He even used a drone!”
Capturing these moments was incredibly important, because ultimately, it was so much more than just a singular religious event, she says. “There are no words that I can put with the image of Zack reading from Buby’s prayer book. All I could think was how far we’ve come. We didn’t just overcome, we’ve persevered and prospered. My great grandparents experienced such sadness and took so many risks to find a better life. They witnessed atrocities, left their home, lost many family members and had to say good bye to loved ones they knew they would never see again. Here we were, their living legacies, all together, freely celebrating everything they held dear and we were the fruits of their labor. I think they would have been kvelling if they could have seen their family now. I had a true moment of gratitude and appreciation.”
Though the Bar Mitzvah ceremony took place in Israel, the family also threw a party to celebrate the event back home. “I wanted to bring some of our journey into the event.” Jacey says. Again, it was all about the experience.
The day began with a service project in which Zack’s friends and the kids from the boarding school he’d been working with as part of his Mitzvah Project, came together to clean up and enhance the school’s gym. They painted bricks and fixed the muddy walkway that often made the gym’s entrance impassable. This was followed by a group excursion to the Westchester Knick’s final game and then later that night there was a party on the Westchester county basketball court. The theme, All-4- One – in addition to being the date of the party (April 1) — was a nod to the final four basketball game, which also occurred that evening. It also referred to teamwork and working together.
“Because there wasn’t a Torah service that day, we invited people to join us in doing a community service project,” says Jacey. “It was important to bring in the idea of Tikkun Olam because this was a celebration of a major Jewish milestone, not a 13th birthday party.”
They also weaved pieces of their Israeli experience into the event. Large monitors alternated footage of the basketball finals, with pictures of their trip. There was a table featuring images of the soldiers they’d met at the base where guests could write notes and/or thank-yous to them. The Havdalah service between the cocktail hour and the main event utilized the same candle they’d used in Israel and spices from various places in Israel including Yad Vashem. Jacey also made little spice bags so each person could take a small piece of Israel home.
Though mainly a kids’ party, the adults in attendance all received little hamsa bags purchased at the Sarona Market in Tel Aviv, filled with Hebrew Bazooka Joe gum and a rubber bracelet symbolizing a donation made to Brothers for Life.
The party brought home the idea of getting outside oneself and helping others. It wasn’t just about Zack the Bar Mitzvah boy; it was about Zack as a leader who could bring people together, working toward a common goal and for a greater good, explains Jacey. “In the end, it was about creating a feeling and an emotion.”
That’s what the Taubs did at every turn. They fostered an energy, set a tone and then leaned into the experience. “I like to think we planted seeds that will blossom into an even greater love for Judaism. My kids always tease me that I’m ‘super-Jew,’ but I feel like throughout this experience we were successful at creating a new family folklore and fostering experiences and memories that will remain etched into our minds, hearts and souls. I remember as we left Israel, my daughter had a ring engraved with the Shema on her finger and my son had a mezuzah around his neck and I just felt like they got it.”
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February 16th, 2019
When you begin the Bar Bat Mitzvah planning process, you look for a Bar Bat Mitzvah venue, DJ to provide music entertainment and a photographer/videographer to capture the special moments. You will also need invitations, favors, a montage, yarmulkes and other fun party elements.
These Bar Bat Mitzvah vendors are located in the Chicago area and can help with your planning.
Check all the boxes for the vendors you are interested in learning more about. Fill in form on bottom.
You can also ask questions and get advice in our Chicago Bar Bat Mitzvah planning group on Facebook. Join here.
December 17th, 2018
By Brynne Magaziner
When it comes to Bar and Bat Mitzvah trends, it’s all about custom, custom, custom. There are so many ways to show off your child’s personality and ensure that your guests are well taken care of. Adding some of the latest trends are sure to have your guests raving about your party for months to come. Here are some special touches that are HOT!
Custom Gaming
Rather than just having a random game or two, customize the games to fit with the overall event look. Customized gaming allows you to brand the entertainment with your child’s colors or logo. “One of our favorite games to brand is our Urban Hoops because you have options for branding ball return and signs as well as the digital scoreboard,” says Gregg Dukofsky of Interactive Entertainment Group. “We can display the names of the participants while they are playing and display a leader board throughout the night.” Guests love to see their names, so check with your game provider to see if that is a possibility.
Unique Montages
Montages have become standard at Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, so find a different way to keep them fresh and exciting. Shari Sollender of Images4ever reports that she is seeing more clients including video clips within their montages. “Kids love to see themselves in action when they were younger,” she says. “And guests love how it adds another dimension to the montage.” Who knew all those videos you shot of your kids growing up would come in so handy? Another way to incorporate video is with a personal message at the end of the montage from parents, the guest of honor or even a celebrity or two. Surprise video clips from celebrities will give your guest of honor a real thrill — whether it’s their favorite sports star, a niche YouTube vlogger, a reality TV host or someone even more famous. Try reaching out to one of your child’s heroes to see if they would send a 5-second video clip wishing them a Mazel Tov on their Bar or Bat Mitzvah and see what happens.
Glam Bar
Having mostly female guests? Try a glam bar and pamper your guests during the party. “A glam bar gives guests of all ages a chance to sparkle with glitter lips, crystals and fun hair products,” says Courtney Gotz of Glam on the Go. If you’re looking for something more unique, try false eyelashes, colorful hair extensions, feathers or flowers in hair, a hair braiding station or mini makeovers. As a plus, your event photos will turn out even better because of how beautiful and unique your guests will look. Having mostly male guests? Try Eye Black face stickers for a sporty look. These stickers are not only worn by the pros on the fi eld to reduce the glare of the sun, but they are also fun party favors that can be completely customized. They’re also a unique dance fl oor giveaway. “If you can dream it, we can do it,” says Peter Beveridge of EyeBlack.com. “Event logos, colors, words, sports team logos, even glitter face stickers. They are safe and peel on and off for easy repositioning.”
Dance Floor Footwear
Supply fun socks or slippers so your guests can kick off their shoes and dance the night away, too. “Personalized socks are great to give out during the party as they have grips on the bottom for dancing or can be used for party favor giveaways,” says Stephanie Feldman of Cutie Patootie Creations. “It’s an item that is practical as they can be used for kids or adults. Ever since guests at the royal wedding reportedly swapped their heels for slippers, we’re hearing more and more clients exploring this fun option.”
Edible Escort Cards
The sweetest way for your guests to find their tables is with personalized escort or place cards that are edible. It’s the perfect way to seat your guests AND have a snack at the same time. “We’ve done soccer ball chocolate lollipops, chocolate bar football game ‘tickets’, Rice Krispie treats with coordinating sprinkles, dipped Oreos that match the client’s invitations and more,” says Alison Weinstock, owner of Sweet Ali Confections.” By tying in your logo or color scheme we can make branded place cards in a variety of treats that are 100% edible, unique and nut free.”
Custom Kicks
To ensure your family stays on the dance floor all night long, wear comfortable shoes. But take it one step further by making your child’s feet stand out with one-of-a-kind art on his or her footwear. “Sneaker art is highly customizable, because we can paint and style anything our clients are looking for,” say Hilary Berger and Debby Rifkin, co-owners and the creative team at Re bootz. “Logo inspired sneaks and bold typography are huge right now. Crystal bling is classic yet we make it fashion forward by incorporating it into the design work.”
Branded Dance Floor Giveaways
In addition to the typical items that the DJ hands out, the hottest trend to make your party unique is to add a variety of branded items with your child’s logo or tagline. “I’ve definitely seen a rise in the importance of branded dance floor giveaways,” says Melisa Imberman of The Event Of A Lifetime. “These items seem to motivate the kids to be on the dance floor and demonstrate their best moves in hopes of being given one of the coveted items. We typically do just 2-4 dozen of each, so there is
a demand to have a ‘rare’ item.” The basic t-shirt and baseball cap have become staples, so why not try higher quality tees, tank tops, PJ pants, sweat pants, bucket hats, hoodies, beanies or socks? If you’re looking for non-apparel items, consider customizing Swell or Gatorade-style bottles, personal message fans, blankets, gift cards, headbands and bracelets. Any cell phone accessories are off the charts popular. Kids love earbuds, carry pouches, stickers, PopSockets and selfie sticks.
Exit Treats
After a long night of dancing and partying, end your night with a little treat as a takeaway item for guests. “I advise my clients to color coordinate their exit treats to their theme/color story,” says Amy Rubel, owner of Rubel Event Management. “This can be done easily whether you are doing a candy bar, logo cookies or the always popular water bottles. Over the past year or so, we have been doing a lot of popcorn, which is a great value item and super delicious. This has been a big hit especially with sports-themed events and it’s nut free, so super safe for all guests to enjoy.” So, think outside the box and try some of these latest custom trends to make your party the one that’s talked about.
Venue Bathroom Decor
Add your event signage anywhere and everywhere! Amy Wohl from FabuDesigns.com tells us that families are asking for oversized logos and decals to decorate the bathroom mirrors at their venues; the one space where you don’t want your party guests to spend too much time. “Why not surprise your guests and have ladies enter the bathrooms with a smile,” she says.
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December 10th, 2018
By Madeleine Deliee
When the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) came to Freehold, New Jersey, on February 10th, 2018, the crowd went wild. Matt Schwartz’s high-energy and high-impact Bar Mitzvah celebration took place at iPlay America’s event center, with creative touches from a “wrestling ring” VIP section for the kids, to a stadium-inspired menu served from a built-to-scale concession stand. Talk about some serious WOW!
MattMania was the brainchild of Jessica Schwartz, Matt’s mom and VP of Sales and Marketing for iPlay America. She took her cues from the technological flair of the real WWE and pulled out all the stops when designing a custom-themed stage and backdrop as the focal point of the celebration.
Drawing on the talents of the experienced AV and production staff at iPlay America, Xplosive Entertainment added the WOW factor and brought in a two-tiered 24-foot long LED illuminated stage and set up a 16-foot long rear projection screen flanked on both sides with twin 10-foot LED video walls. Emphasizing the industrial feel of a wrestling event, Xplosive built a 12-foot tall metal goal post to surround the video screen and mount an array of moving head light fixtures, which resembled the famous WWE Titantron.
With the mood set, Debbie’s Designs built the concession-styled food stand and kids’ VIP ring to continue the WWE motif. Her team also provided centerpiece décor and affixed printed vinyl decals to bars and other acrylic accents throughout the room. The on-site fixtures, which include lounge-style furniture, concert-grade lighting, light-up bars and large LED screens, made the atmosphere a true main event.
The kids also enjoyed the theme park at iPlay America during cocktail hour, playing games like Hot Shot basketball and lining up for carnival rides. Meanwhile, the adults enjoyed sushi, pasta and passed hors d’oeuvres. Dinner kept to the WWE theme, with sausage and peppers, a wing stand and a hotdog stand, all serving “concession style.” Sweet treats including fried Oreos, churros and ice cream sandwiches made a tasty transition to the Bar Mitzvah cake, which promised something for everyone with red velvet, dark chocolate and vanilla.
The Schwartz family truly went to the mat to provide a no-holds-barred good time for their guests. A personalized “merch station” offered guests hats decorated with the MattMania logo. Dana Kaufman from by dana created eye-catching, witty touches to accent the event, from amazing invitations, sweatshirts and photo booth props. Mom Jessica added a special touch with delicious “come celebrate s’more” parting gifts of packaged campfire treats after the service and custom popcorn containers to take home after the evening party.
Jessica was thrilled with the way it all came together, but she admits it was a lot of work—even for someone who regularly supervises such big events. She says to “plan, plan, plan.” She suggests locking in vendors, themes, logos, etc. as early as possible. “Anything you can do ahead of time, do it.” Jessica started working on Matt’s celebration as soon as they set the date. “About 18 months prior, we settled on the theme,” she recalls. “By about 15 months out, I secured the venue, DJ, party décor person, photographer and videographer. They were all locked in and it was one less thing to worry about.” She used a checklist to maintain organization and provided each vendor with a binder containing reference pictures of likes and dislikes. “Communicating through pictures is a great way to avoid confusion,” she says.
Even though she had lots of her own ideas, Jessica acknowledges the importance of listening to your vendors because they have done many similar events many times. “Their advice is priceless,” she says, “even if it contradicts some of your plans. You will, inevitably, find that you must let some ideas go.” Plus, she says, “Don’t get too caught up in the little details. Something will happen that you didn’t expect—just go with it.” After all, the day is really about family and celebrating the joyous occasion together. Although it may be easy to lose focus, what’s truly important is the day. “Everyone is there to celebrate your child, and these are all of your friends and family,” Jessica points out. “No matter what you do, in the end it WILL be a success; enjoy the moment.”
Vendor Directory
Venue: iPlay America, iplayamerica.com, 732-577-8200
Music: Xplosive Entertainment; Jordan Marshall & Mike Langsner, 732-866-1620
Photographer/Videogrpher: Matt Kirchhof Photography, 732-966-4340
Favors/Invitations: by dana, Dana Kaufman, 732-625-1471
Décor: Debbie’s Designs, debbies-designs.com, 973-696-7930
Cake: Cakes by Libby, cakesbylibby.com, 848-233-9709
Sign-In Board: Custom Shoe Box, boxurkicks.com
Special Touches: Entrance video Dan, Yellow Five Studios, 908-783-7941
Dresses: Lola’s, 732-972-5222
Suits: Nita Fashions, 852-2721-9990
Hair/Makeup: Andrea Angelotti (makeup); Lisa from Act III Hair in Freehold Mall 732-303-9696
Logo: Rocket9 Creative Marketing Group, rocket-9.com
December 3rd, 2018
By Madeleine Deliee
Eliza Garmise had a couple of aces up her sleeve when she was planning her Bat Mitzvah: experience.
Her older sister, Hannah, was Bat Mitzvahed three years before, and her mother is an event-planning whiz. (Mom, Jessica Garmise, is the owner of Out of the Box Creations, a Long Island-based event décor company that specializes in unique and creative events). This made planning her big day as simple as, well, black and white.
The striking color theme evolved when mom and daughter fell in love with a black and white invitation. Older sister Hannah summed up the overall mood with the line “Celebrate the Night in Black and White.” Once that was set, the Garmise family knew they had a winning concept and ran with it. Eliza’s invitation featured a silver glitter heart and guests were instructed to dress in black and white. To stand out, Eliza chose a beautiful silver sequined ballgown.
“We were looking to have an elegant, modern and (most important) FUN celebration that aroused the senses at every turn,” Jessica says. The bar was high, given her professional background, and she wanted to create an extra-special experience for her daughter’s big day. “My guests would be looking for something new and innovative, so my team spent a lot of time brainstorming ideas and coming up with all of the creative touches, big and small.”
Jessica carried the black and white motif throughout, nailing the impact of the highly graphic visual. The contrasting colors dominated the setting, from the ombre balloon wall that greeted guests when they entered the synagogue, to the big punch of the black and white dance floor; the graffiti wall for the photo booth and the three tiered cake marking the occasion.
Black and white echoed through the smaller elements as well, in the patterned lampshades, floral arrangements and the black and white candy in apothecary jars. There were also many striking pops of vibrant pattern—zig-zag, polka-dots and hearts on everything from the cake to the pillar candles and floral patterned baubles in the table centerpieces.
“We had a lot of fun designing the logos for the favors and swag to really personalize the event for Eliza,” Jessica says. One unique touch was creating a spin on the Gossip Girl TV show logo. “We changed it to ‘Garmise Girl,’” Jessica explains, acknowledging that it was a “cute take” to identify everything as uniquely Eliza’s.
Her first name prompted a party choice as well. “Many people call Eliza by her nickname “EJ,” so we had shirts made that say ‘Yo EJ Pump this Party,’ ” she says, pointing out the kind of detail present everywhere.
The Garmises also focused on their guests’ knowledge of Eliza to distinguish many of the elements that went into creating her special day. “Eliza is a very petite girl with a HUGE personality,” her mother says. “So, on each adult plate we left a little box of black and white candy that said, ‘Good Things Come in Small Packages.’ ”
The hosts made sure that the party-goers were taken care of from start to finish, sending them off with black and white branded water bottles and a food truck in the parking lot with some final goodies for their departure.
Ultimately, Jessica handled the experience with the confidence of a veteran, having planned dozens of parties for others, as well as her older daughter’s event. “Since this was my second Bat Mitzvah, I definitely approached it with a more relaxed attitude and tried to enjoy the process,” she says. “I knew little things would go wrong (because they always do) but I knew if my daughter had an amazing night none of that would matter.” While she admits that it’s sometimes easier said than done to remain cool and organized, she believes strongly that perspective is what matters most. “I always tell my clients that the BEST part of the entire day or weekend by far is going to be sitting there and watching your child up there on the bimah and the immense feeling of love and pride that follows. There really is nothing better than that moment — at least there wasn’t for me. This helps put all the party planning and details in perspective and focus on what really matters.”
Vendor Directory
The following vendors helped to make Eliza’s celebration special. If you contact them please tell them you read about their services on MitzvahMarket.com:
Venue: Temple Sinai of Roslyn
Entertainment: EJ The DJ, 800-358-4335
Photography/Videography: Stephen Andrews Photography, 516-780-9100
Party Planner, Décor, Sign-in Board, Special Touches: Jessica Garmise, Out of the Box Creations, 917-518-9389
Invitations: Jodi’s Gifts and Events, Jodi Okun, 516-662-2137
Eliza’s dress: Designing Dreams, 516-248-1988
November 26th, 2018
By Hollee Actman Becker
The morning after my daughter’s Bat Mitzvah, I glance at the clock — 6:00 am. I’ve barely slept three hours since I basically spent the night replaying the entire celebration in my head, but I roll over and reach for my phone anyway.
What I find there is amazing. Text after text from my friends and my daughter’s friends filled with all the pictures and videos they captured during the night. There’s our entrances, the chair going up during hora, the father/daughter hip hop dance that brought down the house.
On Instagram it’s the same story. We gave all of our guests a custom hashtag to use, and man, did they use it. I saw images of our friends dancing and our family members laughing, plus close-up shots of all the party details I had spent months pulling together. Being able to re-live everything so soon after it happened was truly the best feeling in the world. After I finally finished scrolling, my face hurt from smiling.
It’s now four years later, and suddenly, throwing an “unplugged” event — where you collect kids’ cell phones on the way into the party — is starting to become a thing. I totally understand why. Cell phones can be a major attention suck at an event. You want your guests engaged and involved in what’s going on in the room, not sprawled on a piece of LED lounge furniture watching Ninja play Battle Royale.
Photos by DeLorenzo Photography
But, while I agree that electronics can sometimes be a major bummer during a service — Addisyn, stop snapping dog filter pics during Emily’s haftorah! — I don’t think banning phones during your celebration is the answer, either. In fact, I think it will probably be a big turn-off for your guests. And maybe even for you, since you might end up feeling like you missed out on the whole social networking experience we’ve all become so accustomed to.
The bottom line is that technology is a huge part of both our lives and our kids’ lives, and it isn’t going away anytime soon. What we really need to do is embrace it and find ways to use it to our advantage instead of being so afraid that it will take something away from our celebration.
I’ve been on the Mitzvah circuit for almost six years now, and I’ve seen some pretty great ways to keep all the kids involved in the party without making them give up their phones. The key, it seems, is to find the place where cell phones and engagement meet. And if your DJ is a good one, the kids will be totally present at your party, whether there are cell phones in their hands or not.
That being said, I think a nice little sign set up near the entrance of your synagogue that says something like “This is an unplugged service so please turn off your phones” is a good idea. Same goes for having cubbies at your party with the kids’ names on them, or drawstring bags on the backs of their chairs so they can quickly stash their phones when they want to hit the dance floor.
At the end of the day, whether you choose to ban cell phones or not is up to you. But remember, most of the people using their phones to snap pics at your party are doing it from a place of love. You’ve chosen to share your special celebration with all the important people in your life, so why not let them share it through pictures and videos as well?
Here are six ways to encourage them do it.
1. The Custom Hashtag
Creating a custom hashtag for your Bar or Bat Mitzvah is one of the easiest ways to engage your guests in the celebration. They take pictures during the night, post them to Instagram using your event hashtag and boom — you get to experience the night through their eyes. Pretty cool, right? It’s like the 2018 version of all those disposable cameras we used to place on our wedding tables once upon a time.
2. The Snapchat Filter
I’m not gonna lie — I love a good Mitzvah snapchat filter, and so will all of your younger guests. It’s pretty much the first thing they look for when they enter the room. You can create your own filter or lens to frame your event right on the Snapchat app, even if you don’t have an account. It takes less than five minutes, costs less than five dollars, and is a super-easy way to involve your guests and make the night feel special. If the idea of using Snapchat seems too intimidating, just ask your kid to do it for you.
3. The Hand-Off
One of my fav ways to incorporate cell phone pictures and videos into your event is to have the Bar or Bat Mitzvah child hand their phone off to one of their friends, and then have THEM capture all the amazing moments of the night. Your kid is hands free for the night, but won’t miss out on a single recorded moment. Total win-win.
4. The Group Selfie
Remember when Ellen DeGeneres hosted the Oscars and took that epic group selfie? Or when Justin Timberlake took one from the middle of the stadium during the Super Bowl? Everybody loves crowding around a single phone to take a selfie, so set it up ahead of time with your DJ. Trust me, your guests will LOVE it.
5. The Giveaways
While I’m on the topic of your DJ… there are so many cell phone-related accessories you can order to have your MC toss out as giveaways. Some of the ones I’ve seen recently include logo-ed ear buds, PopSockets, Bluetooth speakers, wireless chargers, cases, ring holders and wallets, and fans that plug into your phone’s charger port — a huge hit with all the, ahem, older women.
6. The FaceTime
Finally, don’t forget about FaceTime and Skype. While some synagogues will now stream your service online for those who can’t be there in person, not all of them do so. Using FaceTime or another live video app during your service or even during your candle lighting ceremony is a great way to include far-away relatives. The grandparents of my friend Rochelle’s husband couldn’t make the trip from Florida for her son’s big day, so they decided to record it using Facebook Live. “They got to see their first great-grandchild Bar Mitzvah’ed live,” she said. “They felt like they were a part of it, and it was so special for them.”
So today, when some high-end restaurants and clubs are banning cell phones to keep a quiet and respectful atmosphere, it might be appropriate to do the same in synagogue; but I don’t think we need to go that far at most Bar and Bat Mitzvah celebrations. Instead, help your guests use their electronics in a fun way. Bottom line: like anything else in planning your perfect party, do what feels most comfortable for you and your family. And enjoy the moment both on and offline.
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November 19th, 2018
By Daniel Satran
My parents have always told me that they believe the most important part of the Bar Mitzvah is the Mitzvah Project and that you should have a real connection to it to make it truly meaningful. I agree, but I had been struggling to find the right project that worked for me. Then I got a little help from my mom.
An interest of mine has always been cooking. I love to make breakfast and dinner for my family. I learned a lot about cooking at camp. My mother had gone to Israel with the Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project and discovered the organization, OneFamily Overcoming Terror Together. OneFamily helps those who were victims of terror attacks and war rebuild their lives. While she was there, she cooked recipes from OneFamily’s “A Taste of Life” cookbook alongside parents whose children had died from such attacks. In the cookbook, bereaved mothers share their recipes and tell the story of their children through the food they shared.
When my mom came home, we discussed the trip. That’s when I realized that since I enjoy cooking and babysitting younger kids, perhaps I could craft a workshop, fundraiser combining those interests for my Mitzvah Project. Plus, I could help the organization at the same time.
I decided to model a cooking class like my mom did in Israel, and charged $36 (double chai) for each child to participate. All of the money received went directly to OneFamily. I selected recipes I loved from the book, chose a date and created a flyer that I distributed around my town.
Once kids started registering, I realized I needed some help. So, a couple of my friends helped me by running a cooking station. We had 17 kids, ages 5 to 11. We made my favorite recipes from the OneFamily cookbook – pizza (where everyone made their own custom creation), shakshuka (an Israeli dish of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, chili peppers and onions), and every kid’s favorite, candy salad! (It’s actually a mixture of chocolate, marshmallows, sprinkles and gummy candies).
We also read Gidi’s story from the cookbook. Her mother wrote about how Gidi’s special birthday treat was candy salad. This helped show the kids what was truly special about what they were cooking and why we were raising money for this organization that helps such families.
After the workshop, my mom and I went to the OneFamily U.S. offices in New Jersey to personally deliver the $700 I raised. (In addition to the charge for the program, other people found out about my project and gave me donations.) This part was more meaningful than I thought. Once we got there, we saw how much they appreciated the money, and what it meant to them. I saw firsthand how something I worked hard on could help others.
Not only did I raise money, but I also raised my awareness about what is happening in Israel. This is something I enjoyed so much that I want to do it again in the future. I’m already planning what other recipes I want to cook.
Daniel Satran is in 8th grade at Briarcliff Middle School. For more information about OneFamily, go to onefamilytogether.org or call 646-289-8600.
