“Brave The Shave” At A Bat Mitzvah (#baldmitzvah)

The Glaser family celebrated daughter Sophie’s Bat Mitzvah at Congregation Beth Israel in West Hartford, Connecticut. After living in Japan for 3 1/2 years and traveling throughout Asia, Sophie chose to have an Asian Adventure themed celebration. We featured sister Leah’s Bat Mitzvah in Tokyo a few years back. 

In the middle of her reception, Sophie completed the last part of her Mitzvah Project and “Braved the Shave” for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation in front of family and friends! 

The photographer was Iris Photography and the rest of the vendor information is listed at the end of the spotlight.

Bat Mitzvah Invitation and Service 

The orange and pink color palette and Asian pagoda set the tone for the party. Mom Alisha not only designed the invitation but did the hand lettering and calligraphy for them at Sophie's request

Vibrant orange and pink colors were used for the kippot

The Tallit clips were made by a family friend from Japan. The design included birds in honor of her Hebrew name Tzipporah. The Yad she used for her service was a gift from a family friend who was Mom Alisha's Hebrew School teacher 35 years earlier!

The very special needle point tallit bag was created by Mom Alisha and Sophie chose the design. It's a family tradition that Mom makes a bag for each Mitzvah!

Bat Mitzvah Party Decor and Details

For their place cards, they cleverly used luggage tags for each guest with tables named after a city or country the family had visited

Adults were seated at round tables decorated with manzanita trees which were hung with assorted paper lanterns

Kids sat at long tables decorated with smaller lanterns

Every place setting had a menu card and a chopstick packet. The packets were made with handmade washi paper that Sophie and Alisha chose on a trip to Tokyo and folded origami-style

The sign-in mirror made by Mom Alisha featured the logo in vinyl

Sophie's logo was incorporated everywhere including the napkins!

Out of town guests received reusable hotel logo'd tote bags

Bat Mitzvah Special Food

The food served by Max Catering was from all over Asia. The caterer worked with the Glasers to provide creative serving dishes to highlight the items

The dessert station included all different flavors of Pocky (a Japanese snack), mochi ice cream treats and Sophie's #1 request for her reception, taiyaki, Japanese fish-shaped red bean-filled treats!

Mitzvah Entrance/Music and Interactive Fun

The Glasers entering the ballroom together

Sophie during the horah!

The photo booth featured her logo on a step & repeat and many fun Asian-themed props to play with

#Bald Mitzvah

Sophie had two parts to her fantastic Mitzvah Project. She decided that during her celebration she would “Brave the Shave” and shaved her head mid-way through the reception in front of her guests. This is after her long hair was cut off to donate to Pantene Beautiful Lengths for a wig. Sophie raised more than $7000.00 speaking about and fundraising for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation as a shave.

Before the shaving, her sister gave a moving congratulatory speech that ended with a gift of a knit hat, knowing Sophie would be leaving that day bald and would need one!

A true Mitzvah moment! Sophie shaving her head mid-way through the reception

Almost done!

A beautiful and bald Sophie surrounded by her family and friends

Bat Mitzvah Favors

Sophie's guests received custom long sleeve shirts with #baldmitzvah on the sleeve and the logo on the front

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." A quote by Mahatma Gandhi. What a beautiful sentiment

Some Advice from Mom Alisha

“As a family, we often reminded ourselves that this was a day about our 13 year old daughter. About her connection and commitment to Judaism and being surrounded by family and friends. Everything else was just icing on the cake and would work itself out or not be missed.”

Additional Mitzvah Project

Sophie taught herself to knit, and made hats for the pediatric oncology ward at the local children’s hospital. She taught classes on making the hats at a local shop to adults and teens with the caveat that they donate their first hat to her Mitzvah Project.  In all, she delivered more than 60 hats to the kids.  

Sophie and parents donating 60+ knit hats to the Connecticut Children's Medical Center Pediatric Oncology Department as part of her Mitzvah Project

Vendor Directory

The following vendors helped to make Sophie’s Bat Mitzvah special. If you give any of them a call, let them know you read about their services on MitzvahMarket.com

Venue: Congregation Beth Israel Ballroom, 860-233-8215
Event Planner/Favors: Plan-it Vicki, 860-402-4033
Music/Step N Repeat: Evan Taback, Boppers Events, 866-865-3535
Photography: Mike Shauck, Iris Photography, 860-810-5480
Invitation/Sign-InMirror/Out of Town Bag Design/Place Card Design/Menu Cards: Mom Alisha Glaser
Custom Bags Bought: Custom Ink
Luggage Tag Place Cards: Epromos, 844-767-9533
Mom Alisha’s dress: Saks Fifth Avenue
Bat Mitzvah girl Sophie/Sister Leah’s party dresses: Bloomingdales, Nordstrom (Sophie’s sweater for the service)
Dad’s suit: Aoyama Shop, Tokyo
Hair/Sophie’s Head Shaving: Acure Eco Salon, 860-232-2873
Makeup: Erica T Martell, 203-913-3607
Kippot: Zion Judaica, 718-854-3909