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Your child’s Bar Mitzvah is a religious and spiritual occasion worthy of a chance to celebrate with family and friends who come from near and far. Because of this, you are going to want to put every effort into the planning process. Parents usually start the preliminary planning as early as 12 months before the actual event. These tips will help you in this early planning process.

Do You Need an Event Planner?

Yes! You should work with an event planner, particularly one who is informed about these types of parties. An event planner will help you set up a schedule and to-do list and help keep you on track throughout the planning process. They can also help with some of the things you might not be as skilled with, such as negotiating with vendors. Most importantly, an event planner can put out any unforeseen problems or challenges that arise and allow you to enjoy your weekend!

Start Talking to Your Child

Planning a Bat Mitzvah is going to involve some measure of compromise. You and your child are going to have different ideas about what is the perfect celebration. If you start talking early, you can start to see each other’s points of view and come to a compromise that will please both of you. Also, know between sixth and seventh grade is a huge development change for children. Don’t start signing contracts and making definitive plans more than a year in advance.

Make a Check List

It may be too early to start ordering food and decorations, but you can make a check list. Everything is dependant on your guest list. Start there! Start thinking through the various professionals you are going to want to use, such as your event planner, a DJ, caterer, and someone to design the invitations. Start looking at potential venues to choose an environment that is going to meet your needs for size and atmosphere. You can create a “wish list” before you begin looking as well. Share your wish list with your event planner.

Make a Play List

About a month prior to the party meet with your event planner and emcee/DJ to set up your play list. Talk to your child about the popular songs s/he is going to want included, and consider any sentimental songs that would mean a lot to your family. If there are any songs or performers that are off limits, make note of these as well, so you can let your DJ know your expectations. If you are not familiar with some of the songs your child wants, this may be a good time to listen to them. Make sure you approve of your child’s selections.

If you take the time to do some of this planning early, you can take a lot of the stress out of planning your child’s Bar Mitzvah. Remember, this is a celebration of your child’s commitment to Judaism. It should be fun for everyone as you plan and prepare!

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Monique Trulson works for eInvite, an online retailer of party invites, wedding invitations, Bar Mitzvah invitations and other stationery.

Bar/Bat Mitzvah Defined

First, let’s understand what the words “Bar (or Bat) Mitzvah” mean. The phrase translates as “son (daughter) of commandment” — i.e. the young person becomes responsible to observe the commandments (mitzvot) of the Torah.

The purpose of the commandments are to keep our lives focused on what’s truly important: family, community, and a relationship with God.

Although we commonly refer to “having” a Bar Mitzvah, technically speaking, this is impossible. The term “Bar Mitzvah” refers to a status, in the same way that being a student or parent is a status.

A Jewish child automatically becomes Bar/Bat Mitzvah at the age of 13 years old. (In some more traditional communities a girl may perform the acts of a Jewish adult beginning at 12.)

On a deeper level, just as their bodies are growing and changing, so too their souls are growing and changing. Kabbalistic tradition says that a person’s spiritual being has several levels of soul. A new level of soul (called neshama) comes into awareness at Bar/Bat Mitzvah time. This is the time when moral awareness and sensitivity fully develops, enabling young people to take responsibility for their actions.

One’s actions after reaching this stage of life are considered more significant for another reason: The Talmud explains that a mitzvah performed because one is commanded, is considered greater than a mitzvah performed voluntarily. This is because a person has a natural aversion to fulfilling an obligation. Overcoming this aversion is a sign of maturity, and this is what the Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebrates — reaching the stage of obligation.

Bar/Bat Mitzvah at the Synagogue

On Shabbat (Saturday services), the Torah — a scroll containing the Five Books of Moses — is read publicly. The Torah is divided into 54 portions, following an annual cycle, with one portion read each week in the synagogue.

The weekly portion is further sub-divided into sections. At Shabbat services, people are “called up” and honored with saying the special blessings before and after the reading of each section.

The Torah is removed from the holy ark, and then carried to the bima, the raised platform from where the Torah is read. While the Torah is being carried, everyone stands out of respect.

When people say, “I had a Bar Mitzvah,” it means that they had an aliyah to the Torah in synagogue. “Aliyah” means to “go up” to the bima.

The Torah scroll is meticulously written by hand by a God-fearing scribe. A number of rules ensure that the Torah is written with perfect accuracy, thus maintaining the unbroken chain of tradition back to Mount Sinai.

At the conclusion of the final blessing, some synagogues have the custom to good-naturedly pelt the child with candies or marshmallows

Following this, the Mitzvah child reads a portion from the biblical prophets, called the Haftorah. During a period of persecution 2,000 years ago, Jews were forbidden from reading the Torah, so they instituted a reading from the prophets that corresponds to the theme of that week’s Torah portion. The Haftorah is read with a unique traditional melody.

Following services, the congregation usually joins in a Kiddush, a lunch that begins with the blessings over wine & bread.

Bar/Bat Mitzvah Party

One popular feature of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebration is a party.

There are different practices regarding what is done at a Mitzvah celebration.

What about that Titanic-themed party with Hollywood-style special effects? It’s important that the festivities should not become so ostentatious that the spiritual significance becomes secondary. The new adult should appreciate this is a celebration of maturity and responsibility, a message which will carry through for the rest of his/her life.

Bar/Bar Mitzvah 102

Some believe Jewish practice is confined to the synagogue or to a holiday celebration at home. Judaism can be a basis for life’s most important questions: How can I live a meaningful life? How can I build successful relationships, deal honestly in business, and fulfill my personal potential? How can I really make a difference in the world?

In Jewish life, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah does not represent the culmination of one’s Jewish education, but rather a stepping-stone to a more mature and profound relationship with Jewish learning.

Bar/Bat Mitzvah means to become educated, and to strengthen one’s Jewish pride through knowledge and understanding. It means to grow Jewishly, one step at a time.

Success in achieving these goals is what we wish for the Bar/Bat Mitzvah, and the beginning of that journey is what we celebrate on this joyous occasion.

Bar/Bat Mitzvah Trivia

A Jewish trivia question: Who was the first person to have a Bar Mitzvah?

We could actually suggest three answers:

1) Abraham – The first person to begin observing some of the mitzvot was “the first Jew,” Abraham. However, he was older than age 13 when he started, so…

2) Isaac was the first person who was “Jewish” upon reaching age 13. The Torah writes, “And Abraham made a great party on the day” (Genesis 21:8), which the Midrash explains was a celebration for Isaac becoming Bar Mitzvah.

3) Mount Sinai – Only when the Torah was given at Mount Sinai did Jews became truly obligated to observe the mitzvot. Therefore, the Sinai experience was actually a mass Bar/Bat Mitzvah of the entire Jewish people.

Mazel tov!

Editor’s Note: This article was originally called, “A 7-point guide to the Jewish coming-of-age ceremony,” written by, Rabbi Shraga Simmons and appeared on Aish.com I frequently find excellent (and fun) information from Aish HaTorah; however, the organization tends to take a much more orthodox view of Judaism than I share. I have taken liberty with this article to rewrite & delete parts to reflect a modern and egalitarian approach to the Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony. Any mistakes are mine. The sentiments and ideas printed are Rabbi Simmons. To read the article in its original format visit Aish.com

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The Celebrations By Samara Family

The 17th birthday party extravaganza for Taylor was sensational. Summery turquoise and lime green accented the house. The party started off with a catered sushi dinner, and lead into games with a “Minute to Win it” themed competition. While Celebrations by Samara staff set up the games, Taylor and her 45 guests formed into six teams. They played seven games total, including stacking lip balm tubes with chopsticks, throwing playing cards in watermelon halves, and balancing dice on popsicle sticks. The guests had a blast and the competition got intense, as everyone wanted their team to win.

The evening was complete with a photo booth, where guests had the chance to take silly pictures with hats and other props. Finally, the catered ice cream and 18 toppings were a big hit along with the deliciously customized double-layered cookie cake. The guests were entertained every minute of the event and the smiles on everyone’s faces were proof enough that the party was a winner!
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Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes.

Best of all, you can browse pinboards created by other people. Browsing pinboards is a fun way to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests.

Save your inspirations, creative ideas and style from cool websites. Family and friends can make comments and give suggestions.

Pretty cool way to plan an event. Check it out.

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benefiting Joshua & Robin
Berry Children’s Trust
Sunday Aug 14
10 am–12 noon
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Thank you!
Bounce U Houston and Celebrations By Samara

Western Style ‐ The Houston Way
Recently Embark Floral had the opportunity to do floral centerpieces for a July 5 Graduation party at Smith & Wollensky in Highland Village through party planner Samara Beth Hurley of Celebrations by Samara. This premier event planner contracted Embark Floral to handle the unique centerpieces for this party. We had the opportunity to make rustic western saddle and boot vases look graduation‐like, feminine yet Smith & Wollensky‐ worthy. According to Samara and her staff, we did an amazing job! We used colorful assorted grasses to fill the base and topped the arrangement with three large whimsical dahlias. The total effect was not your typical western wildflower arrangement, but more of a rustic bohemian look.

This got us in the mood to think western. Although Houston’s urban concrete jungle and fast paced life makes us forget where we live on this globe, the truth is we are at the center of all things western. Consider the city‐wide event each March called the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo and the hundreds of millions that it raises every year for local scholarships. As Texans, we have an affinity for the western look. As Houstonians, we own the concept of what makes “western” cool.

Go ahead and embrace your western heritage. Here are some pictures of the vases used at Smith & Wollensky’s event. Don Mechanic Enterprises, Ltd out of Dallas manufactures the vases out of resin. We were impressed with the fine details in the vase designs. Maybe they will inspire you to have a “western” themed event sometime soon.Check out more vase styles at: www.donmechanic.com Flower options:
There are many options of flowers you can use to keep in the western theme. Of course, sunflowers are a natural choice, but consider blue bella‐donna delphinium as a bluebonnet look‐alike.

Another flower that I highly recommend for a more unique western look is the versatile dahlia. It comes in a wide variety of colors and textures. Whatever your color scheme, there is a dahlia out there to match it! Just contact us at Embark Floral, and we’ll special order the dahlia color that works best for you! Here’s a sample of a Dahlia we have in the shop today.

Other dahlia examples:
These are just a few suggestions for flowers. There are many options to create that unique Houstonian western look. Don’t be overwhelmed. Trust the professionals. At Embark Floral we know how to design Western‐ the Houston Way.

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Stay tuned for fun events nationwide!!

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