This evening, we went to the Bar Mitzvah of my cousin/nephew, N. Excuse me, a “Barn Mitzvah”, for it was held in the Barn at Calamigos Ranch. Despite a number of last minute problems, and my worries about it being a 6:30pm service outside a sanctuary, it was quite good.
There was a normal afternoon service led quite capably by the Bar Mitzvah Boy and Cantor Ron Li-Paz of Valley Outreach Synagogue, followed by havdalah. We presented the BMB with a kiddish cup which he was delighted with, and used for the first time that evening. We had a good dinner. There was a DJ who did the usual DJ stuff (modern music, one hora, etc.) It was a good evening.
On the drive back, we talked with NSS&F about what she wanted to do for her Bat Mitzvah in December 2007. Her thoughts:
- No DJ. She wants a songleader to lead a zmirot session like at camp, with a few additional songs thrown in that everyone can sing. She’d like Israeli dancing, again like at camp, with some dances taught. She does want that weird candle thing they do nowaday (where does that come from, anyway).
- We’ll do ballons, but we really don’t like the mylar stuff.
- We’ll do a professional photographer to ensure good pictures, but no video.
- We still like the idea of using one of the temple’s captive caterers. We haven’t figured out menu yet.
- She’s thinking of a Broadway Theatre page. We think we could get posters of closed shows from some of the theatres we hit regularly (Pasadena Playhouse, Cabrillo, REP), and from theatre poster calendars. We could then make table decorations around that.
Quite sensible, in my opinion.
Tomorrow morning (which comes far too soon) is packing and getting ready to head out on vacation. If you are in the Sacramento or San Francisco/San Jose/Oakland Bay areas, we’d love to get together: respond here, or in this friends-only post with more details.
