No doubt these last few months have been very hard on all of us. There have been so many of life’s special moments postponed or cancelled including Bar & Bat Mitzvahs. Whether you were planning a mitzvah in Israel or working with your local synagogue, moving forward as initially planned can be tough. For a Jewish tween who has spent the greater part of the last year studying Hebrew, learning prayers and Torah portions, the idea of having to postpone their special day can be very emotional for them as well. As you know, getting ready for a Bar or Bat Mitzvah is no easy task.

We feel our modern approach to Mitzvah planning is especially useful during these times.
The recent trend of the drive-by graduation and birthday parties have really brought a little fun back to life and we have been amazed at all the creativity. So why not try a similar approach to Bar and Bat Mitzvahs?

One of our clients had been planning a July Bat Mitzvah in Israel followed by a celebration at home in August. Plans quickly evolved and the event was converted into a backyard Zoom Mitzvah service followed by a Micro Mitzvah Party. It turned out to be an excellent way to pivot under the circumstances. Immediate family and a few friends attended and additional family and friends from different parts of the country were able to watch a beautiful service with joy as the entire service was streamed live.

This Zoom Micro Mitzvah is just one example of the many options out there. How about a backyard movie night celebration or a field day? As purveyors of the Modern Mitzvah, we are here to help you create a special, memorable event for you, your family and close friends.

Contact us today for a complimentary consultation to find out modern ways we can help you plan your event!

The post Zoom & Micro Mitzvahs appeared first on Modern Mitzvahs.

Needless to say, planning a Bar or Bat Mitzvah during COVID-19 has some very unique challenges. Many families have been left in a sort of a “holding pattern” where they are nervous about signing contracts and putting down deposits due to the uncertainty of what is to come over the next few months.

We get it! You are right to feel nervous about moving forward with your plans and you are not alone. Clients engaged in planning just about any type of event have shown their hesitation to move forward in the process.

But, venues are starting to re-open and vendors are adapting to the new normal. Our advice is to re-start your planning and begin moving forward – carefully. What follows are some important factors to consider.

Bar and Bat Mitzvahs that were scheduled for spring have already started rescheduling their events with their venues and vendors for fall and winter. This is putting tremendous pressure on Mitzvah vendors. If you decide to hold off on making plans too much longer, you run the risk that your favorite vendors and locations will be booked.

To protect yourself and stay flexible, discuss your questions and concerns with your event planner or individual vendors. For example, what would happen if your event needed to be rescheduled due to another stay-at-home order? Each vendor likely has a slightly different policy. Would you still receive a full refund if you were unable to reschedule your event with them? What terms are open for negotiation and does your contract reflect what was agreed upon? Open communication and mutual understanding from the start is key. Most vendors anticipate and understand your fears given all the uncertainty. They want to make you happy and they need your business.

Now, more than ever, it is important to do business only with strong, reputable vendors. The unfortunate truth is that many businesses will not make it through this pandemic due to sudden and complete loss in income over the past few months. Strong vendors will become even more popular, so you should consider finally putting down that deposit to ensure they will be there for you and your guests when your event rolls around. We also suggest leaving your deposits on a credit card to give you some extra security and peace of mind, just in case.

These are just a few of the many factors to consider when planning your Bar or Bat Mitzvah as we come out of this crisis. It is important to start working with your planning professional now to help you manage a process that has become even trickier since the pandemic and ensure a wonderful Bar or Bat Mitzvah event for everyone!

The post Moving Forward With Mitzvah Planning appeared first on Modern Mitzvahs.