Raising the BAR on Mitzvah

Bar and Bat Mitzvahs are traditional celebrations of the entrance into adulthood. They require work, study and practice to be able to perform the services and rituals that occur in Hebrew. It simply isn't easy to learn the language as it has its own alphabet. These celebrations often include parties of varying degrees attended by friends and family after the religious portion--- which occurs in synagogues and temples. (To define the term: a mitzvah is a good deed).

I have attended many that are fun, lovely, sweet and sometimes formulaic and, occasionally, over the top. But a recent Bat Mitzvah set a new standard. It was actually billed as a "Park Mitzvah". You see, Brenna and her parents, Kayla and Steve, wanted to celebrate in a signicant way that had lasting impact and made a difference. Another party just wasn't going to make the cut.

Instead, on a rainy Sunday (we had hoped for a bit of divine intervention in the form of SUNSHINE), we guests signed on to build a playground for the preschoolers. Yes, there were a great DJ, a videographer , pizza and taffy apples and more concrete, mulch, and mud than I had ever seen. But instead of a six hour party of eating a 7 course meal and dancing, we spent 7 hours shoveling, mixing, hammering and planting. The end result: a wonderful playground that was used immediately by the pre K set.

The connection, the talent, the energy and the skill of these guest volunteers was just breathtaking. Three and more generations worked together. Grandparents worked side by side with grandchildren, six year olds helped to mix concrete with thirteen year olds, a few mid twenties, A Gen Xer and Boomer or two. Talk about intergenerational teams working on a common goal... this was it.

I was awestruck by the concept, the family's commitment to create something of substance that is useful. It took as much, if not more planning than a party; but it created comaraderie at a level I have never seen. The Park Mitzvah set a new standard that should be the role model for doing good deeds.

Brenna's Bat Mitzvah most definitely "raised the bar" on mitzvah.

Your thoughts? Good deeds? Add a post or send an email... Susan@susanroane.com