There is nothing more meaningful than having a family event in the home of the forefathers. Hosting family and friends for a bar mitzvah or wedding in Israel strengthens the bond between them and the country and adds a Zionist element that can only be felt there. The mere beauty and history of Israel guests will experience is

(BPT)Traditional wedding rules have fallen by the wayside—food trucks are in, having a hashtag is a must, bridesmaids no longer wear the same dress and groomsmen are sometimes in sneakers. Couples are actively seeking ways to differentiate themselves and get creative. All that aside, there is one thing that

There is so much work that goes into the event before the band even shows up to the simcha. Playing an instrument or singing a song is different from writing an arrangement. Not everyone can arrange music—which includes harmonies, melodies and parts for the various instruments. The arrangements can take a great

When making a simcha, many people play a game of “give and take” with their budget. If they opt to have a bigger hall, then the family may choose a simpler menu. Some people choose to cut out the photographer. After all, with digital technology as accessible as it is, is that job really necessary for the

(Part II of II)

We now rejoin our wedding, already in progress.

Chuppah

At the entrance of the Chuppah room, ushers will often hand out programs and mints like they’re bathroom

(StatePoint)While making the wedding day spectacular may seem like the main goal for engaged couples, savvy twosomes are also considering how they will build their home and life together after the honeymoon.

Luckily, these days, there are plenty of ways to plan your big day and happily ever

Party planning can be tough, especially when you have varied guests to please. The Avi Maza Orchestra takes pride in providing music for disparate audiences, all along the religious and age spectrum, with discerning tastes. Founded by Avi Maza in 1998, this eclectic group of talented musicians, DJs and other entertainers,

Imagine walking into a bat mitzvah and on every table there are big, fluffy tutus. You would probably think, “Hmm. Interesting choice of centerpiece…” Then you would walk up to your table and read the little pink card explaining that the tutu and the other assorted dancewear on the tables are being

(BPT)Patriotic celebrations, Labor Day bbqs, neighborhood block parties, graduations, bridal showers and family reunions—whatever your late summer soiree, a creative theme can elevate any gathering from fun to fantastic. If you’ve done the usual—luau, ethnic and red-white-and-blue—and are looking for

There were so many excellent books out there this year for the Jewish reader.

I picked four of the most recent selections I’ve had the privilege of reading. Each one of them “spoke” to me personally and helped me with a better understanding of the parsha,

It’s not about the limit of what you can do, it’s about doing what you can. Such is the philosophy that drove a young resident of Bergenfield, New Jersey, to start a fundraiser based on selling kippot to raise money for United Hatzalah in Israel. Out of nothing, young Aiden Sausen raised over $500 in a short

The Rutner family of West Orange traveled

to Israel in June in honor of their son and brother Jacob’s bar mitzvah. Jacob is one of five Rutner children, and was joined by four of his siblings and his parents on his tikkun olam venture. After traveling to Israel