Yavneh Academy sixth graders recently received an evite to a bar/bat mitzvah celebration of Aliza Davis and Jason Rosen to be celebrated in school. What they did not know was that this was a “mock” simcha as a follow up to their Advisory unit where they had discussed proper behavior and decorum during a bar/bat mitzvah celebration. This event was an opportunity for sixth graders to practice, in a fun way, what they had learned. Each element of the event was prefaced with a rhyming introductory paragraph reminding them of the expectations and etiquette they should be practicing for that segment of the event.

The roles of the bnai mitzvah were played by two Yavneh faculty members, who revealed themselves after tefillah. At the end of tefillah, Divrei Torah were delivered by each of the celebrants. A montage was then shown, which was actually photos of middle school teachers when they were bar/bat mitzvah age, and the students guessed which teachers were in the photos, laughing as they saw their teachers at their age. Following the montage, the students proceeded to the Yavneh “cafe” for a festive buffet meal with simcha music. The sixth graders practiced saying mazal tov and signed the sign-in boards for both baalei simcha. The event concluded with festive dancing of the girls with Aliza and the boys with Jason.

The Yavneh Academy students had a wonderful time putting into practice everything they had learned.