Looking for some inspiration for your upcoming Bar mitzvah party? Choosing a theme can be a great way to add a unique touch to your Simcha. Here are five popular and easy-to-create themes to consider:
If the Bar mitzvah boy is a big fan of sports, a sports-themed party is sure to be a hit. Decorate with sports team logos or colours, and set up games like basketball or beat the goalie for guests to play. You can incorporate sports-themed food, such as hot dogs and pretzels.
Real Bar mitzvahs: L'Chaim! client Finn had a baseball themed Bar mitzvah. The centerpieces were vases filled with baseballs, baseball gloves along with flowers and candles. The kippah even had little baseballs on them! We loved creating Finn's personalised baseball themed magazine for his Bar mitzvah, you can flick through it here.
Roll out the red carpet with a Hollywood glam-themed Bar mitzvah party. Start with an entrance of a star studded walkway and paparazzi. Decorate with plenty of gold and silver accents, adorn tables with with movie posters of classic films and set up a photo booth with props such as oversized sunglasses, feather boas and a director's clipboard for guests to take photos like true celebrities. Set up a popcorn station for a fun movie theatre touch.
Top tip: provide personalised magazines as incredible keepsakes for your guests, we can design them for you so that it looks just like a theatre program! We can include photos and bios for the Bar mitzvah boy's family and closest friends.
For a more whimsical touch, consider an under the sea theme. Decorate with plenty of blues and greens, and set up a photo booth with ocean themed props. You could have a seafood bar with options such as crab legs and prawn cocktail.
Top tip: whatever your theme, we can style a personalised Bar mitzvah magazine to complete your party vibe. The one you see here was designed around the Bar mitzvah boy's invitation, we matched up the colours, style and font to ensure a seamless match. Take a look here.
Get ready to go back in time with a medieval themed Bar mitzvah party. Decorate with plenty of jewel tones and tapestries, and set up archery or jousting games. For food, have a medieval banquet on long tables with roast meats and plenty of bread.
Top tip: If you're not going for an all out theme and are just going for a colour scheme there is a lot of fun to be had, allowing you lots of flexibility with decor, food and games. This personalised magazine was for a blue themes Bar mitzvah and we included lots of photos, alongside messages, a name meaning page, a word cloud, birthday timeline, interviews and more. Check it out here.
If the Bar mitzvah boy and his friends love to play games, a games night themed party is sure to be a hit. Set up tables with classic board games like Monopoly or Cluedo and have a dedicated space for video games. You can have a snack bar with popcorn and candy options.
Real Bar mitzvahs: Bar mitzvah boy Barney wanted to include games at his fun Bar mitzvah... so much so that we included a bespoke word search for him inside his personalised Bar mitzvah magazine! You can flick through it here.
No matter which theme you choose, don’t forget to have fun with it and let your creativity shine. With a little planning you can create a memorable Bar mitzvah party that everyone will be talking about for years to come.
If you would like to have a personalised Bar mitzvah magazine complementing your colour scheme and theme, get in touch with liz@lchaim.com to set up a video call.
A Bar / Bat mitzvah is a significant milestone in a child's life, and as a parent, you want to make sure that your child's special day is as memorable as possible. One way to do that is by delivering a speech that resonates with your child and the guests attending the ceremony.
Here are ten tips to consider while writing your child's Bar / Bat Mitzvah speech.
In conclusion, delivering a Bar / Bat mitzvah speech is an honour and a privilege. Follow these tips and bring a personal touch to your speech, full of love and pride, for your child on this special day.
Looking to create a great Bat mitzvah party but don’t know where to start? Choosing a theme can be a fun and creative way to add some personalisation to your celebration. Here are five popular and easy-to-create themes to consider:
Want to bring the beach to your Bat mitzvah party? Create a beach themed Simcha with beach balls, palm trees and inflatable pool toys. You could have a sandcastle building contest or beach themed games such as volleyball or limbo. Beach refreshments such as smoothies, seafood, fruit skewers and an ice cream van will complete the vibe.
For a party fit for a glamorous princess, jazz up your celebration with a glitter and glam theme. Incorporate sparkly accents into your decor with sequin tablecloths and rhinestone table numbers. Add glam to the tables with a miniature disco ball or floral bouquet with crystals. For food, consider glittery cupcakes or cakes and mocktails with sparkly garnishes and edible glitter.
Real Bat mitzvahs: Sophie had a fabulous Bat mitzvah party and we adored using her logo and theme to create a stunning personalised Bat mitzvah magazine. You can flick through it here.
Create an air of mystery and intrigue with a masquerade ball theme. Ask your guests to come in masks or have a DIY mask-making station ready as a fun party activity. For decorations, suspend masks or create dramatic backdrops with floor to ceiling masks. Complete the atmosphere with mocktails decorated with feathers, and finger foods on classic trays.
Colour lovers will appreciate a party bursting with colourful hues. Have a rainbow decor with multi coloured streamers, balloons and confetti. Every mocktail and food item can have a rainbow accent or feature. With a colour themed party, you can give yourself the freedom to incorporate any games or activate you like.
Real Bat mitzvahs: Brooke's colourful Bat mitzvah was themed all around her favourite colours, her at L'Chaim! Simcha magazines we provided Brooke with a logo, digital invitation with RSVP button, thank you cards, stickers and of course a fabulous personalised Bat mitzvah magazine. You can see it here.
Personalise your party by creating your child's name into a logo, use the colours from the logo to theme your event. The logo can then go on to everything, from dancefloor backdrop to ceiling laser lights, printed on balloons and stickers, on all of the stationery and on take home gifts such as tee shirts, hoodys or key rings. Take a personalised party to the next level by having a personalised Bat mitzvah magazine, your guests will love receiving their copy to take home. Filled with photos, stories and fun facts about the Bat mitzvah girl, you can include messages and photos from family and friends as well as the mitzvah project and Shehecheyanu.
No matter which theme you choose for your Bat mitzvah party, have fun with it and make it as unique as the Bat mitzvah girl. Yo can even incorporate elements from different themes to make it truly one of a kind. By combining creativity with careful planning, you can make your Bat mitzvah party a celebration that everyone will remember for years to come.
If you would like to have a personalised Bat mitzvah magazine complementing your colour scheme and theme, get in touch with liz@lchaim.com to set up a video call.
The Bar / Bat mitzvah is a significant milestone for a young Jewish child who is transitioning into adulthood. It’s an incredible occasion that requires a lot of planning and organisation to make it memorable.
Here are seven tips to help you plan and organise a great Bar / Bat mitzvah celebration.
In conclusion, planning a Bar / Bat mitzvah celebration can seem overwhelming, but with the right plan and organisation, you can create a memorable event that your child and guests will cherish for years to come. By following these seven tips, you can organise an enjoyable and meaningful Bar / Bat mitzvah that will be a day to remember for everyone involved.
I’m a member of a handful of top tips Facebook groups for those in the midst of Simcha planning and one question that comes up time and again is, “Can anyone recommend popular Bar mitzvah / Bat mitzvah venues in North West London”. So I’ve trawled through the comments and it would seem that the following five Bar mitzvah venues / Bat mitzvah venues are really popular! I hope that you find this post useful when you are researching your Simcha venue!
Located between Hampstead West Hampstead, North West London, JW3 is on the A41 Finchley Road. This popular Bar mitzvah / Bat mitzvah venue in North West London is a kosher venue is inspired by Jewish community, arts and culture. Available to hire weekdays and Sundays until 10.30pm and for Shabbat compliant events until 10.30pm, this four story building has flexible spaces with a multi purpose hall available to hire.
Take a look at their website - click here
Located across the road to the Finchley United Synagogue (Kinloss) in the heart of the North London Jewish Community, this hotel venue has capacity in its Park and Madison rooms for up to 250 and up to 25 in the much smaller Shaftsbury Suite. Facilities include a kosher snack shop. The dedicated website for venue hire for Simchas explains that you have a contemporary blank canvas as your backdrop and the functions rooms are equipped with PA systems, reception and dining furniture, stage and dance floor, a fully equipped kitchen and atmospheric lighting.
Take a look at their website - click here
The Silver Suite at Finchley United Synagogue is a versatile events space with two main halls and is fully equipped for rigging lighting, sound and special effects. It’s conveniently located next to the Holiday Inn (see previous venue). This blank canvas space can be used to accommodate any theme you can dream up.
Take a look at their website - click here
This premium restaurant and events space has capacity for 250 standing mix and mingle or for more formal functions 180 seated. The team at this fully equipped venue are able to offer you dry hire or a complete events package including door security, sound and lighting with onsite technician, dance floor and staging, furniture packages, cloakroom with attendant, projection wall, plasma screens and magic mirror photo booth.
Take a look at their website - click here
This luxury events space adjoins the Hexagon Classic Showroom, one of the world’s finest classic car collections. With seated capacity for 180 and standing capacity for 210, this tastefully designed contemporary space promises your guests an unforgettable experience.
Take a look at their website - click here
Whatever theme or colour scheme you decide upon, we can design a stylish personalised magazine to compliment your Simcha. Give to your guests who will cherish forever, these incredible and unique keepsakes can be used to share messages and photos from family and friends, birthday timeline, first day of school photos, life story in numbers, family tree, an in memory of page, a special thank you page, you can include the torah portion, mitzvah project and so much more.
Get in touch with liz@lchaimlife.com to find out more.
There are a wide range of venues available for you to choose from when planning your Bar mitzvah or Bat mitzvah. This article looks at a selection of large capacity venue ideas for your Bar mitzvah or Bat mitzvah. All of these large spaces give you the opportunity to create a grand Simcha without limiting you to a specific colour scheme or theme. The large capacity venue ideas for your Bar mitzvah or Bat mitzvah listed can accommodate 300 - 1000 guests.
Pryzm in Watford has multiple spaces to hire meaning this large capacity venue ideas for your Bar mitzvah or Bat mitzvah can accommodate small events right up to events hosting 2000 people. The fashionable decor paired with industry leading sound and lightning will set the backdrop for a truly magnificent and memorable Simcha putting Pryzm top of the list as a large capacity venue ideas for your Bar mitzvah or Bat mitzvah.
The Steinbeck and Shaw is a vibrant bar space for 200 standing and 50 seated. The Pryzm Main stage is a large open space which can easily accommodate 1000 guests or 100 seated and the room can be themed to match any style you are going for. The decadent black and gold of Pryzm Curve allows for 220 guests or 40 seated, and finally Pryzm Disco with illuminated dance floor and hanging disco balls can play host to 500 guests or 50 seated.
Take a look at their website - click here
The Grand Hall at the Bushey Arena in Hertfordshire is a spectacular period hall, with seating for up to 300 people banquet style, 620 theatre style or 800 standing. This makes it a very attractive large capacity venue idea for your Bar mitzvah or Bat mitzvah. The Grand Hall’s architectural attractions include a vaulted ceiling, beams and wooden panelling. There is a raised stage and AV facilities. This self contained large capacity Bar mitzvah or Bat mitzvah venue has a separate entrance, external courtyard with a clock tower and it is surrounded by attractive parkland, landscaped and paved areas.
Take a look at their website - click here
The Manor of Groves Golf and Country Club situated in Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire has a 5500 sq ft air-conditioned building called the Exchange and comprises of three suites, the Masters, Solheim and Ryder suites. These suites can accommodate up to 500 guests certainly making this a suitable choice as a large capacity venue ideas for your Bar mitzvah or Bat mitzvah. The event space is flooded with natural daylight and the dramatic backdrop of the outdoor spaces include an Oriental Garden complete with waterfall, offering fantastic photographic opportunities.
Take a look at their website - click here
What better way to mark this incredible time in your child's life than with a personalised Simcha magazine? These unique gifts are fabulous keepsakes which your guests will always cherish. Styled to the theme and colour scheme of the Bar mitzvah or Bat mitzvah, families love to include photos from birth right up to BM age, love letters from parents and siblings, heartfelt messages and photos from friends, and a fun game or two such as a word search or table quiz. We can include the torah portion, haftorah, mitzvah prayer and mitzvah project. Maybe you would like the programme included too, ticking off the stationery requirements for your Simcha!
Get in touch with Liz at liz@lchaimlife.com to set up a video call to see see previous L'Chaim! simcha magazines.
We have teamed up with 5 event suppliers to create an epic giveaway which will surely beat those January blues!
Ideal for those of you planning an event or celebration over the next year, this incredible prize bundle is worth around £1500!
This competition running over on Instagram and will close at 8pm on Thursday 20th January 2022 where a winner will be selected at random on an Instagram live. Any entries after this date will not be counted. To be eligible and ensure enough time to produce the prizes, your event needs to be taking place after April 2022.
This prize bundle of 6 fabulous event prizes includes:
⭐️ A bespoke lip sync music video from In the Spotlight Productions (gold package)
⭐️ 100 branded thank you cards from RSVP Lucy
⭐️ A 1 hour pre-event photo shoot in the studio (in WD6) and 2 digital images from Kate Swerdlow Photography
⭐️ An event magazine from L'Chaim! personalised simcha magazines
⭐️ A voucher for £100 from Cohen's Jewellers to spend on jewellery
⭐️ A wall garland and a balloon bubble from Balloon Guys Company (collection WD6)
To enter you need to head over to Instagram then:
⭐️ Follow all of the brands giving away a prize
⭐️Tag 3 people in the comments. Each tag counts as a separate entry. 5 EXTRA ENTRIES FOR THOSE WHO DO THIS ON ALL OF THE PRIZE GIVERS POSTS
⭐️ Like and save this post
⭐️ Share the post to your stories
This giveaway is in no way associated with Instagram.
In this series of Bar mitzvah and Bat mitzvah venues available to hire, I have researched a whole range of popular Simcha venues, this article takes a closer look at four popular venues for smaller scale Bar mitzvahs and Bat mitzvahs, suitable for 35 - 70 seated guests. I really hope you find the articles useful!
This venue offering a lively atmosphere with comfortable seating, outstanding sound system, new wave disco lighting and dance floor is located in Muswell Hill. In house food consists of thick shakes, crepes, buttermilk waffles and American style pancakes or you can provide your own outside catering (no charge).
The venue seats up to 40 people with up to 80 standing. Hire price includes exclusive use of the full venue, 2 door staff, 2 staff serving drinks, cleaning and tidying etc and full use of the state of the art club sound and lighting equipment.
Take a look at their website - click here
The mezzanine room at The Haven offers capacity for up to 70 people seated. Their per head service with no room hire charge offers a package which includes canapés, 3 course meal, coffee and petite fours, table wine and soft drinks. The venue will happily print the place cards and table plan for no extra charge and will also supply basic flowers or coloured LED centres for tables free of charge. For larger Bar mitzvah and Bat mitzvah parties take a look at hiring their restaurant (main dining room) which seats 150.
Take a look at their website - click here
The Red Lion has two spaces available to hire with stylish decor and an intimate feel, the smaller room caters for 60 standing and 30 people seated and the larger of the two rooms can accommodate 100 standing up and 60 seated. You'll be assigned your own events manager to ensure the smooth planning and running of your smaller scale Bar mitzvah / Bat mitzvah.
Take a look at their website - click here
Daisy's is available to hire from 6.30pm until late and provides a large range of catering options from buffets to bespoke 3 course set menus tailored to your needs. Daisy's seats 35 - 45 people for your smaller scale Bar mitzvah / Bat mitzvah.
Take a look at their website - click here
Something that is always hugely popular at any Bar mitzvah or Bat mitzvah, is a personalised Simcha magazine. These magazines are styled to your exact choice of colours, we can incorporate a theme and logo if you wish and they are phenomenal keepsakes for your guests. Inside you can have lots of family photos, share all those first day of the school year photos, a birthday photo timeline, name meaning, family tree and messages from family and friends... the options for articles are limitless!
Get in touch with liz@lchaimlife.com to set up a video call to see past work.
Recently inspired by a call for surprise ideas from a parent on a Facebook group for Bar mitzvahs and Bat mitzvahs, I thought I would put together some fun surprises that you might like to consider for your Bar mitzvah boy / Bat mitzvah girl.
What better way to surprise not just your Bar mitzvah boy / Bat mitzvah girl, but your guests too than a L’Chaim! personalised Simcha magazine? These awesome magazines are custom designed to your event, incorporating your colours, logo and branding. Include any article you want from messages and photos from friends, quizzes, custom word searches to photo collage fun such as a birthday timeline, a first day of school time line, holiday snaps, baby photos, family photos and more. You can include the Mitzvah project, the program, order of service, the Torah portion…. the list is endless! Take a look at our portfolio for inspiration!
I discovered Cameo for the first time in March this year. I had been invited to a client’s Zoomitzvah where the Bar mitzvah girl, Brooke, is a big fan of Friday Night Dinner. Brooke’s parents booked the hilarious next door neighbour Jim (Mike Heap) from Friday Night Dinner through Cameo to provide a personalised video message. Brooke knew nothing about this treat and the look of delight and surprise on her face was priceless, Jim was absolutely hilarious and the video message was a memorable surprise from this Zoomitzvah.
Yard Cards are another new thing I have discovered recently, as the name suggests to any British readers of this article, this fun concept is a big thing in the States. Yard cards are giant, they are bright, they are personalised and they are a big WOW of a surprise! They can stretch as wide as your yard and they make a phenomenal visual statement. Have some fun with your photographer and get some group shots in front of and peeking out from behind the giant yard card.
I love Best Wishes Yard Cards in the States and I’ve discovered Yard Cards in the UK.
One parent from the aforementioned Facebook group surprised her theatre loving Bar mitzvah boy with the Bottle Dance from Fiddler on the Roof, it was performed by his theatre friends' dads! What a delightful surprise, and I’m sure it really got everybody into a joyful party mood!
L’Chaim! Bar mitzvah boy Finn had Curbside Confections surprise him and his guests at his Bar mitzvah. Food trucks are such a fun addition to your Simcha, often the food is customisable to your party and they can usually incorporate personalised signage too.
If you'd like a logo and branding for your Simcha, then do get in touch with liz@lchaimlife.com we provide this service at a heavily discounted rate when purchased with a personalised Bar mitzvah / Bat mitzvah magazine.
Who doesn’t love a bit of magic? Your Bar mitzvah boy / Bat mitzvah girl will get such a surprise when they experience some close up magic! Magicians not only add magic to your Simcha but laughter and amazement too, I know that when I’ve seen some phenomenal card tricks, I remember them for a long time after! Magicians always seem to leave me wanting to see more!
If your child is a big fan of the local sports or athletics team, then why not see if you can arrange for their mascot to make a surprise appearance at your Simcha? This will make for some super fun photos adding some personality and community spirit to your event!
If you'd like to share your awesome Bar mitzvah surprise ideas or Bat mitzvah surprise ideas with Liz then do get in touch: liz@lchaimlife.com
When the Covid pandemic swept through the world in 2020 - many of us had to change the way we operated, at the time we probably thought that the way we adjusted by working from home, to moving meetings online, would just be temporary measures, but I know that I for one have learned a multitude of new and wonderful ideas that have arisen from the global pandemic which I believe should be here to stay for good, one of which is the Zoomitzvah.
Initially you may be surprised to hear me say that I think the Zoomitzvah is something that will continue to be popular post-pandemic, but here are three reasons why the Zoomitzvah should not be overlooked.
If the thought of the expense of your child’s Bar / Bat mitzvah is causing you sleepless nights, perhaps consider scaling it right back to immediate family, you can then live stream to your wider family and friends, there is no limit on the amount of people that you can invite to a Zoomitzvah so this is certainly something worth considering. With all the money saved on catering, venue hire and more, perhaps you will have enough leftover in your budget to send a small kiddish box. Be sure to include a L’Chaim! personalised Simcha magazine as this will make an enormous difference to your guests. Let’s use Arron’s personalised Bar mitzvah magazine as an example of what you could include in a personalised Zoomitzvah magazine.
Aaron’s family chose to include the following:
You can see how a personalised Zoomitzvah magazine really is a superb compliment to your Simcha. You can see Aaron’s personalised Zoomitzvah magazine here.
Sadly there are alway guests who cannot attend events, whether it be because they live overseas and the expense of travel is just too much or they simply cannot get the time off work. You can still plan the Bar mitzvah / Bat mitzvah that you had always dreamed of arranging, but by adding the additional service of live streaming your event, every single invited guest will be able to attend regardless of where they are located.
Live streaming your child’s big day in the form of a Zoomitzvah is certainly not something we would have thought to have done pre 2020, but it really is a fabulous addition to your Simcha.
Real Zoomitzvah inspiration: Brook’s parents were able to put on the most wonderful Bat mitzvah Zoomitzvah in the height of the pandemic and used a personalised Zoomitzvah magazine to bring everything together. I was delighted to be invited to Brooke's Bat mitzvah! Brooke’s parents made a speech, as did Brooke, and the guests were entertained by Josh Horus magician, renowned for being able to put on an incredible show not just in person, but for the online Zoomitzvah too. You can see Brooke’s personalised Zoomitzvah magazine here.
You may be in the very lucky position to be able to accommodate a very large Simcha where absolutely everyone you invite is able to come…. but perhaps there is that one special person who is unable to come, maybe they are too old and frail and the logistics of getting them safely to and from the Simcha is just too daunting for them. Make sure they do not miss out by not only arranging for their very own live streamed Zoomitzvah, but by making sure a personalised Zoomitzvah magazine is in their lap so they can watch online, and hold something special and meaningful in their hands too.
What to included in your personalised Zoomitzvah magazine:
Tale a look at our portfolio for more ideas and inspiration on how to compliment your Zoomitzvah with a personalised magazine.
The Zoomitzvah really is an incredible way to connect your guests to your in person Simcha, every single one of them. Even more so when complimented with a personalised Zoomitzvah magazine, the ideal companion themed to your chosen colour scheme and incorporating your theme and logo too.
