Editorial Review
An indispensable, modern-day guide to planning the perfect bar or bat mitzvah, celebrating substance and style
There used to be only two approaches to the bar or bat mitzvah party -- a low-key event that reflects the solemnity of this sacred rite of passage or a big bash that has no connection to the religious service. For many, it was an impossible dilemma. Will a big bash trivialize and overshadow the bar or bat mitzvah experience? Will too much spirituality suck the life out of an otherwise fabulous party?
MitzvahChic is the first book that proves that if you want a truly amazing experience, you can and must have it all! Blending meaningful Jewish elements with high-style contemporary party planning, this inspiring and useful guide will show you how to have the ultimate bar or bat mitzvah -- a profoundly moving service followed by an unforgettable party. The MitzvahChic approach also shows how to honor your child in a big way, rather than reducing him or her to an overused pop culture theme or a single cliché: He's into baseball! She loves horses!
This must-have guide gives advice on the major decisions, the basics of the service, and the party details that really matter. It also features:
- A complete guide to the Torah, including dates and summaries of the portions and supplementary materials
- Eight complete, themed parties, including party favors, decorations, and photographs of sample tables
- A time line to help plan the bar or bat mitzvah up to two years ahead
- Instructions for being MitzvahChic on a budget
- Advice on how to include non-Jewish friends and family members in the ceremony
A practical guide to all things mitzvah from the Torah to the tablecloth, MitzvahChic will help create a beautiful, powerful, resonant, and unforgettable rite of passage.
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Customer Reviews
Wonderful Resource 
2008-01-15
This is a wonderful resource for the b'nai mitzvah planner. Gail Greenberg has written a book that offers many creative and beautiful ideas for bringing forth the true meaning and spirituality of a b'nai mitzvah. There is meaning at the heart of every detail and decision she suggests while, at the same time, she is both practical AND fun. I highly recommend this book-it is my favorite of all of these kind of books that I have read!
can get all this info on their website for free 
2007-10-08
I was disappointed with this book. The author makes a lot of suggestions but does not give concrete information for most of them. The section on decorating for a party was ridiculous. She tells you how she had three parties for her son for the price of one big party...to me it sounded like she spent as much on each party as I want to spend on just one party for my daughter. She seems a bit out of touch with reality. One thing that was unique and interesting about this book is that she describes the torah readings and gives you the dates that they will be read each year. With this information, you can try to schedule your child's bar or bat mitzvah around a torah portion that you find interesting. That is the main reason I gave this book 3 stars instead of 2. Save your money tho, all of this info can be had for free at [...]
Getting back to the Ritual 2007-09-22
This was a great book. I don't feel so pressured now to have to put on such an elaborate show. We will make the Oneg a bit nicer than a typical oneg and have a Simcha Quilt(instead of candlelighting) during the oneg. Kids party at grandma's house with fun activities just for the Bar Mitzvah boy and his friends.
Spiritual Meaning to your Mitzvah 2007-03-22
I loved this book!! As I started to plan this Bar Mitzvah I knew that I needed some guidance. I never imagined I would find so much perfect information in one book. The ideas on combining a truly a spiritual occasion with a terrific party were perfect. The way the ideas are presented makes so much sense. You'll love the easy to follow guidelines and suggestions. I can't tell you how many of the ideas actually made me get a lump in my throat! The book gives you a sense of confidence that even if you have never planned a party before - you can do this and really do it with meaning and fun. A must read!
Absolutely essential! 2007-03-13
I'm so sorry that another reviewer didn't find this book helpful, because to me it was essential. It was the first B'nai Mitzvah book I bought and I was so glad I did. It opened my eyes to a lot of options that I wasn't aware of, and will, in the end, make our Bat Mitzvah so much more meaningful. I was unaware that you could select your mitzvah date based on Torah parsha. When I was younger, you were just given a date close to your birthday. The author of this book categorizes and explains each Torah portion for you. After reading them, I handed the book over to my daughter and said, "Find something that is meaningful to you." She read each section and picked one that she connected most with. We let her select her Bat Mitzvah date, and as a result, she is more aware and involved than most kids are at this point, and we are still at the very beginning of planning. She intends to carry the theme of her parsha into her mitzvah project, her D'var Torah, and her party. Did you know that you could twin with a child of the holocaust and honor him/her at your child's B'nai Mitzvah? Did you know that you could support a Jewish family in Ethiopia for one month, just by buying a tallit bag that they embroider? This is the kind of thing that is detailed in this book. Be forewarned: although this book does touch (briefly) on day vs. night affairs and selecting a venue, this is not a "how to make a hockey stick entrance way for my kid's hockey-theme Bar Mitzvah" book. MitzvahChic transcends that and looks deeper into the messages of the ceremony and how it fits in with your child's jewish coming-of-age. It then takes those messages and ultimately carries them through to themes and centerpieces, etc. for the party. Our copy of MitzvahChic has been lovingly highlighted, dog-eared and is always close at hand. I am so glad I found this valuable resource and feel that although we still have some time to go, that this book has already elevated my daughter's Bat Mitzvah into something very special.
Indispensible 2007-02-20
An indispensable, modern-day guide to planning the perfect bar or bat mitzvah, celebrating substance and style
There used to be only two approaches to the bar or bat mitzvah party -- a low-key event that reflects the solemnity of this sacred rite of passage or a big bash that has no connection to the religious service. For many, it was an impossible dilemma. Will a big bash trivialize and overshadow the bar or bat mitzvah experience? Will too much spirituality suck the life out of an otherwise fabulous party?
MitzvahChic is the first book that proves that if you want a truly amazing experience, you can and must have it all! Blending meaningful Jewish elements with high-style contemporary party planning, this inspiring and useful guide will show you how to have the ultimate bar or bat mitzvah -- a profoundly moving service followed by an unforgettable party. The MitzvahChic approach also shows how to honor your child in a big way, rather than reducing him or her to an overused pop culture theme or a single cliché: He's into baseball! She loves horses!
This must-have guide gives advice on the major decisions, the basics of the service, and the party details that really matter. It also features:
- A complete guide to the Torah, including dates and summaries of the portions and supplementary materials
- Eight complete, themed parties, including party favors, decorations, and photographs of sample tables
- A time line to help plan the bar or bat mitzvah up to two years ahead
- Instructions for being MitzvahChic on a budget
- Advice on how to include non-Jewish friends and family members in the ceremony
A practical guide to all things mitzvah from the Torah to the tablecloth, MitzvahChic will help create a beautiful, powerful, resonant, and unforgettable rite of passage.
MitzvahChic: How to Host a Meaningful, Fun, Drop-Dead Gorgeous Bar or Bat Mitzvah 
2007-01-09
This Book was much less than I'd hoped for. It really didn't give many ideas for someone already in the beginning of the planning stages, and the theme ideas were pretty limited and not very creative.
AMAZING! 2004-12-06
Five stars are not enough - Fifty stars would be more fitting! We are 3+ years away from my oldest daughters bat mitzvah. I've been dreading this time mainly because of the meaningless and costly party that I felt compelled to throw for the occassion. While I am not at all religious, I do have strong feelings for Jewish tradition, culture and history, and wanted the bat mitzvah to have meaning and not be just another over the top theme party.
Mitzvahchic is packed with ideas from centerpieces to mitzvah ideas. I felt such relief in finally finding someone who shared my opinions with long uncomfortable candlelighting ceremonies and the never ending video montage! Were you aware the candlelighting ceremony has no religious basis but was created by a caterer to liven up the party?! Gail Greenberg is chockful of ideas to include these elements but in a way which is meaningful and truly honors those who are meant to be honored.
If you are in the market for a new approach to your bar/bat mitzvah get this book. You will be overjoyed. Gail Greenberg will become your new best friend. In response to the one reviewer who gave the book one star - it's obvious this was not someone who was looking for a new approach or someone looking to keep mitzvah in the occassion. Party planners plan parties. They don't bring mitzvah or meaning as that's for you to do!
Order this book NOW. You won't be sorry!!
Mitzvah Chic deserves an A+ 2004-12-05
This book has been indespensible for me in planning my daughter's
Bat Mitzvah. It's very easy to read and the author will even email you if you have additional questions. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is planning or will be planning a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. It would also make a great addition to your temple's library!
I'm available to be your new best friend! 2004-05-14
I'm the author of MitzvahChic and I want to personally invite anyone planning a bar or bat mitzvah -- whether they've bought my book from Amazon.com yet or not -- to come see me and your mitzvah-planning peers at www.MitzvahChic.com. You'll not only get lots of personalized help, but you'll learn about other books you can get at Amazon and ideas that will enhance your experience many times over.
