Bar Mitzvah!!!

The big weekend finally arrived, we were all excited and nervous.

Not sure why this picture is so small, didn’t take to many pictures on Friday. Here we are out front, having our Friday night service, yes is was very hot. Then we moved to the back and had a lovely dinner. So glad I redid the yard. As for Aytan, he checked out, he wasn’t involved in anything – which was a little disconcerting – was this an omen for Monday?

Shira in her dress with brand new shoes! Yes, she looks adorable.

The Bar Mitzvah boy looks great! He actually smiled a lot – which is rare. He wouldn’t wear a suit – and he wanted a bright red shirt – he it’s his day!

There were 90 people here, cousins, and few more kids who are family friends. Aytan had about 12 kids come from his special needs soccer and Religious school. I have to say, it was wonderful seeing these kids happy and participating with Aytan. So often these kids are completely invisible.

On to the service, here he has been given his Tallit, the prayer shawl.

Bringing out the Torah, he LOVES the Torah. he started singing ‘Torah Torah’. At first Becky didn’t know where he learned that, then the light bulb goes off – he goes to a Chabad camp – religious and they sing a lot of religious songs. I’m sure he can also recite – Mashiach now.

Erez giving him a wonderful speech – I had to turn and look at Yishai, at his Bar Mitzvah, all I said is: we have high expectations from you. Yeah, we both remember and laugh about that. At least he over fulfilled any expectation I had.

Here ae the grandparents – saying the blessing before the Torah reading.

Yishai read that section, it was about when Israelites go to war – if a man sees a woman he wants – he has to jump through crazy hoops before he can have sex with her – the Bibles way of trying to minimize rape on the battle field. Anyway, as he finished I said to him: a very unusual section for you to read, him being gay. The cantor- with the mask looked at me and said that is strange. Why? Because my son and I are very comfortable with jokes? She clearly isn’t with her mask and all.

The aunts and uncles also said the blessing. Oh, since this is a Monday and not a Saturday, men are supposed to wear Teffilin- that little box and wrapping on the arm. It has the Shema prayer in it. Elk was the only guy there in a full suit.

Becky reading the section that Aytan would have. He did say a few of the prayers – it was about him being comfortable, not forcing him to do something that made him uncomfortable.