Often Jews come from across the globe to celebrate their son's bar mitzvah in Israel. However the Israeli idea of what a bar mitzvah celebration should entail is pretty much carved in stone. If you have chosen to work through a bar mitzvah party planner or one of the many event halls then you should know that the schedule for an Israeli bar mitzvah party will be laid out for you as a forgone conclusion.

Here is a run down of the standard order of events for an Israeli bar mitzvah which you will be offered by any Israeli events hall, after that it will be up to you to inventinteresting additions to your bar mitzvah. This is the time line that you can base an Israeli bar mitzvah party on.

19:30 – 20:30

Guests arrive at the bar mitzvah events hall (in Hebrew the hall is called an Ulam) and there is a meet and greet at the entrance where the bar mitzvah boy and his family stand. This is where you hand over your bar mitzvah gift, or in Israeli style slip a money stuffed envelope into the halls portable safe which stands at the entrance.

The bar mitzvah party reception area and first course

Initially the bar mitzvah guests enter a lobby, garden or entrance area; there is a buffet selection of entrees in this area. The food normally includes hot and cold items and a bar. There is no seating in this area, and the guests mingle, eat and drink. If the hall does not have such an area the guests are shown into the main hall and to their tables straight away. On the tables there are a variety of salads and rolls which they can nibble on while they wait for everyone to arrive at the bar mitzvah party.

20:30/21:00

Once seated the bar mitzvah guests continue to nibble, while there is background music playing. The first major happening is the bar mitzvah boy's grand entrance. The DJ will ask all the guests to pay attention and to welcome the bar mitzvah boy with a round of applause as he enters the hall, flanked by his parents and siblings. They generally walk from the hall entrance to the dance floor, turn around and stand awkwardly while grandiose music blasts out from the speakers.

Then the DJ invites the guests to join them in dancing. The entrance can be done in many ways, the bar mitzvah boy can come in singing, or with drummers dressed as ancient Jews, or sitting on a raised platform, or with all his school friends on either side holding candles. As you can see there are plenty of ways of varying this element of the Bar Mitzvah party.

+/- 21:00/ 21:30

There is dancing until the bar mitzvah guests are invited to sit for the second course of the meal. The second course usually consists of a choice of fish, liver or a savory pastry pie.

+/- 21:30

This is the climax of the evening. The guests are asked to take their seats and the bar mitzvah boy and his family gathers in front of the DJ's stand on the dance floor. Then the bar mitzvah boy reads from a "drasha" or speech. This speech can be combined with the lighting of a giant menorah/candelabra. The candelabra can hold 14 candles, one for each of the boy's 13 years and one for next year. As he reads he mentions important people in his life, and either he lights the candles in their names or he invites them up to the stage to light it themselves. A few candles are usually lit for fallen soldiers, Gilad Shalit or family members who have passed away. Alternatively the "drasha" can be a religious one, where it is usually written by a rabbi for the boy and centers around the weekly bible portion and how it relates to the bar mitzvah boy and his coming of age.

Once again there are many variations to this theme. I have seen boys rap their bar mitzvah speech, and others who skip it altogether. Another route to go is to have the parents and siblings speak of the bar mitzvah boy and all his virtues, or to have him perform if he has any special talent. This is the point at which to thank the guests for coming.

The slow dance.

At the end of the speeches the lights are dimmed and the bar mitzvah boy takes a slow dance with his mother, and then is joined by his dad and siblings and eventually the guests are invited to join in.

+/- 22:00

There is more dancing to a variety of Israeli music and international hits, don't be surprised to hear "I Will Survive" and the Bee Gees!

+/- 22:00/22:30

This is the bar mitzvah's main course and more often than not consists of rice, potatoes, salad and a variety of meat.

Bar mitzvah film clip or photo montage.

The film clip or photo montage is screened either after the bar mitzvah ceremony, when it is announced, the lights are dimmed and everyone watches, or it is run continuously throughout the event for people to glance at when ever they feel like it.

+/- 23:00

The desert course is served together with black coffee black tea, and often people are already leaving when this is served. There is a selection of small cakes, pies and creams. Sometimes the last course takes the form of a desert bar, which is a self service table overflowing with deserts and sweet treats.

24:00

The hall usually sets a time limit to the bar mitzvah celebration, and it is often midnight. At the agreed time the DJ will announce that the evening has come to an end and he will invite everyone to stand for the Israeli national anthem. At this point the celebration is over.

If you choose an unusual location for the bar mitzvah and use catering instead of an all inclusive events hall then you will have more control over the bar mitzvah time line, but the events halls generally look at you as if you have fallen from the moon if you suggest varying this standard schedule. Don't forget you are the one paying and you can turn this time line on it's head if you so choose. Make the event your own by adding personal touches and elements that relate directly to your bar mitzvah boy, that way the events hall time-line can be used as a frame work to be built upon.

You can read more aboutHow To Start Planning Your Son's Bar Mitzvah Celebration, and also ideas onappropriate bar mitzvah clothing.

Mazal Tov

The End of the bar mitzvah.

The final course of the bar mitzvah meal.

The third course of the bar mitzvah meal.

More Dancing.

The Bar Mitzvah ceremony.

Second course of the bar mitzvah meal.

The bar mitzvah boy's grand entrance followed by dancing

Meet and Greet