I Spirituality ng TRUNK SHOW iday, February 29 Saturday. IM,arch. Fr • beautiful knits designed and manufactured in Israel • novel styles with contemporary flair • a luxurious product at an affordable price 50-75 %off ellemanza In Orchard Mall • 6 393 Orchard Lake Road West Bloomfield, MI 48322 Mon-Fri: 10:00-6:00, Thurs. till 7.00. Sat: 9:30-5:30 248-737-2666 This astonishing documentary is filled with hope and artists of good will who over- come the politics of hate. It also is filled with beautiful music. What a combination! Knowledge k The beginning Thursday, March 6, 2008 • 7:30 p.m. Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit Jimmy Prentis Morris Building • A. Alfred Taubman Jewish Community Campus 15110 West 10 Mile Rd., Oak Park, MI 48237 Aida q:1)., The Chrysler Foundation J Fed eWiS era h tm THE [ENTfE iiMAL MOONMSTMalk. NCR PAIR Wilt TM Presented by the Jewish Community Center's 2008 MusicFest & the Lenore Marwil Jewish Film Festival B2 February 28 • 2008 Ann Arbor L ast year, our synagogue gave us the date for our daughter Gabby's bat mitzvah in 2009. While I know that she'll roll her eyes at me when she reads this, I have to say it: Receiving that date was a big moment for all of us — our baby was grow- ing up. After recovering from this exciting news (and the slight shock it sent me into), we began making arrangements for her big day. I'm not a girl, and I'm not even Jewish. If I had to plan it by myself, Kentucky Fried Chicken would probably cater the party; and the entertainment would be the NHL playoffs on TV. My wife, Bonnie, knows this and has graciously taken charge. Fortunately for Gabby, her mom is Jewish, had her own bat mitz- vah and has a better grip on what needs to be done. One of the first things that my wife told me we had to do was pick a theme for the party. Then, we had to decide on the tone of the party. I have discovered that there is a ton of pressure to enter- tain these middle school kids. They want a party worthy of Snoop Dogg. Nonetheless, in sticking with a style that wouldn't scare off our relatives, we picked a DJ and party leader who is somewhere between Robin Williams and a guy with a parakeet we saw on www.myparentsarelame.com . While hiring a total stranger to get our guests onto the dance floor seems odd to me, imagine what it has been like trying to explain this system to my Protestant side of the family. I've told them that a bat mitzvah is something between a birthday party and a wed- ding. They usually just politely nod their heads. I then tell them that we also have to reserve a venue, hire a photographer and find a florist. The more I think It's Party Time Photographers, party planners, florists, calligraphers, deejays and video pro- ducers will be on hand Sunday, March 9, as Temple Beth El Sisterhood hosts its Party Planning Showcase at the temple. In honor of its 20th anniversary year, the Showcase will feature a Bridal Expo and Trunk Show featuring gowns by local designers. Other exhibitors skilled Thursday March 6, 2008 7:30 p.m. All seats $10. (MusicFest passholders FREE.) Tickets at the door, or call 248.432.5577 ext. 7 or 248.967.4030 for advance seats. TH. CENTER Bat Mitzvah 101 ,361 about it, this is getting a lot closer to a wedding. Making these types of plans seems normal to my wife. Many times it's the female who makes most of the arrangements anyway. But what about our interfaith family friends where the mother is not Jewish? I see these women struggle, too. That's because they are married to a guy. OK, yes, he's a Jewish guy; but he's still a guy. He may have had a bar mitzvah of his own, but he'll probably be just as lost in how to plan as I am. These families have it doubly hard. However, even Bonnie realized how daunting the planning process could be, especially when it comes down to the wire. To keep her on track, she hired Staci Kennedy of Who's Got the Time? in Ann Arbor. Not only did Staci attend her own bat mitzvah when she was 13, but now it's also her job to help organize for others. Although getting ready for Gabby's big day has been a bit overwhelming for me, I feel that we now have a good handle on the situation. We have a great checklist of what has to be done and by when. We know what the theme will be, and we have reserved the venue. (Now, if we can just get our daughter to prac- tice her haftorah blessings.) I understand that becoming a bat mitzvah is a big rite of passage for Gabby. This may be a lot for a Protestant dad to grasp; but the only thing that I really need to know about it is that, when I see my daughter on the bimah, I will be the proudest dad on earth. That will require no planning at all. ❑ Jim Keen is a freelance writer and col- umnist for lnterfaithFamily.com . He is the author of Inside Intermarriage: A Christian Partner's Perspective on Raising a Jewish Family (URJ Press). in making weddings picture perfect will include florists, photographers, videog- raphers, pastry chefs and musicians. From 9:30 a.m. through 3 p.m., a gal- lery of experts will present tips, demon- strations and ideas for having a party. Visitors to the free event can sample foods and win prizes. All in attendance will receive a directory of exhibitors. For information, call the sisterhood resource line, (248) 865-0617, press 2.