feature
by Jennifer Finkel
emphasis returns to the "mitzvah" in b'nai mitzvah
bar mitzvah has always been a milestone in the life
family made the camp table
of a Jew. However, throughout the generations, the
decorations, and the camp
way it has been celebrated has evolved. Many gen-
items decorating tables also
erations ago, only boys became a bar mitzvah, and most Jews
were donated. The familiar
were Orthodox. As time passed, Judaism developed new be-
green Tamarack Camps bus
drove guests to his party.
liefs and ideals, and new movements of Judaism were formed,
with new traditions added.
"Camp Tamarack has
While a bar mitzvah is still a rite of passage signifying a
been a huge impact on my
boy's transition into manhood, most streams have added a bat
life, and I wanted to give back
mitzvah, a transition into adulthood for girls.
to Tamarack," said Jonah,
As traditions changed, so have the celebrations. Not so long
whose bar mitzvah was Nov.
ago, lavish parties were all the rage, creating headlines in mag-
8, 2008, at Congregation
Jonah Nitzkin
azines and newspapers locally and nationally. Parties were out
Beth Shalom in Oak Park.
of control, costing tens of thousands of dollars — and more.
The trend these days has been to help people in need. Sa-
Giveaways were outrageous, too, with such gifts as a personal
mantha Burk, daughter of Bonnie and Mark Burk of Farmington
line of perfume or skateboards. Impressing the guests and hav-
Hills, also put one of her passions into her bat mitzvah project.
ing the most talked-about party of the year were the goals.
She collected children's books from family and friends and now
More recently, ritual and the mitzvah aspect of the event
is donating them to various local organizations.
have returned as the focus. People are putting the meaning
"I chose this project because I love to read and I wanted to
of b'nai mitzvah into perspective. And in today's depressed
give other children the same opportunity," said Samantha, 13,
economy, families realize they don't need to go overboard to
whose bat mitzvah was Jan. 23 at Temple Shir Shalom in West
have a celebration.
Bloomfield.
"I have definitely noticed parties are cutting back and there
"This benefits me because I feel really good about donating,
are a lot of kids' parties," said Rabbi Joseph H. Krakoff of Con-
and it benefits the community because they get a bunch of not
Samantha Burk with books she donated
gregation Shaarey Zedek of Oakland County. "I saw the change
new, but gently used books."
seeing firsthand the positive impact they are having."
before the economy went down. There was a sense of over-
B'nai mitzvah have changed drastically since Teyve and Gol-
Jonah Nitzkin, 13, son of Gary and Julie Nitzkin of Farm-
de's Fiddler on the Roof era, but they also have changed just as
Once again, people appreciate that the celebration com-
ington Hills, is a perfect example of someone devoting his bar
dramatically since the decadence portrayed in the 2006 movie,
memorates the Jewish transition from childhood to adulthood,
mitzvah to a cause that has special meaning for him. For his
Keeping Up With The Steins.
and that it's best celebrated with family and friends. The ideal
mitzvah project, Jonah collected empty pop cans and bottles
Today, what exists is the desire for celebrating this great tran-
b'nai mitzvah celebration now places emphasis not on the most
and then asked his guests to bring them, too, so that each dime
sition from childhood into adulthood the
unique party theme, but on the most meaningful mitzvah project
he collected could be sent to the "Send a Kid to Tamarack"
real, meaningful way — close to the most
and sharing what is truly important with the ones you love.
fund. Jonah's efforts paid off when he made a donation in the
important people in your life, while making a
"Students invest more time in their mitzvah project, opposed
amount of $4,000 to Oakland County-based Tamarack Camps.
positive impact on your community through
to just doing minimal hours," Krakoff said. "Students are taking
Additionally, his candle-lighting ceremony was replaced with
it more seriously and making a meaningful impact on the com-
a duffle bag-stuffing ceremony. Every person Jonah invited up
Jennifer Finkel, 15, is a freshman at
munity. In the past, many of the mitzvah projects ended with
would put camp necessities into a duffel bag, which was do-
West Bloomfield High School.
the bar mitzvah; now they are continuing with their projects and
nated to kids who can't afford everything needed at camp. The
abundance, and I think it just coincided with the economy."
a meaningful mitzvah project.
Teen Center Grand Opening
C loth ing
The Beverly Prentis Wagner Teen
Center will hold its rescheduled
grand opening from 8:30-11:30
p.m. Saturday, March 28, at
the Jewish Community Center
of Metropolitan Detroit in West
Bloomfield. The ribbon-cutting
ceremony will be at 9:30 p.m.
The JCC's Beverly Prentis Wagner
TEEN
CENTER
Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Eievcit
Come play Rock Band, pinball, Wii games, Xbox, DDR, pool, air hockey and PlaySta-
tion 3, and enjoy the evening's special activities including entertainment by Star Trax
and Boogie Heads. Prepaid reservations are required. The cost is $10 for Center
members, $15 for non-members and $20 for everyone after 9:30 p.m. To make res-
ervations and prepay or for information about the Teen Center, contact Lindsey Fox at
(248) 432-5428 or Ifox@jccdet.org . The Teen Center is open from 3-6 p.m. Monday-
Thursday and from 1-3 p.m. Sundays.
is a
cartoon by Josh Loney
Joseph Goes Shopping
teen2teen March • 2009 B3