32 April 25 • 2019
jn

jews d
in 
the
jews in the digital age

T

his year marks the 30th anniversary 
of my bar mitzvah. As I reflect on that 
memorable life-cycle event, I think about 
how much has changed in the planning of b’
nai 
mitzvahs since then thanks to technology. In 
fact, technology has improved so rapidly that 
much had even changed from 
my oldest son’
s bar mitzvah in 
early 2017 to my twins’
 b’
nai 
mitzvah in late 2018.
The planning process for b’
nai 
mitzvahs, including the hiring 
of vendors, has become much 
easier because of the web and 
mobile apps. This is true when 
it comes to wedding planning as 
well. From sending out invitations and getting 
RSVPs to creating table assignments and figur-
ing out who wants the vegetarian meal, there 
is no shortage of applications to help make 
planning a simchah go smoothly in the 21st 
century. 
Let’
s look at some of the innovative ways you 
can save time and energy planning your next 
simchah.

RSVPify – Managing your guest list and keep-
ing track of responses can create anxiety. Now 
that it’
s considered appropriate to use online 
invitations and responses for weddings and 
mitzvah parties, RSVPify has stepped in as the 
most advanced online RSVP website. 
 With RSVPify, you can still use tradi-
tional invitations, but your guests can RSVP 
online. This makes it easier to keep track of 
your guests. RSVPify also has secondary events 
management to help you keep track of addi-
tional events during your party weekend, like 
a Shabbat dinner, Sunday brunch or rehearsal 
dinner. Additionally, you can ask your guests 
custom questions, like whether they require 
a special meal or size of giveaway clothing or 
who needs a ride from the airport. 
 RSVPify has clever features like a seating 
chart maker, built-in menu options for dietary 
needs and food allergies and the ability to send 
reminder emails to guests who haven’
t respond-

ed. Guests are able to give a monetary gift or 
make online donations directly from the invita-
tion. rsvpify.com

MITZVAH ORGANIZER – This website has it 
all when it comes to planning a bar/bat mitz-
vah. It is created by Mitzvah Market, an online 
vendor directory that has ideas and resources 
for parents planning a mitzvah.
 The Mitzvah Organizer costs $69.95 and 
allows you to manage the guest lists for all 
aspects of the celebration weekend. The user 
interface looks like nothing more than a brand-
ed Microsoft Excel database, but it allows you 
to effortlessly manage everything in one app 
including table assignments, a candlelighting 
ceremony, party favor sizes, the song list for the 
DJ, the synagogue honors for the service and 
many other things that are easy to forget. 
 For many parents, Mitzvah Organizer’
s 
budget feature will help them figure out which 
vendors have been paid and which are still 
owed, in addition to how close they have kept 
to their budget. Plus, the budget feature allows 
you to compare the costs of different vendors. 
The program has predesigned reports to help 
you stay organized and to provide necessary 
information to vendors. Like most online apps, 
Mitzvah Organizer can be used on a desktop, 
tablet or phone. mitzvahorganizer.com
 
ZOLA – Wedding websites like Wedding Wire 
and The Knot are nothing new. Zola seems to 
have taken what those websites offer up a notch. 
 Zola is a free service and does not charge 
for couples to create a custom wedding website. 
The company does sell invitations and charges 
a fee if wedding guests use the website to gift 
money to the couple.
 In addition to an online wedding registry, 
Zola offers expert advice for weddings, like 
which venue to use and how to find an officiant, 
how to create the guest list, what innovations 
to include in the ceremony, which activities to 
offer before and during the wedding weekend, 
reception décor and how to choose the right 
photographer.
 Couples can send updates to guests, have a 
countdown clock on their website, and post vid-
eos. Customized wedding websites also make it 
easier for out-of-town guests, as well as guests at 
a destination wedding, because everything they 
need to plan their vacation is on the wedding 
website. zola.com 
The Jewish people will continue to celebrate 
life-cycle events like mitzvahs and weddings, 
as we have for generations, but thanks to the 
Digital Age, we’
ll be doing it easier and in a 
more organized way. ■

Rabbi Jason Miller officiates at weddings and bar/bat 
mitzvahs. More info at mitzvahrabbi.com and rabbiforwed-
dings.com.

Planning
a Simchah 
in the 
Digital Age

Mitzvah 

Organizer

RSVPify 
Example

Zola 
example

Rabbi Jason 
Miller

