MitzvahChic: A New Approach to Hosting a Bar or Bat Mitzvah That is Meaningful, Hip, Relevant, Fun & Drop-Dead Gorgeous

Rating:
Summary: Invaluable - and fun, too
Review: As a non-Jewish parent of a Jewish youngster, I can attest that Mitzvah Chic is what I am sure will be an invaluable guide to my daughter's Bat Mitzvah, circa 2008.
With sensitivity and humor, author Gail Greenberg sketches out the situation facing non-Jewish parents and details how they may work with the synagogue to make the most of this joyous occasion.
Her crash course in Judaism was immensely helpful. It was fascinating to realize, for the first time, that every synagogue in the world follows the same global schedule in Torah readings for the ceremony. And the delightful torah summary with its suggestions for further reading, as well as "viewing," is worth the price of admission alone.
One more thing. Greenberg clearly knows how to throw a really major bash - and her book can teach you how too.

Rating:
Summary: AMAZING!
Review: Five stars are not enough - Fifty stars would be more fitting! We are 3+ years away from my oldest daughters bat mitzvah. I've been dreading this time mainly because of the meaningless and costly party that I felt compelled to throw for the occassion. While I am not at all religious, I do have strong feelings for Jewish tradition, culture and history, and wanted the bat mitzvah to have meaning and not be just another over the top theme party.

Mitzvahchic is packed with ideas from centerpieces to mitzvah ideas. I felt such relief in finally finding someone who shared my opinions with long uncomfortable candlelighting ceremonies and the never ending video montage! Were you aware the candlelighting ceremony has no religious basis but was created by a caterer to liven up the party?! Gail Greenberg is chockful of ideas to include these elements but in a way which is meaningful and truly honors those who are meant to be honored.

If you are in the market for a new approach to your bar/bat mitzvah get this book. You will be overjoyed. Gail Greenberg will become your new best friend. In response to the one reviewer who gave the book one star - it's obvious this was not someone who was looking for a new approach or someone looking to keep mitzvah in the occassion. Party planners plan parties. They don't bring mitzvah or meaning as that's for you to do!

Order this book NOW. You won't be sorry!!

Rating:
Summary: Mitzvah Chic
Review: I can't thank the author of MitzvahChic, Gail Anthony Greenberg, enough. This book has truly made such a difference in the planning of our special day. We still have 2 months of planning to go, but if the response to our celebration is anything like the response to our invitations, we are in luck. The invitations that we chose, after the suggestion from MitzvahChic, was so very moving to all of the recipients. In addition to being beautiful, the invitations were a donation that we made in honor of each of the invitees to the Jewish Foundation for Righteous Gentiles. We received phone calls from people who had heard about our invitation from their friends. Everybody is talking about them. Three friends now want to add mitzvot to be included in their affairs. By daughter is also "twinning" with a less fortunate 12 year old girl from Israel. MitzvahChic had put us in touch with AMIT who pairs you up with children in Israel who can't afford a celebration with their Bar/Bat Mitzvah and you send $250 to cover the cost of their celebration. My daughter has become penpals with this girl. My daughter also received an award and medal from AMIT and will be talking about this girl during her speech. Now that I have spoken about the MItzvah part of MitzvahChic, let me tell you about the Chic part. We ordered the most fabulous flannel pants as party favors. We have a local party planner who has borrowed my copy of MitzvahChic (and won't give it back,lol). We have found many more ways to incorporate mitzvot into our celebration and I give much of the credit to Gail and MitzvahChic. We may all celebrate, but let us all remember to add meaning to our celebrations. It has been a pleasure planning with your help. Thank you, MitzvahChic

Rating:
Summary: Thank you MitzvahChic
Review: I can't thank the author of MitzvahChic, Gail Anthony Greenberg, enough. This book has truly made such a difference in the planning of our special day. We still have 2 months of planning to go, but if the response to our celebration is anything like the response to our invitations, we are in luck. The invitations that we chose, after the suggestion from MitzvahChic, was so very moving to all of the recipients. In addition to being beautiful, the invitations were a donation that we made in honor of each of the invitees to the Jewish Foundation for Righteous Gentiles. We received phone calls from people who had heard about our invitation from their friends. Everybody is talking about them. Three friends now want to add mitzvot to be included in their affairs. By daughter is also "twinning" with a less fortunate 12 year old girl from Israel. MitzvahChic had put us in touch with AMIT who pairs you up with children in Israel who can't afford a celebration with their Bar/Bat Mitzvah and you send $250 to cover the cost of their celebration. My daughter has become penpals with this girl. My daughter also received an award and medal from AMIT and will be talking about this girl during her speech. Now that I have spoken about the MItzvah part of MitzvahChic, let me tell you about the Chic part. We ordered the most fabulous flannel pants as party favors. We have a local party planner who has borrowed my copy of MitzvahChic (and won't give it back,lol). We have found many more ways to incorporate mitzvot into our celebration and I give much of the credit to Gail and MitzvahChic. We may all celebrate, but let us all remember to add meaning to our celebrations. It has been a pleasure planning with your help. Thank you, MitzvahChic

Rating:
Summary: A Mitzvah of a Book
Review: I have never written an online review before, but the benefits of this book compelled me too, as a Mitzvah in its own right. My daughter and I were at a "Bat/Bar Mitzvah" fair, where, in between caterers, DJs, and people selling flannel pants, sat Gail serenely with her book. I liked the pictures in the book, the physical quality of the pages and as Gail was offering an additional time line book mark with it, I figured - why not? It turned out to not only be the most significant information I picked up that day, but in fact the most significant information I have received for approaching the Bat Mitzvah as a whole. My daughter and I both read the book, and it really influenced our perspectives about how to approach this milestone event (and helped me to convince my daughter that a NY Yankees theme was not the most significant part of her religious identity - although we did manage to figure out how sports related to her Torah Portion in some way - courage, perserverance...a point of the book as well). Not only does the book help put things in perspective (with NO PREACHING), but also gives actual, useful, information to implement a beautiful, fun, and spiritual Bat/Bat Mitzvah. From information about the meaning of each Torah Portion (and how to integrate that into the Bat Mitzvah as a whole), invitations, to decorations, to advice on catering and location (which I took, and literally changed the venue we ultimately chose), to mitvah projects and bima speaches, this book covers everything in a sympathetic, funny, and incredibly practical way. It really did change our whole approach to the Bat Mitzvah. I very highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: A Mitzvah of a Book
Review: I have never written an online review before, but the benefits of this book compelled me too, as a Mitzvah in its own right. My daughter and I were at a "Bat/Bar Mitzvah" fair, where, in between caterers, DJs, and people selling flannel pants, sat Gail serenely with her book. I liked the pictures in the book, the physical quality of the pages and as Gail was offering an additional time line book mark with it, I figured - why not? It turned out to not only be the most significant information I picked up that day, but in fact the most significant information I have received for approaching the Bat Mitzvah as a whole. My daughter and I both read the book, and it really influenced our perspectives about how to approach this milestone event (and helped me to convince my daughter that a NY Yankees theme was not the most significant part of her religious identity - although we did manage to figure out how sports related to her Torah Portion in some way - courage, perserverance...a point of the book as well). Not only does the book help put things in perspective (with NO PREACHING), but also gives actual, useful, information to implement a beautiful, fun, and spiritual Bat/Bat Mitzvah. From information about the meaning of each Torah Portion (and how to integrate that into the Bat Mitzvah as a whole), invitations, to decorations, to advice on catering and location (which I took, and literally changed the venue we ultimately chose), to mitvah projects and bima speaches, this book covers everything in a sympathetic, funny, and incredibly practical way. It really did change our whole approach to the Bat Mitzvah. I very highly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: This is why we make fun of California
Review: I never write book reviews either, but when I read the one below from LA, I just had to jump in! This book is the most amazing gift to the Jewish people. Bar and bat mitzvah ideas that put us back in touch with who we are, where we come from and how proud we all deserve to be. I guess having a top-notch party planner and a fabulous caterer REALLY means "I'm handing the whole experience over to someone else and that's why I can't enjoy or appreciate a book that tells ME how to have an incredible spiritual experience with my family." What a pity! You've got the "professional help" and you've still somehow managed to miss the boat.

Rating:
Summary: I'm available to be your new best friend!
Review: I'm the author of MitzvahChic and I want to personally invite anyone planning a bar or bat mitzvah -- whether they've bought my book from Amazon.com yet or not -- to come see me and your mitzvah-planning peers at www.MitzvahChic.com. You'll not only get lots of personalized help, but you'll learn about other books you can get at Amazon and ideas that will enhance your experience many times over.

Rating:
Summary: MitzvahChic
Review: I've never written an online review, but I felt compelled to let other parents know not to waste their money. The book was aweful! We live in Los Angeles, have a top notch party planner and a fabulous caterer and are 5 month's away from our son's Bar Mitzvah. According to the author, we're doing everything wrong! Hard to believe, since we've got all of this wonderful professional help. Read "Putting God on the Guest List" instead.

Rating:
Summary: Mitzvah Chic
Review: Mitzvah Chic is a fabulous book. It gives great ideas as well as unique and creative ways to get away from the glitsy and overdone affairs which focus more on the party and not on the important part, the Jewish ceremony. It is a book all of those who are planning a bar/bat mitzvah should read!