Barmitzvah of the Year.

Far more grand than any wedding I’ve attended, the Barmitzvah I attended a few weeks ago was impressive, to say the least. Reut’s brother, Ariel, was turning 13. In Israel, Ariel is a boy’s name and a Barmitzvah is celebrated to the nth degree. I mean big people. I arrived at the party site, an outdoor garden near my Kibbutz. Walking in and expecting a patio and a big party room, I was in for quite a surprise. Over a bridge with a flowing stream beneath lie an expansive green lawn surrounded by white plush couches, and elegant serving booths full of appetizers; peppers and eggplant smothered in tsum tsum (sesame seeds), baby burgers on the grill, wok concoctions flung through the air, and sushi stacked neatly on the table. The open-air bar set in the middle of the grassy area was decorated with flowing white cloths from the top poles to the grass, giving the area an aura of grandeur. In any contest, it would've been Barmitzvah of the year, hand down. I was thirty minutes late and still arrived before everyone else. Quite typically Israeli. As the people began to pour in I met the rest of the extended family I hadn’t yet met through Passover events or Shabbat. Slightly embarrassed by my accent, I tried to engage with everyone in Hebrew. More than sweet, everyone taught me new Hebrew words and were quite interested in where I came from and why I was here studying Hebrew. (Which has become quite a common theme in my life) At the bar getting a glass of red wine for dinner, I turned around and saw Smadar- my roommate who I lived with in Haifa two years ago! What a reunion! We relaxed together all night, exchanged stories and caught each other up on our lives. Her Hebrew is so fast, she had to repeat a lot, but through it all, we managed to understand each other and have an amazing time.
For a few hours everyone mingled, enjoyed their cocktails, brimming beer on tap and the company of family, friends, and a celebratory occasion. Slowly but surely, the crowds began to meander into the main hall- check out my pictures on facebook if you can. It was ridiculously gorgeous. Green, water and silver decorations covered the tables, and I felt instantly transported to some kind of Slytherin event at Hogwarts. (Yes, I realize I am a super nerd) More appetizers sat on the tables and the other two bars inside delivered a steady stream of vodka red-bulls. Not that I indulged, wine is really more my style. I was surprised at how many adults were drinking them. Ariel performed his introduction song-“I Gotta Feeling” by the Black Eyed Peas, and was astoundingly good. At first, I thought he was lip-syncing. The traditional candle lighting began, where Ariel thanked the special people in his life for shaping him into who he has become.
They served two main courses, one meat and one fish. Dancing was trickled in between each course, with all the young people grabbing their parents out of their chairs to join in the fun. Hebrew music reverberated throughout the night, pounding in our ears and causing our feet to move effortlessly. Champagne flowed, Israeli and American music played without rest and the before we knew it, it was pretty late. Only about 50 people left, I saw David (Reut’s sister Moran’s boyfriend) get down on one knee. I shrieked. Everyone gathered around in a circle while he proposed to Moran. Crying, happy beyond words, she obviously accepted and everyone was clutching their hankies, dabbing tears and giving hugs and kisses of congratulations. Seeing love and commitment really begin, and produce something beautiful was moving- I cried a little. Everyone did. Two in the morning rolled around and my old roommate drove me home while recalling the best events of the night. Lila tov!