Israel Bar Mitzvah Event Planning
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Looking for party ideas for your son's Bar Mitzva or Hanachat Tefillin (ceremony of an almost Bar Mitzvah boy putting on tefillin for the first time) in Israel?
For a traditional weekday celebration, plan tefillat shacharit (morning prayer services) at the kotel with breakfast to follow in the Old City. For groups of 60 or less, Between the Arches is a terrific option since they are located right off of the Kotel Plaza with no steps to get there. If you have a larger group (minimum 80 through they may accept less people off-season), Shulchan David on Har Zion is highly recommended. For groups of 100 people or more, Beit Shmuel offers a gorgeous hall with a spectacular view. The Har Zion Hotel is also a nice option; we highly recommend their King David hall if you have 60 people or less--it's a very special venue. Terasa, located in the Begin Center, is a great option because in addition to the beautiful restaurant and terrific food, you can also do a tour of the museum as part of the celebration. The Gesher Center offers a simple yet graceful venue near the Old City and they can also arrange guided tours of Jerusalem as well. Other easy-to-plan touring options include the Davidson Center, or the Kotel Tunnels. For an educational celebration, consider doing the party through Machon HaMikdash—a tour of their museum, craft projects, and birkonim are all part of the package. Also on the educational track is Mini Israel--in addition to their guided tours, they also offer special children's activities. You can celebrate in one of Israel’s beautiful national parks such as Masada and Tzippori; however, due to the myriad of logistics involved, we recommend hiring an event planner.
For something totally different, consider a desert safari excursion at Ein Gedi. No matter where you celebrate, add fun to your party with game machines and laser tag. We can offer some great entertainment ideas, such as a juggler, musician, balloon twister, magician, or a DJ. Consider bringing your son’s Torah portion to life with characters from the Parsha, who mingle with your guests and engage them in conversation. Or you can re-create a time period in history with an authentic atmosphere and food, dramatic encounters with figures from the past, workshops, etc.
If you are planning a Shabbat bar mitzvah, we can recommend some excellent tour operators who offer terrific pricing on hotels. For larger groups (and of course smaller ones as well!), Mount Zion Hotel in Jerusalem and Kibbutz Lavi up north are extremely accommodating and pleasant. Make sure that you order hotel room gift baskets for all your guests--tefillin shaped spice boxes and custom bar mitzvah chocolates are also great party favors. More ideas are photo lollipops, magnetic party favors , and promotional clothing party favors such as shirts, pants, hats, bottle holders, tote bags, etc.
If you are interested in touring either with your immediate family or with your extended family, we can recommend some great tour guides. To add more action to your trip, you can go rappelling, zip-lining, or jeeping . These activities can also be part of the bar mitzvah party itself for the adventurous at heart. If you are expecting guests from outside of Israel, take a look at our section on places to stay.
If you are looking for bar mitzvah oriented things to do, you can watch a tefillin writing demonstration. You can also arrange a tour of the techelet factory or do a techelet marine tour (summer months only); it is interesting for the young and old alike. In addition, you can tour the factory of Tefillin Beit El, which is a very appropriate Bar Mitzvah activity.
Please feel free to contact us at Celebrate Israel with any questions that you may have and we will be happy to answer them free of charge. If you need more comprehensive event planning help, we also offer reasonable hourly rates on our professional event planning services, so please ask us for a quote!