By Leslie Adler – www.thevuvclub.com
When the letter came from our Temple, sometime in 2006, advising us of our daughter Sydney’s Bat Mitzvah date of May 29, 2010, I had two initial reactions: fear and laughter.
Fear, because my life experience has been that dates that seem an eternity away tend to come sooner than you think. I recall looking at my daughter who was 9 years old at the time and thinking about how I didn’t want her to grow up too fast or to, heaven forbid, grow away from me. “Getting a date” seemed to accelerate life in my mind.
And more fear….because I have to admit, I like putting money into the bank more than I enjoy taking it out, and a Bat Mitzvah date, though three years out, and all that the date means put me in a slight tizzy. A “tizzy” exacerbated by the fact that my son Max would be a Bar Mitzvah in 2007 and I wasn’t done planning or paying for that one!!
Leslie with her daughter Sydney
That’s when the laughter started…. because laugh is what I do to fight off fear and feelings of being overwhelmed. So, I called my Mommy.
“Are you doing anything on May 29, 2010?” I asked her. When I explained why she replied with an appropriate Jewish twang, “Oy, how exciting…we should all live and be well.”
Yes, I thought, that is what is important. A venue, a deejay, a photographer….these I will find. There is no reason to panic. The whole ritual, the event, should be about JOY…as long as everyone we love is alive and well to share our joy….
Keep your perspective and be on the lookout for my next diary entry on “How I Selected A Venue.”
About Leslie Adler
Leslie Adler is a mother, lawyer and creator of www.thevuvclub.com and shares her witty thoughts on the many roles women play in their everyday lives. Leslie also combines her legal skills and friendship experience as presiding judge of Momlogic’s “The Friendship Court.”
We hope you will follow along as this Mitzvah Mom updates us on all the highs and lows leading up to her daughter’s May 2010 Bat Mitzvah. Everything from conflicts with other children’s dates to the dress, catering and other Vendor drama. Leslie will bring humor to this exciting yet stressful time for many families.