Kids Star in One-of-a-Kind Bar/Bat Mitzvah Musical Experience
Every kid deserves to be a star on their Bar or Bat Mitzvah day and families looking for an unparalleled musical experience will find it in Rockmitzvah—a band that truly puts the B’nai Mitzvah kid in the spotlight on their very special day.
“We provide a hands-on rock-star experience as the child is surrounded by people who are active working rock musicians,” says Marc Jacoby, founding partner in Rockmitzvah, Columbia Recording Artist and music educator. “Our musicians have all recorded albums, toured around the country, and toured around the world.” Rockmitzvah’s talented group of performers have toured with the likes of Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Hornsby, the Blues Brothers and more. The band customizes the music to match the needs and tastes of those in attendance and offers a variety of options ranging from pop music, to rock, R&B, Broadway, well-known Jewish music, and classics appealing to older generations.
If the child is an active music student, the Rockmitzvah band members can act as a liaison with the child’s current music instructor in preparation for the big day. Recently, Adam Zerman, a drummer and guitarist who trains regularly with Rockmitzvah co-founder Cliff Mays completely wowed his guests by performing an entire set of songs at his Bar Mitzvah.
Adam practices with Rockmitzvah before Bar Mitzvah celebration
Photo credit: Jen Parente
His proud mom Amy said her son’s performance was absolutely incredible. While she had watched her son’s rehearsal a few weeks ago at Life, The Place to Be (in Ardsley, New York), she was totally surprised when her son performed, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” just for his parents.
Adam performs with Rockmitzvah at his Bar Mitzvah celebration
“He literally blew us away,” Zerman said of her son’s performance. “We listen to him take his lessons every week with Cliff but it was a totally different thing than what we saw at the rehearsal and at the party. Our jaws were on the floor,” she added.
Adam, who plays the bass guitar and the drums, also got the chance to perform with his older brother Mitchell, a guitar player and songwriter who performed with Rockmitzvah a few years ago at his Bar Mitzvah. Mitchell and Adam entertained family and friends with a performance of “Scarlet Begonias,” by the Grateful Dead.
While Mitchell and Adam are two incredibly talented brothers, you don’t have to be a child phenom to be a star at your Bar or Bat Mitzvah. The band works closely with every kid to help showcase their talents and are able to accommodate groups singing today’s popular music as well. The band also encourages kids and even adults to strap on the band’s instruments and perform right alongside the veteran rockers. “We find that the best events are when multiple guests are coming on and off the stage throughout the entire party,” says Jim Weingast, founding partner in Rockmitzvah, drummer, musical instructor and producer.
Zerman says that she was pleasantly surprised to see her guests getting in on the act. “A bunch of his friends got up there to perform, they were really into it. Three to four girls got up there and did a couple numbers. Two different guys came up and sang a song and another kid played the drums. There was a ton of participation.” She adds that even adults took the stage. “One guy played guitar and there were a couple of adults who performed but we really wanted to keep it focused on Adam and the kids and it was a perfect mix of that.”
Rockmitzvah engages partygoers through music-inspired games including air guitar contests, percussion jams, and more. Additionally, depending upon the request of the family, Rockmitzvah is able to add a DJ so guests can enjoy the unique mix of music and traditional games along with the distinct elements of a rock band. At Adam’s Bar Mitzvah, his mom says the band “brought an iPod to play the rap kind of stuff that I hate and the kids love during a couple of the breaks.” Rockmitzvah’s goal is to get everyone involved in the musical fun, making for a one of a kind B’nai Mitzvah experience.
Now that both of her sons have been through the Rockmitzvah experience, Zerman says she was really impressed by how the band has grown since her older son’s big day. “We couldn’t have asked for anything better and it’s interesting because we were one of the first families to hire Rockmitzvah when they started out. And with Mitchell, they were fabulous and they’ve also progressed in how they manage the kids and the party. It was definitely as good as Mitchell’s was and this was even better and it was just because of the band.”
To learn more about Rockmitzvah, visit our extended profile page in our Vendor Directory.
