Bar Mitzvah Life: Better On The Ice

Life is Better on the Ice for Bar Mitzvah boy Jordan Freund. An avid ice hockey player since age seven, Jordan’s Bar Mitzvah theme brought to life his favorite aspects of the game. From a hockey rink dance floor, complete with penalty boxes, to NHL ticket place cards and hockey jerseys galore, this party had it all. Following a service at Community Synagogue of Rye in Rye, New York, Jordan’s guests gathered at LIFE, the place to be in Ardsley, New York where they were treated to a night of non-stop action on and off the dance floor. 

Photo above (L-R): sister Brooke, mom Jackie, Bar Mitzvah boy Jordan and dad Lee. The photographer for this event was Angelica Glass. A complete list of vendors follows at the end of this spotlight.

Bar Mitzvah Service

Jordan became a Bar Mitzvah at Community Synagogue of Rye

Nervous and excited, Jordan did a fantastic job at his service

Ice Ice Baby

Jordan's invitation was designed like an NHL game ticket

From the moment guests arrived at LIFE, the place to be, Jordan's theme was front and center

Place cards were displayed on lucite stands and resembled NHL tickets

A circular light-up bar, with Jordan's logo on the floor, was the place to be during the cocktail hour

White and blue lighting created an icy vibe; the high top tables were later used in the kids' lounge

Jordan's logos were scattered throughout the cocktail hour

The blue and white theme continued into the reception with oversized balloons, draping on the ceiling and custom logos on the walls

The hockey rink dance floor was the centerpiece of the party

Penalty boxes, featuring some of Jordan's favorite brands, lined the dance floor rink

Images of Jordan playing hockey were projected on the walls

Lucite trays and votive candles added a cozy vibe to the ice theme

Close up of table centerpieces featuring photos of some of Jordan's favorite NHL players

Jordan's logo appeared on LEDs and other signage

White lounge furniture with custom pillows created a comfy space for the kids

Hockey photos of Jordan through the years captured some of his favorite on ice moments

Jordan's Grandma Carol made this unbelievable cake! She drove to NY from Chicago with all of her baking supplies and began baking the cake two days prior to the event

Sister Brooke joined Jordan for the candle lighting

The DJ kept the dance floor packed all night

Dance floor giveaways included New York Rangers jerseys, logo t-shirts, Big Baller Brand t-shirts and sweatshirts, gift cards and Apple AirPods

Party swag was stored in "The Locker Room"

Special Touches

The sign in board was framed by hockey sticks with Jordan's logo in the center

Jordan's friends surprised him with a special keepsake-- a New York Rangers flag which they all signed

An electric violinist played along with the music from the DJ

LIFE also provided an arcade

Kids (and adults!) could hit the video games when they needed a break from dancing

Everyone stopped by Jordan's Oreo Bar

Traditional, Red Velvet and Birthday Cake Oreos were among the choices

Jordan tested out the custom S'mores bar with Steven, the owner of LIFE

Guests could pick their chocolate, cookies and marshmallows... YUM!

"Dragon Popcorn" was a huge hit-- presented on dry ice, it looked like smoke was coming out of guests' mouths when they ate it

Jordan's logo was printed on custom ISlide favors

Kids took home their ISlides in logo drawstring bags

Logo water bottles were presented as guests headed home

Mitzvah Advice

“I wasn’t sure if I really needed a planner as I enjoy the planning process myself and the venue came with a planner,” says Mitzvah Mom Jackie. “But I’m thrilled that I did decide to hire my own planner, especially when it got closer to the event. She helped with so many crazy details (timeline, tipping, transportation etc…) that I hadn’t realized would make the last few weeks so incredibly busy. I was able to relax the day of the party knowing she was there and not worry about a thing!”

Mitzvah Project

Jordan sold snacks at his synagogue each week before Hebrew school. He donated the proceeds to the ASPCA as he loves animals. The family has a dog and two cats of their own.

Vendor Directory

Venue/Decor: LIFE the place to be, 914-591-4400
Event Planner/T-Shirts/Drawstring Bags: Stacey Nisenson, Full On Events, 973-800-2619
Entertainment: Total Entertainment, 201-894-0055
Photographer: Angelica Glass, 917-741-4160
Videographer: Giulianna Marie Studios, 973-835-4300
Favors: iSlide Customizable Slides, 781-352-0677
Invitations: Etched in Sloane, Sloane Zane, 201-848-6006
Sign-In Board: ShotsOnGoalHockeyFrames.com
Cake: Jordan’s Grandma, Carol David, 815-212-2204
Dresses: Roland Mouret (Mom), Zoe Ltd. (Sister), All About the Dress, 914-690-1593
Suits: Rothmans (Dad), Lubin’s (Jordan), 914-713-0300
Hair/Makeup: Rita Devlin Wolf (hair), 914-588-5471 and Valerie Guglielmo (makeup), 914-320-0944
Transportation: Country Coach Corp., 914-967-5959