Cole and Chase’s Amazon Adventure: B’nai Mitzvah Inspired by Family Vacation

Bar and Bat Mitzvah inspiration can come from anywhere. For twins Cole and Chase Turnof of New Jersey, a family visit to the rain forest in Panama and a love for animals led to an “Amazon Adventure” theme for their B’nai Mitzvah. (A love of the beach led to sister Kayla’s ocean themed Bat Mitzvah.) For Cole & Chase’s celebration, The Channel Club in Monmouth Beach was transformed into a lush, tropical jungle through the use of vibrant colors, foliage, natural materials and a ton of creativity. From rustic jungle cabanas for the kids to the twins’ entrance through a wall of vines, the event had a fun, cohesive vibe that was totally “wild.” 

The photographer for this event was Matt Kirchhof of Kirchhof Photograhy. A complete list of vendors follows at the end of this story.

Service & Luncheon

Rustic wood grain invitations were custom made in Poland! Mom Stacy found a photo on Pinterest which she used for design ideas. It took her a few weeks to track down the vendor. "If working with a vendor from overseas, she says, "Order two months ahead to be on the safe side"

The twins' B'nai Mitzvah service was held at Temple Beth-El Mekor Chayim in Cranford, NJ. Here they are joined by (L-R) mom Stacy, sister Kayla, and dad Aaron

Custom kippot, from DavidKippot, and head coverings, made by mom Stacy's family, featured delicate shades of jungle green

Amazing Amazon

The Channel Club is located on the water in Monmouth Beach, NJ. Here the Turnof family posed in front of the beautiful marina before heading inside to celebrate

Cole and Chase were definitely ready to party

Guests were greeted by a custom green jungle step and repeat with a green carpet before entering the cocktail hour

Place cards were displayed in wooden boxes with green moss and yellow orchids; the gift box was made to look like a wooden animal crate

The unique sign in board allowed guests to write their message on a leaf and drop it into the wooden frame

Inside the ballroom, tropical decor, including trees and burlap ottomans, created a sophisticated jungle vibe

Potted plants in basket weave planters were placed throughout the room and also hung from the ceiling

Cole and Chase each had their own lounge to hang with friends

The cabanas were decorated with bird nests, string lighting, bamboo canes, jungle leaves and more. Custom ottomans were covered in burlap

Logo pillows mixed with large tropical pillows were placed throughout the space

A variety of centerpieces utilized lush palm leaves, birds of paradise, orchids and vines

Green uplighting added to the tropical vibe

Glass vases filled with tropical leaves and orchids created a lush set up for the candle lighting

The bamboo bar featured bright green signature drinks and bamboo straws

Cole and Chase, in jungle/safari hats, made their big entrance through an archway of jungle vines custom made by their family

Mom Stacy enjoyed a special dance with her boys

JK Productions kept the dance floor packed

Special Touches

Jungle vines and animals also adorned the Mitzvah cake

Gourmet donuts were displayed on custom stands made from elm trees

Logo t-shirts, water bottles and draw string bags were created for the twins' friends

Cole and Chase's friends each received these green inflatable air sofas (for use at the beach, camping or in the jungle!) which were packaged in a logo bag

Baseball hats were custom airbrushed for guests

Mitzvah Advice

“It is very important to being organized and prepare well in advance,” mom Stacy says. “For our family, it was not a frenzy last minute. Set your budget appropriately as it is easy to digress from it. It’s easy to do research and find alternative options. Pinterest and Etsy are a great resource for ideas.”

Mitzvah Project

Cole & Chase were involved in a number of community services projects over the course of their Mitzvah year– they worked at the Westfield Senior Citizens Housing Center, helped with environmental cleanup at Watchung Reservation, gardened at the Jewish Family Service’s Urban Community Vegetable Garden in Elizabeth, made hamantaschen for TSTI/Interfaith Food Pantry of Orange and Jewish Family Services of Metrowest, and assisted in planting at the Adath Shalom Mitzvah Garden in Morris Plains. Lastly, the boys raised over $300 for the World Wildlife Fund through their lemonade stand in Belmar, New Jersey.

Vendor Directory

The following vendors helped to make Cole and Chase’s Amazon Adventure a success. If you contact any of them about their services, please let them know you read about their company on MitzvahMarket.com.

Venue: The Channel Club, 732-229-3131
Event Planner/Decor/Logos & Graphics: Magnolia West Events, Danielle Zaleski, 732-236-4167
Music/Photobooth: JK Productions, DJ Jason Barbanel, 732-616-2015
Photographer: Kirchhof Photography, Matt Kirchhof, 732-616-2015
Videographer: Gerry Condez Studio, Gerry Condez, 908-578-3685
Kippot: DavidKippot USA, 917-683-5879
T-Shirt/Bag Favors: ProImprint, 844-PRO-IMPRINT
Inflatable Sofa/Drawstring Bag Favors: Alibaba.com
Air Brushing: Top Gun Airbrush, 718-819-1094
Gourmet Donut Stand: Deez Donutz, The Shindiggity Shoppe/Etsy (custom stands)
Invitations: Margo & Bees, +44 191 432 4911
Cake: Bovella’s Pastry Shoppe, 908-228-2937
Sign-In Board: Miraculous Gifts/Etsy
Dresses: For service, Bloomingdales (mom and sister); For party, Dream Dresses (mom) and Macys (sister)
Suits: For service, Lord & Taylor (Chase), Boytique (Cole), Jos A. Bank (dad); For party, SAMS – store closed (Chase), 580 South, 973-758-0580 (Cole), Jos A. Bank (dad)
Custom Shirts: Mtailor.com
Custom Bowties: The Bowtie Collective, 862-217-4001
Hair/Makeup: Elegant Image Salon, 908-232-4900
Transportation: Trans-Ed, Inc., 973-881-8004