Bar/Bat Mitzvah Guide Rodef Sholom Temple 318 Whealton Rd. Hampton, Virginia

Transcription

1 Bar/Bat Mitzvah Guide Rodef Sholom Temple 318 Whealton Rd. Hampton, Virginia

2 Table of Contents: I. Introduction...2 II. History of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah...2 III. Bar/Bat Mitzvah Requirements...3 IV. Rodef Sholom Temple Hospitality Requirements...5 V. General Guidelines and Requirements...6 VI. Halachic (Jewish Law) Requirements...8 VII. Friday Evening Service...9 VIII. Saturday Morning Service...10 IX. Saturday Night Party...11 X. Oneg Shabbat, Shabbat Evening Dinner & Kiddush Lunch Logistics

3 I. Introduction Mazel Tov on the forthcoming bar/bat mitzvah of your child! This is an important milestone in the spiritual life of your child and your family. We at Rodef Sholom Temple want to help you and your family get the most out of this process and make this coming year and the bar/bat mitzvah itself an enjoyable experience for all of you. We hope this handbook will prove useful to you. It includes policies, including the current bar/bat mitzvah policy and the hospitality policy, that are set by the Temple Board of Directors and are subject to change by vote of the board. Others are guidelines on how to make the weekend run as smoothly as possible. Please don t hesitate to contact the Temple Administrator or the chair of the Ritual Committee should you have any questions. II. History of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah (adapted from Coming of age for a Jew, which happens automatically at age 13 for a boy and 12 for a girl, is termed bar and bat mitzvah, that is, son or daughter of the commandment, and thus obligates the young person to perform the Jewish mitzvot (commandments). A ceremony marking the first performance of mitzvot such as being called up to the Torah to say the blessings (known as "getting an aliyah") began in the Middle Ages. Earlier, the age of majority had little practical meaning because minors were "permitted" (though not "obligated") to perform many rituals that were later reserved only for boys who had reached the age of bar mitzvah. A fifth-century rabbinic text references a blessing (still part of a traditional bar mitzvah) recited by the father thanking God for freeing him from responsibility for the deeds of his child, who is now accountable for his own actions. A 14th-century text mentions a father reciting this blessing in a synagogue when his son has his first aliyah. By the 17th century, boys celebrating this coming of age were also reading from the Torah, chanting the weekly prophetic portion, leading services, and delivering learned talks. The bat mitzvah celebration made a late appearance in the United States with the bat mitzvah of Judith Kaplan in In the last half century, the bat mitzvah has been widely observed in liberal congregations, but has developed more slowly among traditional Jews. Since the bar/bat mitzvah is the culmination of an educational process that Rodef Sholom Temple provides equally to boys and girls, our policy is to hold the ceremony after the 13th Hebrew birthday of the child, boy or girl, although girls may be counted as part of the minyan from the age of 12 years and one day. 3

4 III. Bar/Bat Mitzvah Requirements REVISED MAY 2004 The following is the policy regarding eligibility for Bar/Bat Mitzvah at Rodef Sholom Temple: 1. Attain thirteen years of age by the Hebrew calendar. 2. The immediate family of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah candidate shall be full members in good standing of Rodef Sholom Temple. Associate membership does not meet this requirement. Families shall be required to become full members of Rodef Sholom Temple beginning with the fiscal year in which their child is admitted to the Rodef Sholom Religious School. 3. Graduation, after four years, from the Hebrew School of the United Jewish Community of the Virginia Peninsula or satisfactory completion of four years of Hebrew language at the Hebrew Academy of Tidewater. 4. Satisfactory attendance and participation in Rodef Sholom Temple's Religious School (children who attend The Hebrew Academy of Tidewater are exempt from this requirement) from the third grade through Bar/Bat Mitzvah. (Attendance beginning in Kindergarten is strongly encouraged.) Determination of satisfactory participation will be made by the Principal of the Religious School and the Rabbi. For students who are new to the Temple, a committee composed of the Rabbi, the Education Committee Chair and the Ritual Committee Chair will evaluate the student's previous education and current level of accomplishment and will make a determination as to where the student will be placed in religious school and Hebrew school and where the student will be placed in the Bar/Bat Mitzvah cycle. 5. Satisfactory participation by students in Bar/Bat Mitzvah classes with the Rabbi of Rodef Sholom Temple or a tutor approved by a committee composed of the Rabbi, the Education Committee Chair and the Ritual Committee Chair, for approximately one year. 6. Candidates for Bar/Bat Mitzvah must meet the requirements for attendance at religious services from the beginning of their Religious School education until the Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Attendance in grades Kindergarten through 2 is encouraged at least six (6) times per year. Attendance in grades 3 through 6 is strongly encouraged at least eight (8) times per year. Attendance at Shabbat Services beginning in grade 7 or one year prior to the Bar/Bat Mitzvah (whichever occurs first) shall be at least four (4) times per month, not including Shabbat School, with the student attending a combination of Friday evening services and Saturday morning services. Family members are encouraged to attend Services with the child. 7. Participate in a program of Community Service/Tzedakah during the period of preparation with the Rabbi. 8. A donation of $200 to one of the Temple funds is recommended. 9. The date of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah will be scheduled by the Rabbi in accordance with the following priorities: 4

5 a. proximity to birth date by the Hebrew calendar, (see #1 above) b. level of the candidate's preparation, and c. Preferences and convenience of the family involved. 10. Families of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah shall be required to follow the requirements of Rodef Sholom Temple for the religious service, the Oneg Shabbat, the Kiddush, and any attendant celebration. The Hospitality Policy is available upon request from the Temple office. If you have any questions about these guidelines and requirements, please direct them to the Temple Administrator. PLEASE NOTE: If a student fails to meet the requirements as described above, the family will have the option of postponing the Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony for one year, or scheduling the ceremony during a Monday or Thursday morning minyan. In the case of extenuating circumstances, the Rabbi, in consultation with the Chair of the Education Committee, the Chair of the Ritual Committee and the Religious School Principal may allow the Bar/Bat Mitzvah to take place as scheduled.

6 IV. Rodef Sholom Temple Hospitality Policies APRIL 2004 A. INVITATIONS 1. It is our policy to invite the entire congregation to services, Oneg Shabbat, and Kiddush by bulletin or postcard, newspaper, and announcements at services only. You will need to submit a copy of your invitation to the office at least 4 weeks before the event. 2. Individual invitations may be sent to the congregation for any Simcha taking place during a congregational service, Oneg Shabbat or Kiddush. B. KIDDUSH/LUNCHEON 1. In the case of a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, the family provides an Oneg Shabbat on Friday evening and a dairy Kiddush on Saturday morning. For other Simchas, the family may provided either an Oneg Shabbat or a Kiddush lunch, or both. These may be as simple or elaborate as the family desires, as long as they are adequate for the number of people who will be attending. 2. The family is responsible for notifying the Temple Administrator at least three months in advance of all kitchen arrangements for the event, even if you intend to use an outside caterer. C. TABLE SET UP The Temple maintenance staff will setup tables and chairs for Friday night Oneg and Saturday lunch. The Temple staff is not responsible for putting up decorations, putting table cloths and skirting on tables and setting tables. If the event needs to be set up for more than 200 people, the family is responsible for paying for additional staff needed to set up and break down set up. D. FLOWERS Pulpit flowers for Friday night, etc. are provided by the family. Rodef Sholom uses Pollards Florist every Shabbat. E. YARMULKES/KIPPOT Personalized yarmulkes can be ordered and donated to the Temple. They should be ordered at least 3 months prior to the date needed. They can be stored at the Temple until the day of your simcha. 6

7 F. CHARGES FOR TEMPLE FACILITIES FOR MEMBERS IN GOOD STANDING 1. There is no charge for the Temple for simchas on Friday evening or Saturday morning. If Temple facilities are used for a private dinner or affair on Saturday evening, facilities must be booked through the Temple office. There is no rental charge for members in good standing for a private affair related to a simcha. 2. Members will be charged for the actual labor costs to the Temple in excess of the hours customarily worked by the regular staff. Payment is due for the labor costs upon receipt ofthe bill. 3. If the garbage dumpster is filled because of your simcha and it is necessary to ask our garbage collection company to add an extra pick-up, that expense will be added to your bill. G. STAFFING FOR EVENT 1. A custodian works Friday evening from 7:00-10:00 P.M. and on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. The congregant pays for additional hours and help at the overtime hourly rate. The bill will be sent to the family by the Temple office upon completion of the weekend for any extra hours worked by the Temple staff. 2. It is customary to tip our staff for all of the extras they do to make your affair run smoothly. This is handled by the family directly to the people involved, and not through the Temple office. V. General Guidelines and Requirements 1. Invitations The entire congregation will be invited to your child s bar/bat mitzvah with a card sent out by the Temple office. Please provide a copy of the invitation or a 5 x 8 invitation in black print on white paper to the Temple office at least four (4) weeks before the date of the ceremony so that the cards can be sent out in a timely way. If you wish to write personal notes on any of the cards before they are mailed, please speak with the Temple administrator. 7

8 2. Flowers The family of the bar/bat mitzvah is responsible for providing flowers for the bimah. These may be as simple or as elaborate as you wish, and may be provided for just one side of the bimah or both. Please inform the Temple office which florist you are using. If you opt not to use the Temple s regular florist (see Resources, below), please let your florist know that all flowers (both for the bimah and for decorations, food tables, etc.) must be delivered by 2 p.m. on Friday afternoon. 3. Photography No photography or recording of any kind is permitted on Shabbat either inside or outside the building. This includes Friday evening, even during the summer when sundown occurs after the service concludes. However, photography may take place before or after Shabbat. Please arrange a time with the Temple administrator. 4. Kippot (Yarmulkes) It is customary, although not obligatory, for the bar/bat mitzvah family to provide imprinted kippot on Shabbat for the bar/bat mitzvah guests. There are many companies that can supply these, in a variety of fabrics and colors (see Resources, below). If you choose to provide these, please order them in enough time so that they are at the synagogue at least one month before the bar/bat mitzvah date. Temple staff will make sure that they are put out on Saturday morning; please speak to the Temple administrator on how you wish this done. 5. Child Care The Temple does not provide child care. If you expect to host many small children and would like to have child care for Friday night and/or on Saturday, you must provide this at your own expense. 6. Candy It is customary at Rodef Sholom for candy to be tossed after the bar/bat mitzvah child has completed the chanting of the Haftarah, following the directions given by the Rabbi. By direction of the Board of Directors, candy may be tossed only from the first four rows on the right-hand (Torah-reading) side of the sanctuary, and only soft individually wrapped kosher candies, such as Sunkist Fruit Gems, may be used. No chocolate or hard candies are permitted. The candies are usually distributed during the last part of the Torah service by members of the bar/bat mitzvah family. 8

9 7. Challah & Wine The family of the bar/bat mitzvah is responsible for providing the challah and wine for Kiddush and Motzi for the congregation. Since Kiddush and Motzi are usually performed on the bimah, two loves of challah must be provided for that, as well as two loaves for the table in the foyer outside the sanctuary. Kosher wine and kosher grape juice must also be provided in the foyer and for the Kiddush cup on the bimah. 8. Decorations Decorations for the foyer and Brout Auditorium are completely optional. Some families opt for simple flower arrangements; others have none; others are more elaborate. 9. Tables, Tablecloths, and Room Setup As stated in the Hospitality Policy (see above), the Temple maintenance staff will set up tables and chairs for Friday night Oneg and Saturday lunch. Plain white tablecloths may be rented from the Temple s regular linen supplier. Please speak with the Temple administrator for details; you will be billed for these tablecloths at the Temple s cost. Alternatively, tablecloths may be rented via the caterer or from a party rental business. Please let the Temple administrator know which alternative you have chosen so that the Temple staff can be notified accordingly. Make an appointment with the Temple administrator at least two weeks before the bar/bat mitzvah to go over room setup. The Temple administrator is responsible for communicating this set-up to Temple staff. If additional help must be hired to assist with room setup, the family will be charged that cost. VI. Halachic (Jewish Law) Requirements All food consumed in the Synagogue must be certified kosher and must be prepared either at the synagogue or another supervised kosher kitchen that has been approved by Rodef Sholom Temple. Food from another supervised kosher kitchen must be appropriately marked with kosher markings according to the specifications of Rodef Sholom Temple and/or accompanied by a letter of kosher certification (see Hospitality Policy above). See Section? for more information and suggestions. If you have any questions at all about this aspect of the bar/bat mitzvah celebration, please speak with the rabbi and Temple administrator. Please note that nothing may be delivered to or removed from the synagogue on Shabbat. This includes leftover food, flowers, and decorations, since the halachic proscriptions regarding carrying objects on Shabbat requires this rule. Arrangements should be made with the Temple administrator to deliver flowers and decorations before 2 p.m. Friday afternoon and to schedule a time to come back on Sunday or during the following week to retrieve what you want. Large quantities of leftover food may be donated to local agencies such as HELP. Please call to make sure someone will be there to accept the food. Flowers may be donated to Riverside Regional Medical Center s Hospice unit, or many of the rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and convalescent centers in the area. Please call them ahead of time to arrange a time to deliver them. 9

10 Every man, Jewish and non-jewish, must wear a kippah (yarmulke) while in the synagogue. Every Jewish man must wear a tallit on Saturday morning when ascending the bimah to receive an aliyah or other related honor. Jewish women are encouraged to wear a kippah and tallit when ascending the bimah to receive an aliyah or other related honor. No photography or recording of any kind is permitted on Shabbat either inside or outside the building. This includes Friday evening, even during the summer when sundown occurs after the service concludes. However, photographs may be taken before or after Shabbat. Please arrange a time with the Temple administrator. No smoking is allowed inside the synagogue building at any time. No smoking is allowed on synagogue grounds on Shabbat. On Shabbat all cell phones and pagers should be turned off while in the synagogue. Should emergency calls be expected (e.g., for a doctor on call ), phones should be set on vibrate. You may wish to let your non-jewish guests know before the date of the bar/bat mitzvah what to expect during the course of the service so that they feel more comfortable at Rodef Sholom. A sample letter can be found in the Appendix, along with a sample letter for your child s non-jewish friends. VII. Friday Evening Service The bar/bat mitzvah family has the privilege of choosing whether the Friday evening service will begin at 6 p.m. or 8 p.m., although the format of service remains the same, including both the Kabbalat Shabbat and Ma ariv services. In addition, the family can choose whether or not the service will be accompanied by the organ. Please notify the Temple administrator at least two months in advance as to which time you prefer and whether or not you wish to have the organist accompany the service. If you expect more than 90 guests on Friday evening, please let the Temple administrator know, so that more prayerbooks are readily available. We ask that the bar/bat mitzvah family provide two ushers/greeters for the Friday evening service. They will make sure that each guest is provided with a siddur and program and assist them in finding seats. It is important that your ushers arrive 15 minutes before the beginning of the service. Please remind your ushers that part of their responsibility is to maintain proper decorum at the rear of the sanctuary and the lobby so that talking does not interfere with the conduct of the service. The Friday evening service is usually conducted from a lecturn at the front of the sanctuary. However, if you wish to have the service conducted from the bimah, please discuss this choice with the rabbi. The Friday evening service includes many English readings, and we welcome the participation of Jewish family members and friends in leading those selections. Non-Jewish family members and friends can also participate in certain aspects of the Friday evening service; please consult the Rabbi for options. Following the Friday evening service, the entire congregation is invited to an Oneg Shabbat sponsored by the bar/bat mitzvah family. This Oneg Shabbat may be as simple or elaborate as you wish. Please see Section? for guidelines and helpful suggestions. If you wish 10

11 to host a dinner at Rodef Sholom before or after services for family and friends, please see Section?. VIII. Shabbat Morning Service The Shabbat morning service begins at 9:30 a.m. and usually ends about 12 noon. It is normally led from a lecturn at the front of the sanctuary but if you wish to have the service conducted from the bimah, please discuss this choice with the rabbi. If you are expecting more than 100 guests, please let the Temple administrator know, so that Hertz chumashim (blue covers) are readily available. We ask that the bar/bat mitzvah family provide two ushers/greeters for the Shabbat morning service. They will make sure that each guest is provided with a siddur, chumash and program, and assist them in finding seats. Please note that many non-jewish guests arrive before 9:30 a.m., so it is important that your ushers arrive by 9:15 a.m. Please remind your ushers that part of their responsibility is to maintain proper decorum at the rear of the sanctuary and the lobby so that talking does not interfere with the conduct of the service. In the rare event of an overlapping simcha the same weekend, you may be asked to relinquish one or two aliyot. Otherise, the bar/bat mitzvah family is entitled to all aliyot and honors on Shabbat morning, including the specifying of Torah readers and gabbai im (the honors form is in the Appendix). Please note that only Jewish family members and friends may have honors or participate in the service. Non-Jewish family members and friends can also participate in certain aspects of the Saturday morning service; please consult the Rabbi for options. It is required that the first gabbai (gabbai rishon) be thoroughly familiar with the Torah service and the duties required of the first gabbai at Rodef Sholom Temple. Please consult with the Ritual Committee chair at least 3 weeks prior to the date of the bar/bat mitzvah regarding your selection. Please consult with the rabbi regarding Torah readers and the assignment of specific portions at least one month before the bar/bat mitzvah service so as to allow sufficient preparation time. The Chair of the Ritual Committee will contact the gabbai im and the person performing hagbah in advance of the bar/bat mitzvah to review proper procedures with them. Please fill out the honors form as completely as possible, including Hebrew names where specified, so that the service runs as smoothly as possible. Being called to the Torah is a great honor. Please make sure that all those whom you have invited to be called to the Torah are familiar with the Torah blessings and the procedure for having an aliyah (see Appendix) so that the Torah reading can proceed as smoothly as possible. All Jewish men must wear a tallit on Saturday morning when ascending the bimah to receive an aliyah or other related honor. Women are encouraged to wear a kippah and tallit. Following the conclusion of Shabbat morning service, the entire congregation is invited to a kiddush sponsored by the bar/bat mitzvah family. This kiddush may be as simple or elaborate as you wish. Please see Section? for guidelines and helpful suggestions. The lunch always concludes with the Birkat Hamazon, usually led by the bar/bat mitzvah child and his/her class. If providing a Kiddush lunch for the entire congregation creates a financial hardship for your family, please speak with the Rabbi. IX. Saturday Night Party ( can we word to make it more encouraging ) If you choose to have a Saturday night party, you may hold the event at the synagogue at no charge. There will be a charge from the synagogue for custodial help, in addition to any private arrangements you make for caterers, serving help, etc. Parties at the synagogue must 11

12 begin after Shabbat is over, unless a mincha service is part of the event. Please check with the Rabbi for the earliest possible time at which the party may begin. Please note that any party preparation at the synagogue, even when done by non-jews, is not allowed before Shabbat is over. Since this is a very complex subject, please consult with Rabbi well in advance of any arrangements you may make with caterers, party planners, etc. The same rules regarding food and food preparation for the Friday evening Oneg Shabbat and Saturday kiddush luncheon (see Section?) apply for any Saturday night party as well. X. Oneg Shabbat, Shabbat Evening Dinner & Kiddush Lunch Logistics All food consumed in the Synagogue must be certified kosher and must be prepared either at the synagogue or in another supervised kosher kitchen approved by Rodef Sholom Temple. Food prepared in another supervised kosher kitchen must be appropriately marked with kosher markings acceptable to Rodef Sholom Temple and/or accompanied by a letter of kosher certification (see Hospitality Policy above). Any commercially prepared foods or ingredients brought into the Temple must be in new, unopened packages, with a Kosher mark (hecksher) that is acceptable to Rodef Sholom Temple. See the Temple administrator for a list of acceptable Kosher marks (hecksher). If you have any questions at all about this aspect of the bar/bat mitzvah celebration, please speak with the rabbi and Temple administrator.? It is the policy of Rodef Sholom Temple that all food served at the Oneg Shabbat and Kiddush luncheon be dairy and/or parve. Any or all meals associated with the bar/bat mitzvah may be professionally catered, using any of the caterers on the current list of approved caterers (see Hospitality policy, above). Please see the Temple administrator for the current list and for the requirements for caterers who use our kitchens. Some families also opt to use party/event planners to assist in the non-food aspects of the weekend. Please let the Temple administrator know if you will be using this kind of service. Self-catering the Oneg Shabbat, Kiddush luncheon, and other associated meals (Shabbat evening dinner or Saturday evening party) is an option chosen by many families. It requires organization as well as help from friends and family (and a few days off from work for those who work full-time), but provides a great deal of satisfaction. The following suggestions will be helpful: 1. There are many sources that can help you estimate the amount of food required to serve the number of guests you expect. Add 20 to the number of invited guests expected for the Friday evening service and 50 to the number of invited guests expected for the Shabbat morning service to account for the members of the congregation who normally attend these services. Many congregants extend personal invitations to other congregants via a phone call, thus enabling them to more closely estimate the number of guests expected. 2. Arrange times to cook with the Temple administrator to avoid traffic jams in the kitchen. Suggested times include Sunday mornings during Sunday School, or weekdays. No cooking may be done on Shabbat! 3. Simple menus, with few foods to heat up before serving, work best. Food may be prepared ahead of time and frozen. Please make sure that all food is clearly labeled with your 12

13 name and date of the bar/bat mitzvah so that it is not used by mistake by either the Temple or by another bar/bat mitzvah family. 4. All food must be prepared and cooked before Shabbat, although food may be warmed if the ovens are turned on before Shabbat begins. No adjustment of the oven flame or temperature up, down or off is permitted on Shabbat. 5. Use of the Rodef Sholom Temple kitchens must be supervised. Please see the Temple administrator for supervision information. 6. The family of the bar/bat mitzvah is responsible for making sure that there is adequate help to prepare, serve, and clean up each meal. The services of the Temple s custodian are provided according to the Hospitality Policy, above, but additional hours are billed separately to the family. Rodef Sholom Temple kitchen staff may be independently contracted to help prepare and/or serve food; they set their own fees. There are also other sources for people to perform these functions; see the Temple Administrator for suggestions. 7. You may use Temple dishes and silverware or provide your own disposable products. If Temple dishes and silverware are used, the family is responsible for all associated dishwashing costs. 8. The family of the bar/bat mitzvah is responsible for providing everything used for the Oneg Shabbat and the Kiddush lunch, including all ingredients for the meals (including beverages and condiments), storage containers, plastic and foil wraps and bags, and paper and plastic products. 13

14 Bar/Bat Mitzvah Timeline: DATE ACTIVITIES TIMELINE Learn about the process and timeframe One year before the required to prepare your child for the event. event Formal Bar/Bat Mitzvah lessons usually begin one year prior to the scheduled date. Help your child decide on a community service or bar/bat mitzvah project idea. Complete/continue religious school requirements as outlined by the Education. Committee Attendance at services 4x per month one year prior to date Regular meetings with Rabbi and/or assigned tutor to complete studies Create a guest list with current and complete addresses. Create a list of out-of-towners that you will invite. Book location, entertainment, photographer, etc Contact hotels and decide where you would like to block rooms. Request a block of rooms from hotel(s) of choice. Ongoing One year - event date One year - 6 mos. before Select and order invitations. Order thank you notes. Begin to plan oneg and Shabbat morning Kiddush lunch menus. Begin to plan centerpieces for tables and any other decorations. Stay in close contact with your child's Bar/Bat Mitzvah tutor to keep abreast of your child's progress. Arrange for Friday evening Oneg and Shabbat morning Kiddush luncheon Have an invitation weighed at the post office. Finalize all party selections such as menu, centerpieces, and decorations. Encourage your child to practice his or her service out loud months before 5 months before 4 months before 3 months before 2 months before.

15 Choose Friday evening service time of 6:00 or 8:00 and notify temple Provide Temple office with a copy of Bar/Bat mitzvah invitation Finalize plans for Shabbat morning Kiddush lunch. Mail out of town invitations. Mail in town invitations. Coordinate the entertainers and caterers to ensure that "time frames" match. Develop a time-line for the event that includes formalities, horas/dances and food service. 15

16 Fill in honors forms for Shabbat morning 4 weeks before services including aliyot and Torah readers. You are entitled to all aliyot and all honors on that day. Jewish relatives or friends are welcome to fill these honors. Consult the Rabbi regarding additional honors or readings on Friday night. Please get Hebrew names for those to be called for aliyot. Select Gabbaim (check with the chair of the Ritual Committee for requirements of this position) Select ushers for Friday night and Saturday Arrange for 2 Challahs, Wine and grape juice for Kiddush in the foyer and 4 Challahs, wine and grape juice if Kiddush is done on the Bimah as you still need to provide Challah, wine and grape juice for the foyer in this event. Arrange for Pulpit flowers (providing just one side is acceptable and common practice). Reconfirm all service providers. Provide copy of invitation to the office for bulk mailing. Develop a seating plan. Make an appointment with the Temple Two weeks before administrator to go over room set up for the event Kiddush Lunch. This will be communicated to Temple staff. Order table clothes. Give administrator caterer/cooking and/or party planners schedule Provide kippot (optional) One week before Soft Kosher candy for throwing on Shabbat event morning will be provided by Temple. Review program with Temple administrator. Finalize seating as best you can. Confirm final guest count with the caterer. THE BIG DAY!! Mazel Tov. 16