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Wedding Officiant -Debbi Ballard

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Sydney’s Destination Bat Mitzvah in Playa del Carmen Mexico

October 8, 2018 by Debbi Ballard Leave a Comment

Sydney’s Destination Bat Mitzvah at the Beautiful Azul Fives Beach Resort in Playa del Carmen, Mexico

I just returned from Mexico, where I had the opportunity to perform Sydney’s Destination Bat Mitzvah Ceremony at Azul Fives, an all inclusive beach resort in beautiful Playa del Carmen, Mexico.  My friend, Evan Gross, from DestinationMitzvah.com connected me with the family, and put an incredible team together to create a magical weekend of fun and sun, along with the beauty of family and friends celebrating this joyous occasion.

Destination Bat Mitzvah
Destination Mitzvah

If you’re looking for a unique way to celebrate this special event – read on!  I’m excited to share why I LOVE this idea for all lifecycle events!

Destination Bat Mitzvah in Mexico

Combine your family vacation with a Bat Mitzvah celebration and enjoy time with friends and family

I think it’s amazing to celebrate a Bat Mitzvah this way – having several days together with your family to relax, celebrate together, and enjoy vacation time creates memories you would never have if you simply planned a 4 hour blowout party.  When you have a 4 hour event, everything flies by in a flash!  By the time you have your makeup done, photos done, and BAM!  The ceremony and party are nothing but a whirlwind – and your memories are fuzzy and faded.  But, when you have time to relax, enjoy, and truly celebrate, then your memories are truly ones you will keep forever.

Mariachi Band Sydney's Bat Mitzvah Celebration at Azul Fives in Playa del Carmen Mexico

How you can have your Destination Bat Mitzvah ceremony  anywhere you choose!

I’m a firm believer – that spirituality doesn’t come from the walls in a room – but from the holiness of the hearts of the people joining together.  If we truly believe (and I do!) that God is EVERYWHERE – then God can certainly be present at your Destination Bat Mitzvah ceremony at the beach in Mexico!

Our incredible teammate and highly talented Destination Bat Mitzvah photographer, Aaron Lurie, from VMA Event Studios took some incredible photos of our ceremony on Saturday evening.

Cantor Debbi Ballard at Destination Bat Mitzvah in Playa del Carmen Mexico

 

 

Filed Under: Destination Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah Tagged With: bar mitzvah cantor, bar mitzvah rabbi, Bat Mitzvah, Destination Bar Mitzvah, Destination Bat Mitzvah, Jewish ceremony, Lifecycles, Mexico, private Bat Mitzvah, unaffiliated

Jared’s Bar Mitzvah, and my best review – EVER!

May 2, 2009 by Debbi Ballard 2 Comments

This past weekend was Jared’s Bar Mitzvah.  I was so worried about this one, simply from a time constraint perspective.  No sooner did I finish Jess & Pete’s wedding in Orlando, I jumped in the car, drove home, taught Hebrew School from 9-10am, and was ready for Jared’s Bar Mitzvah at 10:30! (It required setup at 7:30 a.m., but it’s all in a day’s work..)

I was just worried that something might go wrong with driving back and forth, or that I might not be as focused as I needed to be, but from the moment we entered that room, there was a very special magic.

Jill’s friend, Janet, who is a mutual friend of my bff Mindy, was there, and she told me the story before we started about how she was responsible for baking Jared’s challah from scratch.  She baked one the night before, and she said “It just wasn’t feeling the love…” so..she got up the next morning, and baked a new one.  This time, she had all the positive, yummy, feel good intention for Jared that she was feeling as she was rolling the dough, and this one came out just perfect!  I thought – what a great thing to share in the service!!  It is so true that when we make things with love and positive intention, they come out even more yummy than we could ever imagine! YES!

The morning just got better from there.  Jared was one of the most poised, unflappable young men I have seen on a bimah. He knew his material, and was so proud to be there, that his attitude helped make the day so incredibly successful.  Jill, who was so worried about writing her “Dear G-d” prayer for Jared, spoke so beautifully and eloquently, and so did Bruce.  Their prayer for Jared was just what we all pray for, for our children, but knowing how nervous Jill was, it made it all the more special for me to listen to.  Hard not to shed a tear at that moment, for everyone – including me!

As I promised Jill, but she might not have originally believed, the service was over in a flash.  Torah reading, prayers, Aleinu, Kaddish…all short, but very sweet, and it was time to move on to the celebration everyone had waited for.  Jared was moving on to be the rock star of the day!

I moved on – to go collapse at home!  A wedding the night before and a Bar Mitzvah the next morning can take quite a bit out of a traveling Cantor.  But, the day was peaceful, and filled with beautiful memories of two amazing events in one single weekend.  This was one incredibly proud traveling Cantor!

What made me even prouder, was to receive Jill’s email the following day.  It was the best email I had ever received – and so I am going to be a tad boastful, and publish it here, on Jared’s blog entry.  (As well as my references page).  I’m just so proud and fulfilled to bring these kind of feelings to a an experience, not to mention a family who I have really grown to love…

*************************************************

Debbi,
So, it has taken me 3 days to come back down from this high and now I can breathe again. Watching our son become a Bar Mitzvah was a moment we will cherish forever. He was so confident and poised. Jared was all grown up.
Since we had never seen one of your services we did not really know what to expect. Any expectations we would have had were exceeded. I know every parent must think their child’s service was the most amazing, but the service you performed was not only amazing and beautiful but truly moving and all about Jared. All that were there sharing this moment in our lives felt totally connected to Jared. That is because of you!!!! We could see the connection you have made with Jared. It was evident you both like each other, and the connection we have made with you. It felt like one big family witnessing Jared step on the next stone of the long path ahead of him.
We received so many complements on your behalf. I wanted to share them with you.
” I learned so much from Jared’s service, I did not know why all you do anything before Cantor Ballard explained them.” —Goodman
“I was so moved by the service, it is not often I feel a part of the service, and I have been to a lot of services.”
—-Premer
” I was so proud of Jared. This is my 4th grandchild to be a Bar Mitzvah and I finally understand what it is all about.” —–Krause
These are only a few of the comments.
Debbi, you really made this service everything we wanted it to be. We will always have you in our hearts and we look forward to having you guide Asher through this wonderful ritual.
With much love,
Jill and Bruce
xoxo

 

Want to create your own Bar Mitzvah “dream come true”?  Contact Cantor Debbi today to see how you can co-create the event of your dreams.

Filed Under: Bar/Bat Mitzvah Adventures Tagged With: Bar Mitzvah, bar mitzvah cantor, bar mitzvah rabbi, beautiful bar mitzvah, private bar mitzvah, south florida

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~ Officiating Jewish & Interfaith Weddings, Bar & Bat Mitzvahs, Funerals, and any other Jewish Lifecycle Services in Florida, USA – Destination Weddings in North America, Mexico, Caribbean & Worldwide ~

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