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Wedding Officiant -Debbi Ballard

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Home » Lifecycles

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

Unaffiliated Lifecycles? One Cantor’s view…

November 24, 2010 by Debbi Ballard 1 Comment

I just came across a well-written post by a Reform Rabbi in Washington, DC, in response to the recent NYT article that seems to be hitting a lot of nerves around the world.  While I recognize that some of my colleagues provide this as a fast track, meaningless way to substantiate a monstrous party – not all of us do, and so here is my side of the story!

(Article)

Bar Mitzvah Training: It’s not just a job….

The New York Times story about on-line bar mitzvah preparation caught lots of attention (at least for a few minutes).  You should read it if you have not.  It offers a window into some basic problems we face in the American Jewish community today.  First, what do synagogues matter anymore?  It is possible to do everything Jewish without a synagogue.  We often say that the community you find in a synagogue is vital to your Jewish life and not available anywhere else.  Whether or not that’s true, the parents featured in the article don’t seem to care.  And yet, they DO want bar mitzvah ceremonies for their kids.  Or do they?  The other important issue in the article is about the meaning of bar/bat mitzvah?  The final line of the article says it all: “Once Joanne Kapsack had found a rabbi for Eli to work with, she pretty much bowed out of the preparations, she said. “I just cared about the party.”  I am sure this happens equally often in our temple (and others).  I must admit that I have never been a bar mitzvah party naysayer.  I’ve either stayed out of it and treated it as something outside my scope or I have embraced the idea of the parties as part of the mitzvah and part of the community gathering that can occur.  But, nothing has disappointed me more than hearing the post-event assessment from two recent bat mitzvah mothers: it was a let-down.  They whole experience, when it was all said and done, was a let down for these mothers.  What else could it be after all the hype, the buildup, the money and time spent on it?  I have no problem adopting new technology – though I don’t really want an office that looks like the trading floor of a brokerage house.  I have no problem with adopting different standards than previous generations simply accepted in order to become temple members. I also have no problem with completely revolutionizing the way we do Jewish education in general.  But I do have problems with the ongoing march toward deification of bar and bat mitzvah.  Within this trend is not so much innovation as desperation.  We will do anything, it seems, to make our kids and ourselves feel good while we and they wallow in ambivalence about our Judaism.Dear

(My reply)

Rabbi Roos,

I just came across your comment and wanted to share another aspect of this situation that many seem to forget, or are not aware of.

It saddens me, too, to see the rite of passage as nothing but an excuse to show off one’s financial stature. I’m not a nay-sayer either, but whole-heartedly believe that the community celebration should be one of meaning, with the closest of friends and family surrounding the child, and showing love and support.

I am one of those Officiants, who provide unaffiliated lifecycles to my families, however, not for the purpose of fast tracking, eliminating, or for any other motive. These are families who got lost in the synagogue shuffle, and felt that synagogues were busy expecting congregants to meet their own financial needs, rather than vice versa.

In my town of Weston, FL, the Reform synagogue was bursting at its seams 5 years ago. With 700 families, they had one Rabbi with a lifetime contract since day 1, and a Cantorial soloist (not even a Cantor).

B’Nai Mitzvah services were doubled, to two a day, on Saturday morning ONLY, with 2 students in each service.

Many families wanted Havdalah services. Many families wanted smaller, private services to be held in the chapel, without the big pomp and circumstance and showiness of keeping up with those Jones’s. Many wanted their Rabbi (or officiant) to actually know their child’s name, but couldn’t commit to 3-5 days a week at the synagogue because of other commitments and demands on their childrens’ and families’ lives.

So – because the local synagogue couldn’t (or wouldn’t) meet those families’ needs – and because they truly wanted a meaningful, intimate connection to Judaism, and an opportunity to make their Judaism more personal and meaningful, and relevant, they found me.

I am a deeply traditional, spiritual Jew, with a profound belief, and relationship with G-d. I actually teach my students how to pray – how to understand G-d, and make G-d meaningful and relevant. I actually engage my students in learning, and experiencing Judaism, by cooking in their homes at holidays, teaching them how to teach their parents (many who are in Interfaith marriages) and how to initiate a worship-style dialogue at their Friday night Shabbat dinner table.

Please know that not all of us have offices that look like Wall Street. Mine is covered with photos of families I have worked with, pictures of places that my incredible job has taken me to, and is an environment that helps me remember that I am here to serve people, and not the other way around.

Perhaps if synagogues began acting the same way- more families would walk in the doors, rather than out.

With the most profound respect for your thoughts,

Cantor Debbi Ballard

 

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

Filed Under: Judaism, Thoughts Tagged With: Bar Mitzvah, Bat Mitzvah, Celebrations, Jewish, Lifecycles, Religion, unaffiliated, worship

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