13 Tips To Trim The Bar Mitzvah Budget

The Coming of Age Ceremony in the Recession

By Elicia Brown

Though it's years away, I'm already dreading my daughter's bat mitzvah. Oh, I'm sure she'll dazzle us all, expertly reciting her Torah portion as she marks the occasion when she (symbolically) enters the world of Jewish adults. It's not the synagogue part that has me worried. It's the hours afterward — and, most especially, the hefty price tag typically attached to those hours.

Of course, in this climate of job loss and diminished savings, many families can't — or won't — celebrate in the lavish manner of years past. And take heart: As I've been relieved to learn, if you're willing to think beyond the conventional, formulaic parties, you can easily adhere to a tight budget without reining in the festivities.