Re: Barmitzvah

[Matthew H. Fields <fields...>]

In article <4emn8u$8hh (at) soap(dot)news(dot)pipex(dot)net>,
Malcolm Woolfe <m(dot)woolfe (at) auntie(dot)bbcnc(dot)org(dot)uk> wrote:
>This would seem to be the only relevant 'newsgroup' for my problem !!
>
>I have been invited to attend a Barmitzvah outside New York. It is not an 
>Orthodox function, perhaps even Progressive. But ???? it does not take place 
>in a Temple, but in the hour prior to the 'cocktail hour' in an ??? INN.
>
>Whilst not orthodox myself, this does seem unusual by UK standards. Whilst 
>not wishing to offend the family, it does not seem strictly KOSHER to me.
>Am I out of touch with US approach to this important day in the life of the
>boy/young man.
>
>Thanks in anticipation for any help.
>
>
>                       Malcolm Woolfe......


1) The temple may be in use for community events, while the inn can be
rented for private family events.

2) Depending on the size of the mishpacha, it may be too big for the
local schul.

3) Many inns have a separate kashrut-abiding kitchen just for events
like these.

4) Often Bar Mitzvah in the US is a 2-stage event, the torah reading
taking place at a shul, followed by a party thrown by the parents as a
Jewish substitute for a debutante ball.  The more kosher folks
sometimes arrange to get called for a parsha and skip the 2nd stage,
if they're close enough to the family...

5) Of course "knesset" is assembly, and takes place wherever it can.
As a child, I attended services in a public high school auditorium
(i.e. the auditorium of the local free state-operated pre-college
primarily for 14- to 18-year-olds---I understand "public school" means
something else in the UK).  So they may well cleanse and dedicate a
room in an inn for a night, if there's a need.

HTH