the Bar Mitzvah party… from heaven

What happened when a wider Jewish family were exposed to the gospel … under false pretences!

It was April 1995. Our eldest, Philip, had just turned 13 and we decided to organise a Bar Mitzvah for him. Because of our beliefs, it was never going to be a traditional Jewish one with a daunting synagogue service. We opted for a simple Messianic ceremony at a smallish hall, with a cold buffet, but still with a disco and a live band. We also had an army of guests/helpers to ensure the smooth running of it all and to keep the costs down. We honestly expected many to make excuses and stay away as, by then, it was common knowledge in our family that my mother and sister and I had ‘gone off’! We reasoned that although all were coming because of politeness and common courtesy, some were coming out of curiosity, but many would be reluctant guests.