Celebrations 2024

Celebrations 2024

Jewish Rhode Island’s guide to all of your special events.

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The Voice of Greater Rhode Island’s Jewish Community

Welcome to the 2024 Celebrations Guide

Jewish Rhode Island’s guide to all of your special events.

Weall have reasons to celebrate – from birthdays and weddings to anniversaries and graduations, along with Bar and Bat Mitzvahs and everything in between – events in our lives that bring us together to create some of our fondest memories.

Many celebrations were muted or disrupted by COVID-19 of course. We saw it in our own Celebrations Guide, which we first published in May 2020 as the world was shutting down. In fact, we suspended publication of this Guide in 2021 because we weren’t doing a lot of our normal celebrating – at least with others.

But vaccines and boosters have allowed us to relax and we are enjoying in person celebrations again. The event industry is rebounding. Party supplies are selling fast. Planners, photographers, caterers and other vendors are busier than ever.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for meeting, convention and event planners is projected to grow 18% from 2021 to 2031, much faster than average for all occupations. Of course, there have been local weddings and Bar and Bat Mitzvahs for

as long as people have lived in Rhode Island. But this is only our fourth Celebrations Guide. We have told you the stories of some of the people who postponed their celebrations because of COVID. And we’ve looked back on some of the memorable celebrations large and small in our community. This year we are giving you some tips and interesting stories about people in the celebrations industry.

Many thanks to our advertisers who are such a big part of helping our community make great memories. Please remember to support them for helping make this guide possible!

For everyone celebrating a wedding, Bar or Bat Mitzvah, anniversary birthday or any other simcha, we wish you a mazel tov! Please share your photos with us. Our celebrations are such a vital part of the fabric of our community. We might publish your celebration in Jewish Rhode Island, on our website, or even in next year’s guide.

FRAN OSTENDORF Editor

You don't need to break the bank for a show stopping wedding cake

BY SETH CHITWOOD

When planning a wedding, expenses add up quickly, as every bride and groom knows. But a new trend, called fake, faux or dummy cakes, can significantly reduce the cost of a dazzling, eye-catching centerpiece for your big event.

At the Cake Smith Gallery, in New Bedford, owner Chris Furtado-Ambar understands that most couples want a show-stopping cake, but the expense is often an obstacle, which is why he specializes in beautiful, affordable faux cakes that are available for rent or purchase.

For Furtado-Ambar, it’s about creating lasting and inspirational memories for the couple. The cake is more than just a dessert; it’s a centerpiece, a statement piece and a reflection of the couple’s love and commitment, he says.

Inside his shop, at 345 Union St., guests are greeted with old-world charm, complete with moody colors and upscale decor.

“I want the couple to feel important and special, and to have a cake-tasting that they will remember for years to come,” Furtado-Ambar says.

The gallery offers a variety of faux cakes, each meticulously decorated and designed to look just like the real thing. To achieve the look of a real cake, Furtado-Ambar uses Styrofoam tiers covered with frosting-like spackle. For those seeking a one-of-a-kind design, he also offers custom-made faux cakes that will never be duplicated.

The stunning, elegant cakes cost a fraction of a traditional wedding cake – and you can still have a cake-cutting moment: Furtado-Ambar offers

PHOTOS | CAKE SMITH GALLERY

the option of placing a real cake on top for the couple to cut into.

Or you can opt for a gorgeous cake strictly for show and then serve guests slices from a sheet cake, or cupcakes.

“My goal is to cut costs in half, so that the couple can still have a stunning and memorable cake without breaking the bank,” Furtado-Ambar says. “I really want people to have an amazing experience where they can actually go back and talk about it with their friends and family.”

While the concept of faux cakes may have initially confused some customers, Furtado-Ambar has seen a significant increase in popularity this year, tripling his bookings.

In fact, according to Brides.com, the “Dummy Cake” has become a major trend, and most wedding guests don’t even notice that the cake is for show.

Faux cakes have other advantages too, Tiffany MacIsaac, owner of Buttercream Bakeshop, said in an article at Brides.com.

“Not only does it help with stability in difficult climates with high heat or humidity, but it also allows for the slices of cake being served from a sheet cake to be uniformly sized,” she said.

Furtado-Ambar’s faux cakes are not limited to weddings. Cake Smith Gallery has also become popular for events such as special wedding anniversaries and birthdays.

“It’s starting to become a trend now where people want to celebrate every milestone with a show-stopping cake,” Furtado-Ambar said.

SETH CHITWOOD (www.sethchitwood.com), of Barrington, is a features reporter for The Standard-Times, in New Bedford. He is also the creative director of the award-winning Angelwood Pictures production company.

Ideas for celebrations both big and small

BY SARAH GREENLEAF

Not every celebration is a wedding! In the wake of the pandemic, people are looking for more ways to gather with family and friends, create memories and have fun.

We’ve put together some ideas for your next get-together, based on trends on social media. Choose what works for you and your guests and get back to having in-person fun!

1Craft nights If you want to get artistically-inclined friends together, try a craft night. Charm bracelet/necklace-making parties are all over Instagram, and you can get all the supplies you need at a craft store. Pick up small pliers, a variety of chains and claw closures, and charms, of course.

Another popular idea is to host a paint party –with a twist. Pick up tote bags, T-shirts and/or baseball caps, paints and brushes, and let your creativity flow. For an extra challenge, create a still-life display with flowers, fruit, etc. for the painters to copy.

2Dinner parties for two

Not everyone is up to hosting a dozen people in their home for dinner, but @fresh. erica on Instagram has a fun and intimate option – a dinner party for two. Invite a friend over for a nice dinner with all the courses – start with a cocktail and appetizer and end with dessert. This is a great way to connect, or reconnect, with a friend, and it allows you to flex your hosting

muscles without being overwhelmed. You can even create theme nights around food: Italian, Greek, etc., or pick a color and orient your dishes and décor around that. The stakes are low, so feel free to experiment.

3Cookbook

club If you are looking for more frequent gatherings, try a cookbook club, like @hostinyourhome suggests. Each month, a different person hosts, a cookbook is chosen and everyone cooks something from the book. This helps divide the labor, gives everyone a chance to contribute and gets people out of their cooking ruts.

4Movie

nights Movie nights are partly about snacks – sweet, salty, sour. Popcorn is a must, chicken wings are popular, and Sour Patch Kids are almost always winners – but let your imagination run wild.

Choose a movie in advance, or let the crowd decide what to stream. There are plenty of influencers on Instagram and TikTok who exclusively recommend movies, including @ghoulgirlelle, who suggests thrillers, movies that feel like summer, films with plot twists and more.

5Appetizer competition

From @foodisyourbudi, each person/couple chooses a country and

makes an appetizer from that country. The cooks are encouraged to perform a skit, ideally in costume, and then serve the appetizer. @ foodisyourbudi has full details.

6

. Coffee shop at home

If morning events are more your speed, but the idea of hosting a full brunch seems exhausting, try out a coffee shop theme. If you have an espresso machine, great, but even the addition of a milk frother and some flavored syrups will do. If you are hosting in the summer, consider an iced-coffee and iced-tea bar. Make (or buy!) your favorite pastries, or assign friends to bring different options.

A coffee-shop theme makes a cute birthday celebration, like @cristinaviseu has put together, and is also a great option for a bridal or baby shower, book club meeting, or just a nice morning.

7Refresh your dinner parties

If you are the kind of intrepid host who really wants to do up a dinner party with all the trimmings, check out @hauste, run by two sisters, where you’ll find tips on tablescapes and florals, and multiple videos to take you through the hosting process. Whether you are looking to get started hosting, get back into it after years away, or are a seasoned pro looking for some inspiration, these are all great ways to celebrate occasions big and small.

SARAH GREENLEAF (sgreenleaf@jewishallianceri.org) is the digital marketing specialist for the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island and writes for Jewish Rhode Island.

PHOTO | GLENN OSMUNDSON

Tunes that will get your guests up and dancing

BY SETH CHITWOOD

When planning an event and working with DJs or a band, one of the most important tasks is choosing the right songs to keep the crowd energized and entertained. With a vast selection of music to choose from, it can be overwhelming to determine which ones will be a hit at your event.

Luckily for you, Celebrations has polled local DJs, including South Coast Entertainment, DJ Petor, DJ Beth Ann and Creative Events, for tunes that work well in getting a crowd up and dancing. The newest songs they suggested are Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You,” Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk” and The Weeknd’s “I Can’t Feel My Face.”

Other popular modern songs that are sure to get people on the dance floor include Justin Bieber’s “Sorry,” Walk the Moon’s “Shut Up and Dance” and Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling.”

For a mix of contemporary and older songs, consider adding Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass,” Hosier’s “Take Me to Church” and

The Chainsmokers’ “Closer,” featuring Halsey, to your playlist.

While it’s important to incorporate popular songs, don’t forget about the classics, which can draw in older generations. Songs like Chubby Checker’s “The Twist,” The Weather Girls’ “It’s Raining Men” and Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” are timeless and will get people of all ages on their feet.

For Jewish-themed music, there are also plenty of songs to choose from beyond “Hava Nagila.”

Here are five Jewish songs and suggested artists to consider for your playlist:

“Siman Tov U’Mazal Tov”

Suggested Artist: Shanee Smachot

This song is often sung as a blessing for the bride and groom, and its lively tune and lyrics encourage dancing and celebration.

“Hine Ma Tov”

Suggested Artist: James Wilson

This song has a catchy rhythm and upbeat lyrics that foster a sense of community.

“Od Yishama”

Suggested Artist: Elliot Dvorin-Key Tov Orchestra

This energetic song is popular at Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, with its lively beats and lyrics that convey happiness and excitement.

“Lecha Dodi”

Suggested Artist: Josh Washawsky

This joyous and soulful song is often sung at Friday night Shabbat services, and its lively melody and lyrics create a sense of celebration.

“Jerusalem of Gold”

Suggested Artist: Elihana Elia

This iconic song is beloved for its powerful and emotional lyrics, and its melody is often accompanied by traditional Israeli dances, making it a staple at Jewish events and celebrations.

SETH CHITWOOD (www.sethchitwood.com), of Barrington, is a features reporter for The Standard-Times, in New Bedford. He is also the creative director of the award-winning Angelwood Pictures production company.

Tips for keeping young children and their parents happy and engaged at events, services

BY SETH CHITWOOD

In her role as director of Youth Education and Engagement at Temple Emanu-El, in Providence, Rachel Cohn has seen firsthand the challenges of keeping young children entertained at Jewish ceremonies and events.

From weddings and B’nai Mitzvah to baby namings and Shabbat services, it can be a struggle to keep little ones engaged and quiet in a formal setting.

But Cohn has found some creative ways to occupy tots, and to keep them involved in the ceremony as well.

Here are five tips to consider when planning your next event with little guests:

1Have a designated quiet space

Cohn says to create a “Shalom Space,” either inside the sanctuary or just outside it, where

children can take a break if they become squirmy or noisy. This space could include things such as noise-canceling headphones, stuffed animals, and quiet activities such as coloring books.

In addition, Cohn emphasizes the importance of having designated spaces for families, such as nursing and changing areas. It can be stressful for newcomers to a synagogue to figure out where these spaces are, so highlighting them for parents can help put their minds at ease.

2Engage children during services

Cohn suggests creating a “bingo sheet” of different symbols or items in the room that kids can look for. This will help them stay quiet, as well as engage with the ceremony.

David J. Perolman, education director and songleader at Temple Habonim, in Barrington, says

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that including children in more services makes them feel that Judaism has something for them, not just for their parents, and helps cultivate the next generation of Jews. At Habonim, they use shaker eggs, fidget toys, tambourines and other instruments during family/grade-level services to help keep children engaged.

3Talk about your expectations in advance

Cohn suggests setting expectations for both children and adults who will attend the event. It’s important to communicate to children that they are welcome, while also reminding adults that some noise is to be expected, and to be understanding and patient with the little ones.

4Incorporate a side service for children only

If a lot of children are attending, Cohn suggests having a separate family program midway through the event, such as a snack and a quiet, kid-friendly activity, to give everyone a break.

5 Use social media to help in unfamiliar areas

Cohn suggests seeking recommendations for trusted babysitters or other resources to help manage the children, while also allowing them to participate in the event. Hiring someone specifically to watch the kids can take some of the pressure off parents and allow them to more fully enjoy the event.

SETH CHITWOOD (www.sethchitwood.com), of Barrington, is a features reporter for The Standard-Times, in New Bedford. He is also the creative director of the award-winning Angelwood Pictures production company.

5 Tips to Enhance Your Wedding Decor

Family Features – Wedding days are meant to be filled with love and celebration, and what better way to ring in the new stage of life as newlyweds than with a well-decorated venue to match the joyous occasion. Whether a couple is on a tight budget or picky when it comes to theme ideas, these decorating tips can help add more flair for the big day.

Use a natural venue.

Many couples choose wedding venues that require immense amounts of decorations, but a venue with organic scenery or a beautiful view can help alleviate the stress. Consider having the ceremony near a garden or beach with enough natural surroundings to keep guests in awe.

Make the cake a centerpiece.

Wedding cakes are almost guaranteed to be filled with flavor, but they can also serve as a decorative centerpiece for the reception. Choosing a cake topped with flowers, highlighting bright colors and placing it in a prominent spot at the reception can grab guests’ attention while also keeping them eager for a bite.

Choose table accessories that pop.

Leave guests in amazement as they make their way to their seats for the reception with

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beautifully decorated tables. Table accessories can be anything ranging from patterned table runners to flowers in full-bloom placed in simple, elegant vases. If you are not having a formal sit-down reception, try using paper lanterns or hanging flowers from the ceiling to create an eye-catching atmosphere to remember.

Add classic lighting.

At times, finding the right lighting to match the mood of a wedding venue can be tricky. In this case, less may actually be more. Try opting for a classic candlelit ceremony or reception to create a more romantic setting. This can save both money

and countless hours spent attempting to configure elaborate light fixtures, and also provide a timeless feel.

Place engagement photos around the venue.

With any wedding, you want the day to feel personal and intimate for the couple and guests alike. Consider decorating the venue with engagement photos of the soon-to-be spouses as they popped the question. This can allow the newlyweds to reminisce while guests view those cherished moments and revel in the occasion.

War amps up Israel's passion for matchmaking

BY DEBORAH DANAN

(JTA) – Katie Silver had already mastered volunteering and racing to safe rooms when she hopped on another Israeli wartime trend. Silver, a Pilates instructor in Jerusalem, logged onto a Facebook group called Secret Tel Aviv and announced that she was looking for love.

Like many single 30-somethings, Silver had tried dating apps but felt burned out. But she saw something different in what was happening in the Secret Tel Aviv group, where diverse residents of Israel’s hippest city – and, increasingly, others from elsewhere in the country – were furiously posting their personal details and romantic ambitions. In the flood of beach photos and biographies, she detected a national mood that matched her own.

“There’s a sense of urgency of creating togetherness, family, community and bringing more good people into the world with good values … not to let evil win out,” Silver told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “To celebrate life and have joy and simcha and weddings and bar mitzvahs and of course to make more Jewish babies so the population numbers can go back up.”

She added, “Plus, I want to get married before a rocket lands on my head.”

According to Secret Tel Aviv’s administrator,

Jonny Stark, the matchmaking trend began in the first weeks of the war amid daily rocket fire, with posts from people seeking to find “the one to run to the bomb shelter with.” Those soon morphed into more general personal ads, which peaked in December but have continued since, increasingly with humorous twists on the theme.

Stark provided JTA with graphs showing a dramatic increase in engagement and comments as hundreds of posts seeking partners poured into the group. Posters include new members like Liat Admati MacKie from Beeri, one of the “envelope” communities near Gaza that was hardest hit on Oct. 7, and veteran members like Ben Raul Maizel, whose humorous post racked up more than 4,000 likes. Maizel’s post reads: “I want to take my girlfriend to a B&B in the north. Can anyone recommend a girlfriend?”

Stark said that during past times of conflict, similar trends have emerged in his group – but never on such a scale.

“People are looking for connection,” he said. “I’m super happy about it. The goal of Secret Tel Aviv is to help people connect, and this is a great example of it happening.”

The Facebook group is hardly the only example

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of wartime matchmaking on overdrive. In the days after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, as soldiers massed on the border with Gaza, pictures of soldiers flexing their “miluim mustaches” – using the Hebrew word for reserve duty – punctured the somber mood. Some noted that they were single and would be available once they were released from duty.

Just a few days into the ground war, an Orthodox influencer who had been called up posted that his unit received, among the letters of support from people at home and abroad, a note from a young woman who was looking for love.

The woman shared that Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, an influential Hasidic rabbi from the early 19th century, taught that wars “are about moving people around so that single people can find each other.” The message may be apocryphal, but it left a mark on the unit and later that night, they tried to connect the woman with a friend in the army, Arky Staiman said on Instagram.

“It didn’t end up working out but the message was very interesting,” Staiman said, before issuing a charge to his followers to each identify three people to set up after the war. “There are girls and guys, single people, who are alone right now alone in Israel, alone throughout the world. It’s probably very scary. And I think that this is a perfect opportunity to try and set them up.”

Actress Maya Wertheimer, one of Israel’s most widely followed social media influencers, has peppered her accounts with singles ads since the beginning of the war. She has used her Instagram platform to showcase soldiers who are looking for love, sharing their basic details along with pictures of the men in and out of uniform – often submitted by their sisters and friends.

Other influencers, including the American-Israelis Kerry Bar-Cohn, a dancer with almost 30,000 Instagram followers, and Aleeza Ben Shalom, the celebrity matchmaker, have sought to highlight soldiers who are single, as well as comfort the lovelorn.

“These guys, our soldiers, who are out there and they are fighting – a lot of them are single. And when they come back, we’ve got male and female soldiers and they are looking for soulmates,” Ben Shalom told her followers in December. “So if you

are looking for your soulmate, it just might be a soldier, so hang in there, they are going to take care of everything and then they’re going to come back and marry you.”

And in New York City, an Orthodox synagogue launched a matchmaking initiative in response to the war in November. Hundreds of people signed up within days, and at least a few relationships have started there, according to its organizers.

“Everyone’s trying to figure out what to do from here,” Avital Chizhik-Goldschmidt, the congregation’s co-founder and rebbetzin, told the New York Jewish Week at the time. “I felt very much that the best way to respond to darkness and death is to bring in more light and more love and to bring people joy. Traditionally, that is the Jewish response to catastrophe.”

Stark understands the impulse to find a partner well. One of the reasons he founded Secret Tel Aviv – where anything from parking places (or the lack thereof) to the best ramen in the city is discussed – was to find a partner. He ultimately found one elsewhere and now has two children –but his group has taken on a life of its own since its launch in 2010. It has exploded to nearly half a million members – exceeding the size of Tel Aviv’s entire population – and at one point even counted Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg among them. The potential for pairing up is huge.

Stark said he knows about at least three couples who met and married through posts on Secret Tel Aviv. He added that it was too early to tell if this round of posts had yet had the desired effect. But he is trying to stack the deck in their favor: Secret Tel Aviv has partnered with DateNight, a platform that hosts online speed dating nights, and recently attracted more than 150 people to one event.

Members of the Facebook group have reported wide-ranging experiences. Noa Salant, 40, told JTA that she had gotten direct messages only from “some perverts and a married man.” Shlomit Pery, 65, said she had been bombarded with responses to her post, one of the most-liked in the group – but mostly from people who said they were impressed that she had the courage to put herself out there at her age.

In a Hebrew-language post, Silver, a Pilates instructor who immigrated to Jerusalem from London in 2012, included a brief biography and

several photos of herself. She opened the post by quipping that she wasn’t having much luck finding love in Israel’s capital “because apparently everyone in Jerusalem is married with kids.” She clarified that she was only searching for a serious relationship before ending the post with another quip: “I hope you all find ‘the one’ so that this group can return to being a place to advertise apartments instead of ourselves.”

She said she was so overwhelmed with offers of dates that she had to turn off her phone – and when she finally went on a few, she didn’t find a lasting match.

“It hasn’t led to love – yet – but it’s been eye opening,” Silver said about her experience. “It’s also allowed me to be much more honest about what I’m looking for. It removed the stigma. You’re no longer too proud or too embarrassed to put yourself out there because you sort of see that we’re all in the same boat, looking for love.”

Some group members have lambasted the trend, charging that it distracts from the original purpose of Secret Tel Aviv or is even a catfishing effort by Hamas to collect information about Israelis.

But others say simply watching the posts unfold has kept them connected to others at a challenging time. Limor Stika, who did not put up a post herself but who commented on several others’, said it made sense that the war was bringing the trend to the fore.

“In times of crisis and wars, people want support and love, comfort,” Stika said. “Someone to hug and vent to.”

With more soldiers returning to their daily lives after being released from reserve duty every day, Wertheimer has intensified the pace of her postings – and even floated the idea of a live dating event for older adults.

Recently, she posted news of a success story. “I must tell you that because of you I got to know my partner of the last three months,” read a note she posted on Friday. “I thank you very much. There’s no doubt that he is the best match for me in the world.”

The note came with five heart emojis and a comment from Wertheimer: “Yalla, friends, we’ve waited long enough!”

It's important to choose the right Photographer

BY JEWISH RHODE ISLAND STAFF

It’s time to think about making a visual record of your special occasion. If you are looking for a photographer for your special day, make sure you find someone who you get along with and who loves what they do. Creativity is important. So is vision. Don’t forget technical skills.

Sounds simple, right? Not always.

Here are some tips from Nicole Gesmondi of Nicole Gesmondi Photographer, LLC, to help make your choices a little easier.

1: Make sure you meet the photographer who will photograph your special occasion. Some photo businesses have more than one photographer or use contract photographers. Know who you will be working with.

2: Ask them how they approach their photography.

Gesmondi writes in her blog, “While there’s not a right or wrong answer here, their answer will

give you insight into their process and creativity. Do they work strictly off a shot list and have a predetermined idea of how they pose couples? That doesn’t leave much room for connection and spontaneity.”

3: Examine their portfolio.

Go beyond the website and examine a selection of photos from an occasion, Gesmondi suggests. She points out there should be variety.

4: Read reviews.

Testimonials will give you an idea of how the photographer works and whether the clients are happy.

5: Listen to your gut.

You often know if someone feels right. Gesmondi suggests that if the photographer stops feeling like a vendor and starts feeling like a friend, you have the right fit.

6: Take them for a test drive.

If you are hiring a wedding photographer, Gesmondi suggests asking the photographer to shoot your engagement photos.

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