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B’nai Mitzvah On the Beach

If you’re interested in booking a destination b’nai mitzvah for your child and are on the hunt for the ideal location, then St. Thomas could be calling your name. With non-stop daily flights and no U.S. passports required for travel, the Caribbean island offers your family and guests the ultimate chance to partake in your child’s special day while spending the weekend vacationing in style.

A Specialist Helps

While planning her daughter Danielle’s bat mitzvah, New Rochelle mom Holli Silver knew she wanted to plan something unique for her daughter and discovered the Hebrew Congregation of St. Thomas through bar mitzvah vacation specialist Ellen Pederson (barmitzvahvacations.com). Pederson has planned more than 100 destination mitzvah celebrations for families to a variety of scenic and historic locations including Costa Rica, Italy, Alaska, Prague, the Caribbean and Mexico.

Pederson knew that the St. Thomas Synagogue would be the perfect place for the Silvers to celebrate in an unforgettable setting. “They wanted to have the bat mitzvah in a synagogue that had Jewish history and the St.Thomas temple is one of the oldest synagogues,” says Pederson. Located at the top of Synagogue Hill, in the heart of downtown Charlotte Amalie, the majestic Hebrew Congregation of St. Thomas is one of the oldest synagogues in continuous use under the American flag in the Caribbean.

Once Silver reserved the bat mitzvah date, Pederson connected her with the coordinator at the synagogue and the process was pretty seamless. The Rabbi and Cantor at the St. Thomas Synagogue were both available to officiate during the ceremony and Silver introduced her daughter’s tutor to both of them so they would all be on the same page on the day of Danielle’s bat mitzvah. The temple coordinator also provided Silver with access to local photographers and videographers to capture the day.

Focus

When they arrived in St. Thomas, the family visited the synagogue for a run through and as their travel agent expected, they were instantly taken in by the location. The floor of the congregation is made of sand so there’s no need for heels, suits or ties. “Everybody wore flats,” Silver says, explaining that she wanted to keep the celebration a laid back and intimate experience for her daughter. Silver’s immediate family were able to participate in the service and the memories made on the trip were truly unforgettable.

While many b’nai mitzvah students get caught up in the party planning aspect of their day, Silver says her daughter was more interested in her bat mitzvah ceremony and wanted to share that special moment with her immediate family. Instead of dealing with invitations and stressing out over centerpieces, Silver says that her daughter appreciated the intimate ceremony at the synagogue, “The kids loved it and everybody was happy to be there,” she says. What makes the experience truly unforgettable is that while the ceremony is steeped in tradition and spirituality, with St. Thomas as a backdrop, the setting is truly spectacular.

Other Options

If you are traveling with a larger group, you can turn your celebration into a resort vacation. Located just 15 minutes away by ferry or taxi is the Frenchman’s Reef and Morning Star Marriott Beach Resort (marriott.com/hotels/travel/sttfrfrenchmans-reef-and-morning-star-marriottbeach-resort/). The resort offers both private ballroom space and outdoor spaces where your guests can dance the night away under the stars overlooking the ocean. In fact, one of the spaces at the Marriott Resort was transformed from a 19th Century fort into an outdoor event space with water views from every corner.

Bar mitzvah travel specialist Ellen Pederson says she’s planned many bar and bat mitzvahs in St. Thomas and most families have stayed at the Marriott. Another option she says is to include a stop in St. Thomas while on a Caribbean cruise. “Many families cruise to St. Thomas and we arrange for them to get off the cruise for the day and have their service at the temple,” she says.

The great part about a Caribbean b’nai mitzvah is that the party doesn’t end once the affair is over. In fact, sometimes, that’s when the fun begins! From snorkeling with sea turtles or night kayaking to the opportunity to go sunset cruising or enjoying a relaxing day at the pool or beach, there truly is something for everyone to do once during a mitzvah vacation.

For Holli Silver and her family, their four-day bat mitzvah getaway to St. Thomas was exactly what they had hoped for. “Danielle did an amazing job on the bimah and I was so grateful that my family could be there to experience this incredible moment together,” she says. After the ceremony, the family celebrated at a local restaurant and spent the rest of their time relaxing at the beach. While a Caribbean bat mitzvah might be a bit off the beaten path for some, the Hebrew Congregation of St. Thomas enables families to make a spiritual connection in a place where the sun is always shining and the views are truly out of this world.

Beth Feldman is a writer and mom and frequent contributor to Westchester Family.

To find out more about booking a destination b’nai mitzvah, check out these helpful links below.

ELLEN PEDERSON barmitzvahvacations.com // 508-238-4088

THE HEBREW CONGREGATION OF ST. THOMAS SYNAGOGUE synagogue.vi // 340-774-4312 // info@synagogue.vi

FRENCHMAN’S REEF AND MORNING STAR BEACH MARRIOTT RESORTmarriott.com/hotels/travel/ sttfr-frenchmans-reef-and-morning-star-marriott-beach-resort