Alexa Shurman (left) reads during her
bat mitzvah.

Courtesy of Julie Shurman
From Building an Ark to Vacc ine Awareness :
B’nai Mitzvah Plans Get Creative
SOPHIE PANZER | JE STAFF
A lexa Shurman realized in March 2020 that
her bat mitzvah was not going to be the way
she imagined.

Th e Main Line Reform Temple congregant had
her date set for May 2, 2020, but the pandemic threw
her family’s plans into question. Would anyone still
attend? Would the rabbi be able to help? How could
the ceremony take place outside the synagogue?
Aft er much discussion with vendors, family and
clergy, Alexa held her ceremony under a balloon arch
on her porch with a handful of close family members
spread out on the lawn. Th e rabbi assisted her while
adhering to mask and distance precautions, and the
cantor sang on Zoom.

Although Alexa was disappointed that she
wouldn’t get to have a big celebration, she felt better
4 MARCH 25, 2021
when she realized all her peers were having the same
experience. She also felt happy to have one of the fi rst
pandemic bat mitzvahs among her friends so that she
got the uncertainty over with.

Alexa is one of many Jewish teenagers whose
b’nai mitzvah plans were radically altered by the
pandemic. Even in the midst of uncertainty, they
are fi nding ways to make months of studying and
preparation pay off with small ceremonies, virtual
interactions with friends and meaningful mitzvah
projects. By fall, people were more used to the idea of
having smaller celebrations with family and friends
Zoomed in.

Elliott Bronner and his family knew he wanted to
stick to his original date of Nov. 28, 2020, even if the
MAZEL TOV!
celebration looked diff erent.

“From the very beginning we felt very strongly
that you turn 13, when you turn 13. So that’s when
your bar mitzvah is,” mother Jill Bronner said.

Th e Bronners had the ceremony at their house
with Elliott’s paternal grandparents and aunt and
uncle present aft er everyone tested negative for
COVID-19. Th e rest of his family attended virtually.

Elliott built an ark in his dining room by
removing the shelves from a cabinet and using a
quilt for a curtain. Th e Torah was borrowed from
his synagogue, Beth David Reform Congregation in
Gladwyne, and the rabbi and cantor off ered assis-
tance via Zoom.

Elliott was excited to see his close family aft er
months in isolation and enjoyed his ceremony.

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