☜ SEARCHING FOR AN ☞
Adventure Aquarium
PHOTOS PROVIDED
Unusual BAR AND BAT MITZVAH PARTY
VENUE? CONSIDER THESE CHOICES
KEVIN WALKER | JE FEATURE
B AR OR BAT MITZVAH ranks among the most
traditional of all Jewish events — for good reason.

Strip away all the fun party details and glitz, and
a Bar or Bat Mitzvah is meant to mark the transi-
tion of a boy or girl into the full responsibility of being a mem-
ber of the Jewish community.

It’s an event backed by centuries of tradition, but that doesn’t
mean the celebration aft erward has to be that traditional.

In recent years, many parents planning parties for their son
or daughter have moved away from the traditional trappings,
such as country club luncheons. Event planners in the Philadel-
phia area have, of course, seen the trend and made the moves to
accommodate it.

“Th ey’re not so much off the beaten path,” Stacey Kesselman,
owner of Exceptional Events, said of the Bar and Bat Mitzvah
venue choices in modern times. “Th ey are just diff erent venues
outside of a country club or hotel.”
30 OCTOBER 26, 2017
SPORTS AND CENTRIFUGES
Kesselman, who also coordinates weddings through her busi-
ness, has years of experience planning Jewish ceremonies and
events. Th ose include Bar and Bat Mitzvah celebrations in un-
usual places.

In October, she planned a party for a soccer fan at Talen Ener-
gy Stadium, home of Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union.

Th e event included decorations with the colors of the team and
other soccer-related items, such as place cards and water bottles.

Th ey also had soccer jerseys as a giveaway gift for party guests.

Kesselman said she has held parties at the Wells Fargo Cen-
ter, home of the 76ers and the Flyers. But it was the 76ers that
were the focus of one particular Bar Mitzvah, where everyone
attended a 76ers game fi rst and then stayed aft er for the party.

While the stadiums are fun, Kesselman said among the most
unique places she has coordinated a Bar Mitzvah was at Th e
Fuge. “Th e Fuge,” she said, “is very cool.”
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“YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER, THE PARTY GUESTS ARE
MOSTLY CHILDREN, YOU WANT TO THINK ABOUT
CONVENIENCE FOR THEM AND THEIR PARENTS.”
So what is it? Located in Warminster, The Fuge is a complete-
ly round facility with 12,000 feet of space. It houses the world’s
first and largest centrifuge, according to The Fuge website.

Kesselman said in addition to the unique space, The Fuge
offers two large movie screens that can show a live feed of the
party or a montage of videos
and photos. The facility also
has a staff of chefs and caterers
to handle all the food needs.

former train station at the Atwater Kent Radio Factory. The
building has more than 60,000 square feet of space for events, as
well as plenty of art, antiques and architectural elements from
around the globe on display. Food is prepared for each event
using local, seasonable and sustainable ingredients by Baba Ol-
ga’s Kitchen. It’s all overseen by
Chef Aliza Green, a member of
the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Cu-
linary Hall of Fame.

UNIQUE VENUES
The Philadelphia area boasts
many such facilities for a dif-
ferent kind of Bar or Bat Mitz-
vah venue, including some of
the following.

Lincoln Financial Field.

The home of the Eagles and a
venue for big concerts also can
Battleship NewJersey
PHOTOS PROVIDED
host a party. The stadium is
able to host parties as small as
a half dozen or as big as 5,000.

The stadium uses Aramark Ca-
tering for events.

Fels Planetarium at the
Franklin Institute. This is a
cool place to visit at any time,
but it especially shines for big
events. The ceiling can display
lights, stars, a full moon or any
images you can think of. Much
like The Fuge, this is a unique
space. Battleship New Jersey. Got
a kid with a thing for ships, the
sea and history? The Battleship
New Jersey is open for tours,
and also rents out space for
specials events such as a Bar
or Bat Mitzvah. For those who
choose to hold their party on
the main deck, the Philadelphia skyline and the Camden Wa-
terfront provide a spectacular view. The ship has 11 different
venues that can handle groups as small as 15 and as big as 3,000.

The venues include the Officer’s Wardrobe, the Crew Mess, the
Captain’s Cabin, the Admiral’s Cabin and the Main Deck.

Adventure Aquarium. Located near the Camden Water-
front, the aquarium houses more than 8,500 aquatic animals
and holds more than 2 million gallons of water. How’s that for
unique? Adventure Aquarium rents out space for corporate
events, birthday parties and Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. The aquari-
um provides chefs to make food exclusive to the party, including
entrees and desserts from Mexico, Italy, Asia and France.

Material Culture. This art, antiques and hand crafts empo-
rium is located near Fernhill Park north of downtown in the
ANOTHER CHOICE
Prices vary for any of the above
venues and in different seasons.

They also can change based on
the size of the party.

Still, some parents might
not want to tackle the price or
the level of planning needed to
use a large event facility. Karen
Pecora of Philadelphia Event
Planners said she often will
discuss with parents options
for how to decorate for a par-
ty that can turn more conven-
tional spaces into a themed Bar
or Bat Mitzvah.

“You have to remember, the
party guests are mostly chil-
dren,” Pecora said. “You want
to think about convenience for
them and their parents.”
Parents often feel more
comfortable attending Bar or
Bat Mitzvahs at more tradi-
tional locations, such as coun-
try clubs or hotels, she said.

That said, “They are used to
Lincoln Financial FIeld
going to the same country club
PHOTOS PROVIDED
again and again,” Pecora said.

A solution for those who
want something different but
don’t want to rent out a large venue is to invest in decorating the
space uniquely for a specific theme. Pecora said for some Bar
or Bat Mitzvahs she will “strip it down” within the venue and
completely redecorate. “You can turn any space into anything
you want [such as] a ski lodge, for example,” she said.

She’s also turned traditional venues into mini-football fields
or baseball fields for sports-loving fans.

Whether renting a unique venue or decorating a traditional
one with a different look, Pecora said one piece of advice applies
to all: People almost always need more space than they think.

Pecora said she nearly always recommends a larger space once
parents give her their idea of what they need.

“Bigger is always better,” Pecora said. She then added, laugh-
ing, “You can quote me on that.” l
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OCTOBER 26, 2017
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