Oy Vey.........Vegas Style NY Bar/Bat Mitzvahs

I never realized the term "Can you top this?" applied to Bar Mitzvahs  as well.  Have they gone to far?  Is it a joke already ?   I had a relatively small one at the Concourse Plaza Hotel in the Bronx.  My daughters never had that opportunity as I was divorced during that period and my ex-wife had remarried a Hitler style idiot who not only did not make one, but saw to it that my daughters were not even able to see me for many years.  Oh well, that is another story for another time.  Later on, I had a son with another wife and he never had one for a various of reasons that will also be for another day.
     These used to be events for the kids with religious meaning and a party after. Not a major thing, but always for family and close friends.  Besides, what does a 13 year old kid know about things like that ?  They are thrilled to death they no longer have to go to hebrew school, which in most cases is forced upon by parents.  In fact, here is where the can you top this part comes into play.
     Today's affairs are really no longer for the kids, but a tribute to the parents and how well they are doing financially and how they can show up their friends and neighbors in their area.  This morning while reading the NY Post, I read a two page article about this subject which not only was ridiculous, it was also factual.
     Some of these affairs went over the one million dollar price range.  Yup, should I say it again ?  Some of them had over 100 kids there .  How many 13 year old's have 100 close friends ?
      One family rented out the Museum of Natural History for the night, hosting the cocktail hour in the African Mammal room and the main party in the Hall of Ocean Life. Other affairs are like an Andrew Lloy Webber musical with photo booths, casino tables, stilt walkers, fire eaters, disc jockeys, bands  bla, bla, bla,....One family paid $30,000 to have  Big Apple Circus performers do a high-wire and trapeze act.  Another had Jon Bon Jovi perform. (guess he can't get another gig ) Reading this article made me realize how over the top this is.  How is a kid (boy or girl ) ever going to get a real sense of life with crap like that going on?????  Where are the strippers ?
     I wouldn't trade any of the above for my Bar Mitzvah.  I had about 7 friends there and family, and friends of my parents.  Don't remember a band or anything that lavish.  I do however, remember sneaking into the bathroom with my cousin Lee and smoking my first cigarette.  That was a really big deal and I doubt if I would change that for circus performers or whatever.
      My advice for anyone out there who is Jewish and have kids approaching this event age and have read this same article is simple.  Sit you son or daughter down and tell them the truth face to face.................................Kids.................We are really not Jewish,..........That probably will not work, but what the hell.