How do you get to Carnegie Hall?

That's an old joke about a tourist asking for directions....The answer is PRACTICE, and I'm sure our rocking Bar Mitzvah boy Jason Ross knows all about that, having pulled off such an awesome Bar Mitzvah at The Rohaytn Room at Carnegie Hall, and bringing down the house at his post-ceremony celebration at Providence, in New York City.
Here's a few fabulous moments ( love that "jewelry store"!), captured by photographer Jenny McFarland, and some thoughts from Jason's mother about this special family's special day.



DJs from UNTOUCHABLE EVENTS rocked the house and Spina di Fiori and Paul Tsang Diaz provided the clubby decor.



From the proud mama:
Jason’s Bar Mitzvah was built around his love for music and his family, especially his older brother Alex, who is autistic. From the beginning, our focus in planning was not only for Jason and his friends, but for all the people who have been a part of Jason’s lives, and our lives; for all the friends and family who have given us much needed support in raising a child with major disabilities. This was a party with something for everyone!

Jason has been a “rocker” forever. So when we planned his bar mitzvah, we knew music would not just be resonant throughout the party, but we would bring it to life. The bar mitzvah service was held at The Rohaytn Room at Carnegie Hall. Jason performed at his party, along with several of the teachers and students from the New York City School of Rock, where Jason has been a student for the past five years. Jason and his crew brought the house down with covers from The Rolling Stones, Pearl Jam, James Brown, No Doubt and ended with a rocked-out version of Lionel Ritchie’s “All Night Long.”, conga-line and all!

Jason’s mitzvah project was an easy choice for him. During the summer, he volunteered at The Phoenix Center in Nutley, New Jersey, a school for children with autism and other disabilities and the school his brother Alex attends.

When it came time to put together a concept for Jason’s bar mitzvah video, he wanted it to be more than a collection of family photos. He wanted a “spoof” of a real music video, which would include his friends, and to somehow show everyone the message that having an autistic brother comes with just as much fun, love and good times, as any other “typical” family. We also wanted somehow to incorporate archival footage in a fresh and funny way. After looking at hours and hours of home videos, the very talented and very calm Andrea and Florence at Rewind Pictures helped us bring these ideas to the screen. We used a spoof of a “Behind the Music” segment featuring the rise and fall of Jason Ross, the rock star, followed by the premiere of his “new music video”. Andrea and Florence took all our scattered ideas and put together the best bar mitzvah video ever!!!! This was the first time the guests gave a bar mitzvah video a standing ovation, and not a dry eye in the house.

We are still relishing in the after-glow from this party and this video.
here it is!

Behind The Music Bar Mitzvah Spoof + Bar Mitzvah Rock Music Video from Rewind Pictures on Vimeo.