Fast cars just the ticket for Bar Mitzvah

Ricky Rothberg at his exotic sports car themed Bar Mitzvah Sherry Keenan / BEST VIEW PHOTOGRAPHY When Ricky Rothberg, son of Helen and Michael Rothberg of East Lake Woodlands, went to his Bar Mitzvah, he was in fast company – with a Ferrari, a Ford GT, a special edition Corvette, a Dodge Viper and a Camaro SS.

The collection of sleek, high-performance sports cars was on display on the grounds of Temple Ahavat Shalom in Palm Harbor for his party after his Bar Mitzvah service was conducted inside. The exotic car theme of his Bar Mitzvah was a natural extension of his abiding interest in fast cars. His mother Helen said it is an interest he shares with his dad, Michael.

“Ricky has always loved cars, ever since he got his first Matchbook cars as a little boy. His favorite is a Bugatti,” she said. Although a Bugatti could not be obtained, a life-size model of an exotic car – dubbed a Rickatti – was among the dinner party decorations.

Each table was named for an exotic car. In preparation for the party, a local Ferrari dealership let Ricky sit in and pose next to some Ferraris for photos that were then blown up into large posters put on display at the party. As for a color scheme, it was red and black – Ferrari colors. Each table was named after an exotic car. As guests arrived, they were given key chains that matched the names of the cars posted atop poles at each table, so they would know where to sit. In addition to the “Rickatti” the decorations included high performance wheels and logos of exotic cars.

Helen said she used a party planner to help with the event, and it was the planner who found the exotic car collection that was on display on the grounds of the temple. Kids got to do what Ricky did at the Ferrari dealership – pose with and sit in the cars.

For entertainment there was a disc jockey and games. Kids also got to have photos of themselves taken in a variety of hats, and they received T-shirts, sunglasses and hats, as well as other items. The T-shirts read “Ricky Ticket to Ride Oct. 2 2010.”

Sherry Keenan/ BEST VIEW PHOTOGRAPHY It took six to seven months of preparation for the Bar Mitzvah and there were a lot of out-of-town relatives who came for the event. “I am one of seven kids in my family, and they live all over the country,” Helen said. Between her and husband Michael, relatives from California, Ohio, Maryland, New York and Florida came for the event. “We had 36 family members – aunts, uncles and cousins and grandparents,” she said.

The festivities began with a Friday night service at the temple, then Ricky’s parents hosted dinner for family members. There was the Havdalah service the next evening, then the Bar Mitzvah party at the temple. The dinner included 75 kids and 70 adults, she said. On Sunday, she had a brunch for family members.

Since the family is so scattered across the country, several relatives stayed a few extra days to get in more visiting. Helen said that was great because her parents are in their 80s and they got to see relatives they had not seen in years. Her husband’s dad died later in the year, so it was good that he was there and got in visits with relatives, she added.

Several months before the service and party at Ahavat Shalom, Ricky had his Bar Mitzvah during a trip to Israel, an experience she said had a big impact on him. “He takes his religion very seriously,” she said. Photos from the trip were projected onto a large screen at the dinner.

Since he was Bar Mitzvah in Israel, the family debated whether to hold an event locally, but in hindsight they are glad they did, as it brought a lot of relatives together and allowed Ricky to enjoy the celebration with his friends, she said.