Bark Mitzvahs/Meow Mitzvahs/Dog Synagogues
Bark Mitzvahs/Meow Mitzvahs/Dog Synagogues
Bark Mitzvahs/Meow Mitzvahs/Dog Synagogues#1
Posted: 2/14/09 at 1:57am
So, I'm not kidding about this. One time, I was at a restaurant in my hometown (or a town that I lived in for many many years, but was not born in and did not move to until I was 8 years old) that was near a lake. I was there with my whole family almost and it was the last day of Passover (I wasn't eating anything, but my family doesn't really keep it). I always used to throw bread crumbs into the lake for the ducks to eat (very small pieces; larger ones can choke them. I checked with people who worked around there and they always said that it was fine, and plenty of people were doing it. There was no "Please do not feed the fowl" sign there). Anyways, some of my crumbs were getting on the ground and dogs started eating them. Personally, I have no problem with dogs eating crumbs if they don't get to the ducks. However, this one woman got really mad at me and said: "Excuse me, but these dogs are all members of the Beth Kelev Synagogue for Dogs and they are keeping the Passover until midnight tonight (in Judaism, it is the next day as soon as sunset, so she was technically wrong here." I said to her, you know, Passover doesn't really apply to animals and neither do any of Judaism's laws. I know that technically, you are not supposed to touch chametz or even hold possession of it, but I find that very difficult and a bit archaic, so I, even me as an Orthodox Jew {I'm Conservative now) do not keep that and I don't know many people who do. My cat doesn't keep kosher, have you ever read Exodus 22:30? It basically states dogs are not bound to the same laws that humans are, in regard to dietary restrictions." She then said that she was a "human assistant" at an all-dog synagogue. I asked her more about it and she told me that they are a 44-member synagogue all for dogs, but there is some human assistance. She said that their rabbi and cantor are both dogs and that they have services for Shabbat, have minyans, and celebrate all the major festivals. I then asked her if she really believes that dogs understand what Judaism is and she said "Yes." I really thought that women was nuts (to run a synagogue for dogs), but I was looking online and I saw this and found that there are people who go as far as to have dog and cat bar/bat mitvzahs called bark/meow mitzvahs. I find this very cute (and probably will have a meow mitzvah for my cat when I get home), but I think that some people take this WAY too far.
Take a look at this:
I almost fell off my chair when I first heard the latest craze among American Jews -- Bark Mitzvahs for dogs.
A search on the Internet turned up photos of Bark Mitzvah parties in homes, gift packages for Bark Mitzvah dogs from pet stores, and invitations to Bark Mitzvah ceremonies from synagogues.
Are Bark Mitzvahs actually a spiritual event in the lives of American Jews today or simply an excuse for a party?
The Celebration
Some people do Bark Mitzvahs for Purim entertainment, some do it to raise money, and others do it simply for the fun of it. Those celebrating Bark Mitzvahs today are mostly Reform and Conservative Jews.
At Home
Bark Mitzvahs celebrated in private homes tend to be personal and fun. Guests, who sometimes bring their own dogs along, greet the hosts with “Mazal Tov” and bring doggies presents for the Bark Mitzvah dog. The dog of honor generally feasts on bone-shaped doggy cake, while the human guests feast on gourmet food.
The Bark Mitzvah party of Kasha can be viewed online.
Alfie's Bark Mitzvah is the focus of Shari Cohen's children's book Alfie's Bark Mitzvah. The CD of children's songs that comes with the book, created by the internationally acclaimed Cantor Marcelo Gindlin, includes a song describing Alfie's Bark Mitzvah.
At the Doggie Salon
Some people have more formal affairs, and new businesses have cropped up to support them.
For $50, Places Everyone offers a seating kit for your Bark Mitzvah celebration, as well as a free Bark Mitzvah certificate for your dog.
If you really want to go all out, then you can get the $95 Bark Mitzvah package from CleosBarkery. It includes: all meat canine Bark Mitzvah cake, happy Bark Mitzvah Hat, Doggie Treat Bag filled with draydel and menorah biscuits, Star Bark Mitzvah collar, and a ribbon balloon cake topper.
You can make sure your guests will remember the event by sending them home with a pet candy bar wrapped by wrapsodydesigns.com. The wrapper commemorates the Bark Mitzvah celebration and even provides personal information about the Bark Mitzvah dog.
Some people send their guests home with satin yarmulkes with the dog’s name and Bark Mitzvah date printed inside.
Yarmulkes just for the guests? Some Bark Mitzvah dogs get all dressed up for the special occasion. There’s been unprecedented demand for doggie-sized tallit and yarmulkes tailored to fit over dog ears.
At Shul
Bark Mitzvahs celebrated at synagogues have a bit more of an “official” flavor to them.
Often Bark Mitzvahs performed by rabbis begin with the rabbi reciting a prayer or blessing the dogs. The prayer said when seeing beautiful animals is an ideal opener. The rabbi generally ends the ceremony by awarding a Bark Mitzvah certificate to the dog's owner.
One California Reform shul promotes it Bark Mitzvah ceremony with “All participating pets will receive blessings, treats and a special pet kippah/yarmulke.”
One Reform Shul, Beth Shir Shalom in Miami, holds Bark Mitzvah celebrations for the congregation members' dogs on Purim. The ceremony takes place in the synagogue parking lot and not in the sanctuary; thus, there is no chance of a dog having an accident in shul. Bark mitzvah dogs are given certificates, and the dogs’ family members bark and say a prayer.
Temple Kehillat Chaim, a Reform temple in Atlanta, uses the Bark Mitzvah celebration as a way to raise money. The synagogue sponsored a "Bark Mitzvah Day" fundraiser in which about 60 dogs competed in a dog-show spin-off. "Most Jewish" was one of the competition's categories.
Behind the Celebration
Most Bark Mitzvahs are simply a fun reason for a party. However, there are those who recognize a spiritual component to them. And, on the other side, there are those who find them offensive.
A Spiritual Component
Some people do see a spiritual component to the Bark Mitzvah ceremony.
They claim that the Bark Mitzvah is a celebration of the spiritual connection they feel for their dogs. And they want to express this spiritual connection in a Jewish, communal way.
Others claim the ceremonies express the divine spark in animals. What is dog spelled backward? In this way, the Bark Mitzvah can be seen as the Jewish equivalent to the Catholic ritual of blessing animals in the church.
Still others simply want to celebrate a rite of passage for their dog. Some celebrate it after the dog has lived 13 human years, while others wait for 13 dog years.
An Offensive Component
Some people find Bark Mitzvah celebrations as offensive. They feel that dressing a dog in a yarmulke and tallit dishonors Judaism. Others say that Bark Mitzvahs marginalize Jewish identification to the point where stereotypes are perpetuated.
A Humorous Component
The great majority of those celebrating Bark Mitzvahs today simply do it for fun.
And the jokes abound: Feeding the dog biscuits shaped as Stars of David. Reading Arf-Tara instead of Haftara. Barking in honor of the dog.
They say that so many of the bar and bat mitzvah ceremonies of humans these days have lost the religious coming-of-age meaning and have turned into showy social affairs, so why not a Bark Mitzvah?
What’s Next?
Meow Mitzvahs? Ruf-Ruf Rabbis? Or even worse, Ruf-Ruf Rabbis performing Meow Mitzvahs?!
One dog-less couple supposedly held a Car Mitzvah to honor their Rolls Royce for giving them 13 years of high quality service.
I wonder whether we should be laughing or crying. Who can help but laugh at the creativity and absurdity of giving a dog a Bark Mitzvah? On the hand, if you think about how Jews throughout history experienced persecutation, exile, torture and death just for the right to wear a tallit, isn't putting a tallit on a dog an act of abasement? Should we just lighten up, have a little fun and laugh, or do we need to be more protective and honorable of our traditions?
So, what do you think? I personally think it's cute, but if Elphaba gets a meow mitzvah, I will probably only invite family members that I talk to and EXTREMELY close friends.
re: Bark Mitzvahs/Meow Mitzvahs/Dog Synagogues#2
Posted: 2/14/09 at 2:31am
Will you be having this Bark Mitzvah in: Germany, Switzerland, Portugal, Israel, Australia, S. Africa, Spain, Greenland, Iraq, Italy Czech Republic, Hungary, Liberia, Egypt, Russia, China, Ireland, Belgium, Portugal, Romania, Indonesia, Venezuela, Honduras, Cuba, Croatia, Chili, Ghana, Ecuador, France, Ethiopia, Greece, Afghanistan, Canada, United States, Fiji, Costa Rica, Carribean Islands, Iceland, India, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mali, Macedonia, Mexico, Korea, Pakistan, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Columbia, Italy or Haiti?
They all loved having you as a tourist and I'm sure would love to host your family with your dogs Bark Mitzvah.
re: Bark Mitzvahs/Meow Mitzvahs/Dog Synagogues#2
Posted: 2/14/09 at 3:05amI already said that I have a cat, (although my parents have 3 labrador retrievers), so it would be a Meow Mitzvah. I will most likely be having the Meow Mitzvah in the United States when I get back there this summer.
re: Bark Mitzvahs/Meow Mitzvahs/Dog Synagogues#3
Posted: 2/14/09 at 3:12amDefinitely keep us posted!
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/18/04
re: Bark Mitzvahs/Meow Mitzvahs/Dog Synagogues#4
Posted: 2/14/09 at 8:13amYou said you were an Orthodox Jew but your parents didn't keep the last day of Passover?
re: Bark Mitzvahs/Meow Mitzvahs/Dog Synagogues#5
Posted: 2/14/09 at 8:20amYour post was too long. I didn't read it.
re: Bark Mitzvahs/Meow Mitzvahs/Dog Synagogues#6
Posted: 2/14/09 at 12:08pm
No, blueroses. My family is Orthodox-turn-Conservative. They were Orthodox until I was 6, then I became Orthodox on my own when I was 17. I switched back to Conservative last summer. Sorry for any confusion!
XOXO
Musicaltheatrefan3
re: Bark Mitzvahs/Meow Mitzvahs/Dog Synagogues#7
Posted: 2/14/09 at 12:12pmNobody cares what you post here..... ever.
re: Bark Mitzvahs/Meow Mitzvahs/Dog Synagogues#9
Posted: 6/14/09 at 11:42amI'll wait until the Klingon, Afrikaans, or Samoan version comes out...Zzzzz, if we aren;t going to read your short boring posts, why on earth do you think anyone would read that spew of garbage?
Joined: 12/31/69
re: Bark Mitzvahs/Meow Mitzvahs/Dog Synagogues#10
Posted: 6/14/09 at 10:05pm
Why is everyone so mean to MSFT3000? I happen to be traveling and I was posting to this thread from my hotel room when the maid came in to turn down my bed. I could sense her disapproval so I asked her what was wrong.
"This! Posting mean remarks about her Meow Mitzvah! Is no decent life for an adult!"
I am not sure if she might not be correct. (PS I wrote her remarks in English, but she said it in a dutch variation of old German. I am traveling through the Flemish countryside and most of the help speak this melange of German, Dutch and English. Luckily I speak all three languages.)
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