Kibbutz near Gaza celebrates delayed bar, bat mitzvahs

After three postponements due to rocket fire during Operation Protective Edge, 16 youngsters from Kibbutz Be'eri, near the Gaza border, will celebrate their bar and bat mitzvahs at a joint ceremony on Thursday evening, with an expected 1,500 guests in attendance.

Kibbutz Be'eri suffered significant damage to cars, buildings and agricultural fields from Gazan rocket fire over the summer. The joint ceremony, an annual tradition at the kibbutz, marks the end of a year-long process for the youngsters.

"The children have already been preparing for this ceremony for two weeks, and it is supposed to include singing, dancing and a special fire display," said Mencher Dvori, the kibbutz secretary-general. "It will be a very meaningful experience, the biggest celebration at the kibbutz this year."

Chen Karonik, 13, one of the bar mitzvah boys, said, "I was really disappointed when the ceremony was postponed. It is a very old tradition. Now, there is so much excitement and we are working hard to make it turn out amazingly."

Eitan Broshi, the secretary of the kibbutz movement, stressed how important the Jewish coming of age ceremony was to the children.

"The bar and bat mitzvah ceremony is a very significant milestone, and it is an event they wait for all year," Broshi said.

"The children of [Kibbutz] Be'eri were forced to postpone the festivities, and it is really great to see them experiencing this landmark in the life of kibbutz members."