April 14, 2007 was the date of Ben's Bar Mitzvah. I didn't take pictures of the actual event, but once home, the tent was ready
with tables
and balloons
with a laptop ready to show the Ben video
and glasses, plates, ...
as we measured the location of the video stand
while the wait staff arrived
and we admired this pole that would support us
as Jane and Ben watched the video and Ed moved the shirts
to where Sarah sat
and the music stand was set
as Jane gave her final approval for the video
and the staff kept setting things up
as Jane caught the end of the video
and more setup was done
both inside
and outside the tent.
Inside the house, there was setup
and in the kitchen, there was much preparation
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And soon enough, some of Ben's friends arrived led by Andy Ie and Jeremy Sordan who were facing the camera
followed by Ann and Stan
Jeff Nunokawa
Ray and Andrea Sachetti
Dan and Nancy Rubenstein
and Adam and Nate Ash
at which point, Stan took a picture of me before
Lewis Siegel
Ed and Claire Percarpio
David Gespass
Emily Shea
and Carol and David Brown arrived.
Next came the Kramer -- Josh,
Renee
Rory and Seva.
And the neighbors, Doris Shea and Carol Mason
followed by John Shea and Paul Dimaggio
and then Carol Mason, John Shea and Paul Dimaggio
who were followed by the Gespass family of Pittsburgh
Janet and Erin Dobkin
and Erin and Greg Dobkin
then, Eric Dobkin
Paige and Larry Dobkin
and Peter Kramer who brought flaming torches for juggling.
Next, there came Tony Klockenbrink
Joel Straus
and some friends of Ben, led by Kurran and Parker
delivered by Audrey Straus.
While Will Dobbs-Allsop and Nate Ash stood outside
Alan Straus emerged from the dark
and in came Larry and Kathy Klockenbrink discussing whether I was or was not good at the NCAA pool
which was interrupted when Harry Cummins and Carol Alter entered
and talked to Kathy.
Then we were back to relatives led by Dansyl
Dick and Fran
and Henry Leonard Gruber
Ellen and Brian
as Toba entered
and then Toba was here
paving the way for Carol Dembe and Stephen Field
and Polly Strauss
while Robert Levin took a call in the driveway.
Richard and Lizzie Just arrived
and then I captured the whole Just family before heading to the tent for the party.
There Sarah and Ed were watching the proceedings
as the other photographer worked
and Ben was lifted into a chair
and brought down.
Next, Sarah was lifted
and twirled around
and finally, Jane was lifted
and twirled
as Josephine watched in the background
and Jane and Jeff enjoyed their meal
and spoke with Sylvia.
Next, Ed appeared (but not with flaming torches)
and this movie followed
../../../Sabbat/2007/04.14-15.07BenBarMitzvah//
before a final juggle
which set me off to see the Mexican station
and the person who was looking after it
as Andy, Katy and Danny gathered
and then Andy, Katy and Danny were joined by Debbie
as Larry posed with Rory
and then the Cummins/Alters were there
and Larry talked to Michelle
as Janet spoke with Erin
and Tony Klockenbrink seemed to be enjoying time in the tent
before Ann and Stan departed
as did Adele and Vera
while Alan Straus and the Percarpios chatted in the family room
until it was time for the Percarpio family picture.
This gentlemen in blue then arrived to remind us that it was near to 11PM and time to wind down the music, though he let us finish the hokey pokey that was going on.
Bill Slaughter still had time to pose with Kurran
and many of Ben's friends gathered near the basketball hoop to inhale helium
before the last 2 artistic shots that told us it had been a long (and wonderful) day.