Simcha

Planning Timeline

Please note that the dates below are recommended to allow for the smoothest and most comfortable planning for you and the Shul's staff. If you have missed a deadline, please do still follow the steps and arrange to have your Simcha with us, and we will be as accommodating as possible.

The timetable below is suggested for planning a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. If you will be celebrating an Aufruf with us, please let us know as early as you can and follow the steps after that.

RESERVING A DATE

We recommend that you reserve the date for your simcha at least six months beforehand. To do this, email office@datminyan.org. The longer you wait to reserve the date, the greater the risk that the date you need will not be available, so book early! If you would like to check a date before emailing the office, go to DATMinyan.org/cal.php and check the date that you would like to reserve. (You can also click on the calendar on the right side of this page.) After you email your date request to office@datminyan.org, you can expect a response by email within 24 hours as to whether the date is available. If it is, we will reserve the date for you and our treasurer will bill you a non-refundable $150 deposit. When this deposit is paid, we will put your simcha into the calendar.

PLANNING YOUR KIDDUSH

When you receive confirmation that your Simcha is on the Shul calendar, the Shul office will notify the Kiddush Coordinator, Dovid Lev. You can see Kiddush prices and details by clicking here. However, you should still Dovid directly at kiddush@datminyan.org three months before the occasion, to let Dovid know if you have any specific requests regarding your Kiddush, or to let him know that you do not have any specific requests. Contacting Dovid will allow the shul to bill you properly for your Kiddush and helps ensure that your special day will run as smoothly as possible.

KIBBUDIM (HONOREES)

Aliyot: Two months before your Simcha, please complete this form to let the Gabbaim know whom you would like to honor throughout the morning of your occasion. Feel free to leave spaces blank on the form if you have no specific preference about a particular honor. If you choose to fill out the form in writing, you can drop it off in the DAT Minyan box in the Main Office at DAT, 6825 E. Alameda Avenue. If you have any questions about this form or about Kibbudim in general, email your question to gabbai@datminyan.org and our Gabbai will get back to you.

Torah Readers: If you have someone(s) whom you would like to read the Torah - whether it is a Bar Mitzvah boy or someone else - now is also the time to email office@datminyan.org to let the Torah reading coordinator know about it. Please do not assume that the shul knows your son will be reading the Torah just because your Simcha is on the calendar!

Speakers: Now is also the time to email rabbifriedman@datminyan.org to let the Shul know if you have someone(s) in mind to speak over Shabbat, such as your Bar/Bat Mitzvah child or an out-of-town relative. Speaking opportunities are available Friday night, Shabbat morning, and at Seudah Shelishit. Rabbi Alter will discuss your request with you and provide you with guidelines for speakers.

IN-HOUSE DETAILS

Caterer/Party Planner: At least one month before your simcha, please email kiddush@datminyan.org to let Dovid Lev and Rabbi Zalesch know if you will be using an outside caterer or party planner for your occasion, and to discuss what arrangements you have made with the caterer or party planner which the shul needs to know about as well. If, for example, you have made arrangements to have an extra fridge or chairs rented through a caterer or party planner, that is something we would like very much to know about.

Deliveries: Email office@datminyan.org if you will be having chairs, flowers, a fridge or anything else delivered to the building. This is absolutely critical as we must coordinate these deliveries with the school. Deliveries cannot be made to the school during school pickup or drop-off times, i.e. 7:30-8:45 am and 2:00-2:30. Deliveries also should not be made prior to the Friday before your occasion.

Hospitality: If you will need hospitality for out-of-town guests, this is also a good time to relay that information to the Hospitality Committee, led by Miriam Mezer, at hospitality@datminyan.org.

Announcements: Please email post@datminyan.org to let Rabbi Zalesch know whom to welcome and thank in the Newsletter and President's Announcements, and what names to list as the Kiddush sponsors.

Kiddush: This is also the time to let the Kiddush Committee (kiddush@datminyan.org) know if you have any outstanding requests or if you will need any extra storage or refrigeration space.

LAST-MINUTE SETUP

A few days before your Simcha, please take the time to ensure that all of your setup needs will be taken care of by you or someone else. DAT Minyan has a custom that the Mechitzah (dividers) are decorated by the celebrating families. To arrange for the building to be open for this purpose, please email office@datminyan.org. Please also email office@datminyan.org if you have any other questions about physical space setup, or kiddush@datminyan.org if you have any questions about food preparation or storage.

Kibbudim (Honorees) Form

Below is the digital Kibbudim form. To download the form to fill out in writing, click here.
Feel free to leave some spaces blank if you do not have someone in mind for that honor.