Bar Mitzvah Boy’s Party Was Canceled – So the Principal Stepped In

By COLlive reporter

Joy against all odds…

With the Jewish community in Crown Heights beginning to keep social distancing more carefully over the past week to stop the spread of the coronavirus, many simchas and community events were canceled.

One of them was the Bar Mitzvah celebration of Levi Lazaroff which was meant to take place this past Sunday at the Jewish Children’s Museum. Instead, his parents needed to scrap the original plans in line with the CDC guidelines of not gathering a crowd of over 10 people.

Levi, who is a student at the Oholei Torah boys school, had been looking forward to his Bar Mitzvah celebration ever since he was a small child, his mother Chevie Lazaroff told COLlive.com on Wednesday.

“When we told him we had to postpone the party, he was devastated,” Mrs. Lazaroff said. “But he understood everyone’s health is more important and he rose above it and turned it to the positive.”

On Shabbos, Levi read from the Torah at two different minyanim of only 10 people, consisting of his immediate family, including his grandparents, Rabbi Gershon and Frumma Kulek of Chicago who had flown in for the occasion, who were all beaming with nachas from his beautiful Torah laining.

“He lained loud and clear, and everyone was shocked that it was his first time reading, because he did such a beautiful job,” his mother said.

His paternal grandparents, Rabbi Shimon and Chiena Lazaroff, Head Shluchim of Texas, were not able to make it because of the current restrictions on travel.

Following the minyan, a small yet festive kiddush for the immediate family was hosted at the home of Mendel and Chana Gittel Goldstein. The family pitched in to create decor and prepare delicious food to make Levi’s day special.

But the biggest surprise was yet to come for Levi.

Rabbi Yehoshua Lustig, the Menahel of grades 5-7 at Oholei Torah, decided to plan a Surprise Virtual Bar Mitzvah for the 13-year-old student.

“We could only imagine Levi’s disappointment,” Rabbi Lustig said, “but with today’s technology we have the ability to connect virtually to give him a special day.”

Rabbi Lustig set up a video conference with all of Levi’s classmates, and they were joined virtually by his grandparents, aunts and uncles, and friends.

Rabbi Lustig served as the emcee, Rabbi Lazaroff of Houston read the Rebbe‘s letter, and the boys were addressed by his grandparents and uncles. They also heard from his teachers Rabbi Heber and Rabbi Klein and assistant principal Rabbi Lefkowitz.

As customary in Chabad, the Bar Mitzvah boy recited by-heart the maamer “Isa B’Midrash Tehillim.” His friends sang the maamer niggun.

And there was even singing and dancing. The Bar Mitzvah boy’s cousin Laibel Lazaroff played live music as all participants on the virtual celebration rose up in dance – each in their own location, giving their classmate a truly joyous Bar Mitzvah.

“It was absolutely beautiful!” Chevie Lazaroff says. “Levi was so touched and felt so loved, and the boys’ kind gesture turned what could have been so sad for a 13-year-old boy, into something happy and beautiful.”

The proud mother said she and her family are most grateful for this kind-hearted gesture by the principals, teachers and classmates of her son.

“We are beyond touched that a principal of a huge school, with everything going on, was able to take from his precious time to think about and care about one boy who was at home feeling sad that his day was canceled. We can’t thank him enough,” she said. “While the whole world is struggling and suffering with what’s going on, this was just so inspiring.”

VIDEO: Class throws surprise Virtual Bar Mitzvah for social distancing