Bar Mitzvah in a Water Park

The day began with a spirited davening and a short bus ride to the an outdoor Aquatic Center in Miami. The entire park had been reserved for the Lag B’Omer outing of Lubavitch Educational Center’s Elementary School boys.

For nearly three hours the students enjoyed a sun-filled and fun-filled adventure. Members of the local Hialeah Police Department stopped by to welcome the large group of students and to provide security detail.

Police Sergeant Barbi Ricano enjoyed meeting and greeting many students, and remarked how they were respectful, courteous and wonderful representatives of their school.

Officer Yoshua Garfinkel, brother of the school’s Program Director, Rabbi Yakov Garfinkel, also came by to speak with the students and enjoyed being a part of the special Lag B’omer program.

But, what happened next turned out to make a huge splash . . .
A local lifeguard, Richard, was mentioning how impressed he was with the students’ behavior, when Rabbi Garfinkel inquired whether he was Jewish.

Responding, “Not really,” Rabbi Garfinkel asked him what he meant by that. “Well, my mom was Jewish but not my dad. My sisters each had a Bat Mitzvah, but I never had a Bar Mitzvah,” Richard replied.

Rabbi Garfinkel responded, “That means you’re just as Jewish as I am!”

By hashgocha protis one of the teachers present with his class was Rabbi Mendy Weiss, who also serves as the local Shliach to Hialeah and Miami Lakes—the area where the water park was located— and who had just happened to hear their conversation. He offered his tefillin, which he had in his car and extended an invitation for Shabbos. But why wait until Shabbos—let’s make a Bar Mitzvah now!

After they all got out of the pool and into their school uniforms, the 200 students gathered around Richard, as Rabbi Weiss put on tefillin with him for the first time. The students held a Twelve Pesukim Lag Ba’Omer rally over the park loudspeakers, as the public streets of Hialeah heard words of Torah, possibly for the first time ever.

The students also said the Shema out loud together with the newly Bar Mitzva’ed Richard and danced around singing Mazel Tov, as a fellow lifeguard put him on his shoulders.

As the group prepared to return to school, the manager of the park declared, “In all the years I have been working here, I have never met a more courteous group. So many “pleases,” so many “thank-yous,” and they really listen to you Rabbi! I’m also so impressed how students follow so well to do what they are told. Your group is welcome back any time.” Before leaving, the students each shook Richard’s hand as they wished him “mazel tov” on his Bar Mitzvah.

Before boarding the buses the students, ten lifeguards and the Aquatic Center staff, all sang a hearty rendition of “Happy Birthday”—in both English and Spanish to our dear teacher Rabbi Yaakov Roth who celebrates his birthday every year with his students on Lag B’Omer.

We wish him and his dear Rebetzin much simcha, chassidish nachas, gezunt and parnosa always!

Back at school Lag B’omer capped off with an amazing kite-making activity. The students constructed and decorated their own kite and then headed outdoors again for a great kite flying experience.

The girls division had an equally amazing time at Calypso Cove Aquatic Center, organized by Mrs. Shevi Sossonko, where they too made a great impression on the park’s staff with their beautiful middos and ahavas yisroel.

Many thanks go to Lubavitch Elementary School’s devoted teachers and staff for making such a trip possible.

In particular to teachers Rabbi Mendy Weiss, Rabbi Shuki Steinberg, Rabbi Mendy Katz and Rabbi Menachem Tauber for joining in the swimming fun with activities and relay races. A special thank-you goes to the principal, Mrs. Chaya Sara Dalfin, for undertaking this effort during a very busy end-of-the-school-year schedule; Mrs. Faigy Halsband, for helping organize the programs, and to Mrs Leah Spalter, Mrs Miriam Garcia, Mrs. Sandra Gutt, Mrs. Alona Pinhas, Mrs. Rashi Bortunk , Mrs Lankri, and numerous volunteers for making Lag B’Omer 5772 a day to remember.