The L.A. Daily News documents the trend of lavish parties for non-Jewish junior high school players. No Torah portion, no hora, no Sundays spent slaving over tones with a cantor who never heard of Certs. Also known as a “Permitzvah,” such celebrations allow the rich gentile kids all the carbs with none of the calories, so to speak. But the word mitzvah means “commandment” in Hebrew, and commanding one’s parents to throw you a party is a bit of a bastardization.
Not all Jews agree. “I think it’s beautiful — only in America. Only in America do we have this wonderful appreciation for cultural things,” said Rabbi Gershon Johnson of Beth Haverim in Agoura Hills. “I certainly don’t object to anyone borrowing our traditions.”
So in the end, we guess it really is just about the party. Such a shanda.