| At his celebration,
Shlomo gives his speech for the second time No photographers are allowed in shul, so Shlomo kicks off his celebration with a reprise of his speech for the guests and the photographer. To Shlomo's right is the master of ceremonies for the occasion, who is a colleague of his father's and a hasid of a different persuasion, a Satmar, named for the shtetl in Hungary where it originated. |
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| Shlomo ceremoniously
blesses and cuts giant challah to start meal at Schick's Manor in Borough Park Not only was the challah finished off by almost 200 guests, including 85 couples, but each place setting had an individual challah. "Schick's Manor has an excellent reputation," said Douglas. "It's known as the best in town." |
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| Shlomo poses in his
new hat for handshake portrait with father The bar mitzvah boy begins to practice what he has learned about tefillen and putting on a hat one month prior to the bar mitzvah. That's when the Vien hasid receives his first black felt hat, which he wears over his yarmulke.
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| Ready for davening,
Shlomo holds prayerbook and wears new tefillen Shlomo davens as his father does, with the strap wrapped outwards. The photographer, who has a studio over the site of the bar mitzvah, is experienced. "He knew all the poses," said Douglas. That explains why Shlomo looks so comfortable here, even with his jacket half off. |
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| Blima Chana
Isaacson, born June 23, 1989, wore blue velvet
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| Women and men dance
simultaneously to the same music on either side of a partition The women enter through a different door and eat in a separate area. Rhoda Isaacson beamed at her grandaughter, who was grinning at her mother across the circle as they all held hands and danced together. |
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| The guests included
'at least twenty rabbis,' Douglas said. Some came from the Yeshiva, and all five of the rabbis from Douglas' shul attended. Some of them spoke. "You go to shul, and you meet them," said Douglas. |
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| Photographer
captures the action as Shlomo and father dance with the rabbis Of course they danced the hora.
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Family portrait includes
all but Shaya Mordechai (see first photo above). |
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Click here for the story of how Douglas Isaacson found his way into the life of a Vien hasid. The tale begins with the experience of his only sibling, his older sister, Sandi.
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