My girlfriend’s dog, Alba, is turning thirteen in a few weeks, so naturally we decided to celebrate by observing her bat mitzvah. Never mind that Alba isn’t Jewish, doesn’t even appear to look Jewish (though she does have a fairly large nose), and she hasn’t spoken a lick of Hebrew in over a decade. This gathering was all about ceremony.
A mixed crowd of dogs and humans gathered in the park on a sparkling, fall afternoon. The mitzvee was wearing a stunning, blue boa and delighted in the festive revelry and being the center of attention. This was an atypical affair in that there was no Uncle Herbie around to shtup an envelope in Alba’s paws as he announced, “Now you are a woman.” No Aunt Gladys was present to recount her little Harvey’s bar mitzvah, thirty years ago. This was decidedly a post-modern affair.
My sense is that this gathering could be the start of a movement, a cultural phenomenon, an awakening – something even bigger than the pet rock. Put it on your calendar – gather friends, felines, and canines on the thirteenth anniversary of your pet’s birth. Celebrate life. We can do this and change the world.
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