Mazel Tov: Celebrities' Bar and Bat Mitzvah Memories [Hardcover]

Jill Rappaport (Author), Linda Solomon (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 6, 2007

In Mazel Tov, celebrity journalist Jill Rappaport and photographer Linda Solomon offer an intimate glimpse of the bar or bat mitzvahs of some of the most talented people in entertainment, politics and business. This remarkable book brings together stories and never-before-seen family photos of a variety of public figures, as they look back on their thirteen-year-old selves and reminisce about the celebration that marked their transition into adulthood.

The wonderfully candid interviews in Mazel Tov document deeply poignant, and often hilariously awkward, moments in these very public lives. Interviewees include Jeremy Piven, Senator Joseph Lieberman, Marlee Matlin, Richard Dreyfuss, Ronald Perelman, Howie Mandel, Gene Shalit, Harvey Fierstein, Judy Gold, Larry King, Donny Deutsch, Michael Kors, Charles Grodin, Josh and Andy Bernstein, and many others. Their experiences run the gamut: Kirk Douglas decided to be bar mitzvahed twice, while others, like Noah Wyle, always wanted one but never had the chance. There are stories of bar mitzvahs, bat mitzvahs, confirmations, and the only documented "bark" mitzvah, held in honor of two beloved pets. Though the stories vary greatly in their detail, they all express a common appreciation for values and traditions that have been passed down through the generations.

Illustrated with photos pulled from family albums as well as contemporary portraits, Mazel Tov is an appealing tribute to the enduring bonds of faith and family.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

What do Larry King, Ed Koch and Richard Dreyfuss have in common? All three, we learn in this light book of profiles, had a bar mitzvah at age 13. On the one hand, this is a fairly superficial celebrity multi-biography that almost cynically panders to celebrities, with a couple of politicians thrown in. There are very few women represented, and almost no reflection on the spiritual commitments made in the bar mitzvah. But on the other hand, there's something to be said for the specific and focused nature of this book, with all these people chronicling a single rite of passage that has remained steadfast through centuries of change. (And of course, who can resist then-and-now celebrity photographs?) Two of the most touching stories are of deaf actress Marlee Matlin's bat mitzvah, since she had to learn Hebrew phonetically, and of her friend and mentor Henry Winkler, who struggled through his bar mitzvah because of dyslexia. Actor Kirk Douglas had two bar mitzvahs—one at the traditional age, and the other at 83, to honor his mother. Though frivolous—the chapter on the woman who bar mitzvahed her dogs and had them read the woof-Torah adds nothing helpful—some profiles are intriguing. (Nov. 6)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Jill Rappaport is an Emmy-nominated entertainment correspondent who has been seen by millions of viewers in the sixteen years that she has worked for NBC's Today show. Their first book, People We Know, Horses They Love, was a New York Times bestseller.

Linda Solomon is an award-winning photojournalist who divides her time between capturing the most famous personalities of our time and teaching children to express themselves through photography. She has developed educational programs that have reached over two million children throughout the United States. Her work providing cameras has been featured on CBS Evening News, and in People and USA Today.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (November 6, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743287878
• ISBN-13: 978-0743287876
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,211,457 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Coffee table book, for sure, December 14, 2007

By 

Fran (Plano, Texas USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mazel Tov: Celebrities' Bar and Bat Mitzvah Memories (Hardcover)

My husband thought I'd like this book after he saw a feature about it on the Today show. I think one of the authors is a contributor to the show with Hollywood gossip.

It's not a bad book but, it could have been much better. The pictures are great! The funniest bit is about Howie Mandel--not much of a surprise since he's a funny guy. Quite a few of the subjects like Noah Wyle and Richard Dreyfuss didn't even have Bar Mitzvahs. Why were they included?

For the most part, the choice of celebrities left something to be desired. It could have been a much better book and more input from the parents and significant others or people who were in attendance would have improved the stories.

If I didn't already have the book, I think I would have waited until it hit the "Bargain Bins" to purchase it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great book, December 28, 2007

By 

Mr. Patrick E. Dooley (mount sinai, ny) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mazel Tov: Celebrities' Bar and Bat Mitzvah Memories (Hardcover)

this was a great book. i bought it for my daughter whose bat mitzvah is in a few weeks and she loved it. it was so funny to see the pictures of the celebs and their bar and bat mitzvahs. great gift for anyone who has had or is having a bat mitzvah.

2.0 out of 5 stars Mazel Tov: The book, November 3, 2011

By 

Mitzvah Mom - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mazel Tov: Celebrities' Bar and Bat Mitzvah Memories (Hardcover)

I was disappointed when the book arrived. The book did not appear to be new. The book jacket was very worn.