Has anyone been to a bar mitzvah recently?

[loveandroses]

My friend is in dispute with her synagogue about the number of people allowed and I said I would collect data. Has anyone been to a bar mitzvah recently and if so, how many people were allowed in the service in the synagogue?

[2lsinllama]

Surely it would depend on the size of the synagogue? I’m not Jewish but have been to a couple of Bar Mitzvah’s in my time, one was in a huge place and the other was relatively small.

[Geamhradh]

Can private bodies establish their own rules? Maybe that's it? (I don't know, I'm not in the UK)

[loveandroses]

Yes the synagogue can make up its own rules. But in this case they are allowing only 15 non-members which means only 15 people including family and friends. I hear stories of weddings with 150 guests happening so it seems very unfair.

[loveandroses]

I should be clear these restrictions are all because of a fear of covid.

[2lsinllama]

I’m not sure what your friend hopes to gain by asking for people’s experiences. If they have already discussed this with the synagogue and this is their rule then it doesn’t much matter what other places are doing?
I’m guessing there is some sort of Jewish governing body (like the Church of England)? Could your friend ask them for advice?

[samG76]

No restrictions on numbers in our shul, which is quite large, other than the need to wear masks. Sometimes the rules are set by the orgnization to which it is affiliated, eg RSGB, US, etc, and sometimes by shuls themselves. 30 seems very low, though - these were the rules at the height of the crisis.