Sam’s Backyard Bar Mitzvah: August 30, 2026

Sam’s Bar Mitzvah was the end of an era. Four boys, and this was the last one.  So nice to be back with the family at their home and to see so many of the same faces I’ve photographed over the years, albeit everyone a little more grown up now.  Sam was fantastic. He’s done this a few times before, so by now it was pretty much a piece of cake. We wandered around outside, hung out, chatted and took some photos. So easy. The rest of the family slowly wandered out of the house and we captured them too, before the grandparents, cousins and extended family started arriving for their turn.  Once we wrapped up the family photos, it was back into the garden with Rabbi Yossi Sapirman for the kind of delightful ceremony that only Yossi can deliver. Articulate, charismatic and always engaging, Yossi carries a service like no other.  And somewhere in the middle of all that, Sam became a man.  There are always a few tears at this house, plenty of laughter, and everything in between, but watching Sam knock this one through the goal posts was an absolute delight.  No rain, unlike previous years. Delicious food, very much like previous years. And with that, four boys were done.  Mazel tov, guys. Way to go.

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The Story of Sam’s Bar Mitzvah: Selected Photos: HERE

All the Photos: HERE

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See more of my Toronto Bar and Bat Mitzvah photography in the portfolio.