The Associated Press says the "Bark Mitzvah" is now a "craze" and "booming multi-million dollar industry." Not sure I’m buying it, but for now I’m more interested in this quote from Lee Day, the master of ceremonies at the BM in question:
I perform Bark Mitzvahs because it’s a blessing for the animals. And I really believe that the animals have a right to have a party and a religion.
Really? The right to have a religion? OK, fine, I’ll play. What if the dog isn’t down with Judaism — shouldn’t it also have the right to choose a different religion?
Oh, wait. My bad, Day also performs barktisms.
Perhaps more canines would be exercising their religious rights if Day hadn’t trademarked all of these ceremonies.
If only Mordechai Kaplan had thought of that when he got the bat mitzvah ball rolling — just imagine how big the Reconstructionist movement’s endowment would be!
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