SPEECH ‘Oscars’ theme

Good evening grown ups and friends! It's really special to me that you are all here tonight.

Some of you may know, I quite like the idea of being an actor when I'm older. Perhaps on the tele, maybe in the movies, possibly even in Hollywood. So when I pick up an Oscar, remember to say "oh yes! I was at his Bar Mitzvah party!"

And in anticipation of accepting an award, I have a few thank yous to share tonight.

If I weren't at my bar mitzvah tonight, I'd still probably be hanging out with my friends. Thank you for being here to those of you I have known for forever since kindergarten, and those of you who are now with me at college.

And if I weren't with my friends, I'd probably be gaming. I blame my parents. They forced me to play Monopoly from an early age. So it really isn't my fault that I naturally progressed to Minecraft, Valorant And Terraria. So thank you, internet, for the gift of gaming!

My Auntie and Uncle are here from Israel and I'm really grateful that they are with us now; thank you to one of them for her schnitzel, and thank you to the other for his dance moves!

Thank you to Grandma - I'm glad you could make it from your studio where you always make so much time for Sammy and I to do art with you. I always thought your special bolognese was made to the utmost perfection

Thank you to Grandpa - I'm glad you’re here and not too busy telling Mamour: "Sue! Make me a cup of tea!"

Thank you to Nana - I'm glad you stopped baking apple crumbles and vanilla cakes for a moment to be here.You work so hard to keep my brothers and me happy.

And thank you to Michael - I'm glad you took a moment out of planning our adventures for us to go on - but I am ready for the next one soon so let's keep going!

Unfortunately, there is someone who couldn't be here. Mum and Dad said there was absolutely no way that Violet, my wonderful furry friend, could join us. She said she might eat the buffet and Dad said the catering was way too expensive to risk it!

My brothers are here, of course. I want to say an extra special thank you to Jamie for actually leaving his room to be here with me tonight. And to Saul for putting down the Nintendo Switch for this long. Although it is funny that there are 150 of us here this evening but really we can all still only hear Saul’s squeaky voice...!

It's almost time to start dancing, but I have saved the biggest thank you of them all for my parents. Mum, I know you'll be sorry this party will soon be over because worrying and over preparing are two of your favourite things to do! Thanks for making it a brilliant weekend (and actually a brilliant 13 years!) Dad, it's fair to say you're pretty cool. Even though you are always on work calls and you do call me "Jamie, Saul, Guy!" Most days I am really grateful for all the help with my stacks of homework and for all our amazing holidays! Love you both so, so much. I can never describe how much I love you.

One final thank you to our lovely DJ - "Dude, over to you, let's party!"