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Your bar/bat mitzvah was the best of times and the worst of times – and definitely the most embarrassing of times. But not when you were 12 or 13. Back then, it was the totally most awesome of times – awkward body issues aside.

In honor of Back from Birthright Israel’s annual Bar Mitzvah Bash, we thought we’d celebrate the best throwbacks to the social events that dominated our middle school years.

1. You were greeted by relatives you didn’t even know existed

2. Your party had the coolest theme ever … which is now totally embarrassing

3. You had your picture taken “reading” the Torah

4. Your speech was SO smart and funny, especially that joke about your sibling putting up with all your Hebrew chanting

5. You asked all your relatives and your BFFs to come light a candle with you

6. You fulfilled your 13-year lifelong dream of being hoisted up in a chair

7. Everyone watched an unnecessarily long montage of your life that included naked baby pictures

8. You strategically planned out who all your Snowball partners would be

9. You did a choreographed dance with the DJ’s backup dancers that brought down the house

10. The boys were “flirting” with these backup dancers for your entire party

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11. At one point, everyone felt hot hot hot

12. You and your friends wore a fabulous combination of hats, sweatpants, shades, socks and inflatable instruments

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13. You munched on mozzarella sticks and chicken tenders and washed it down with an endless stream of kiddie cocktail, followed by a candy buffet

14. You were a dance master at the “Macarena,” “Cotton-Eyed Joe” and “Cha Cha Slide”

15. You stood in a circle and sang “That’s What Friends are For”

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16. You went home and immediately opened all your envelopes and presents

17. And were frustrated when you learned what a savings bond was

18. You became a “man” or “woman” and your life changed forever