One day, you'll probably stand in front of a congregation and deliver a bar/bat mitzvah speech. Most likely, at the end of that speech, you'll thank everyone who helped you prepare. If you're careless, this part of your speech could sound shallow or insincere. We thought it would be fun to spoof the way some people give lip service to showing appreciation-hakarat hatov, (recognizing good). In contrast to repeating empty "thank-yous," regularly recognizing the good in your life and praising God will teach you an attitude of gratitude. You can personalize these prank note cards and print them out. Show the cards to your parents when they ask to see your speech!

1. Thank you to my parents for throwing away the first draft of my bar/bat mitzvah speech, which I frantically scribbled on the back of a _______________ (candy wrapper, hall-pass, report card, etc.), while we were driving to Hebrew school
2. Thank you to Rabbi _____________ (name) for constantly refilling that bowl of___________________ (food/candy) in your office. Because my mouth was always full, you never asked me any questions. And by the way, my sincerest apologies for the stains on your fancy _________________ (color) chair.
3. Thank you to Hazzan _____________(name) not only for replacing all _________ (number) Torah trope CDs that I lost, but also for never losing your temper-except the time you forced me to chant Adon Olam to the melody of_____________________ (name of mind-numbing song).
4. Thank you to my siblings and cousins for participating in the service. By ruining the melody to _________________ (prayer), you made my davening sound heavenly by comparison.
5. Thank you to my relatives,________________________ (names) who traveled ___________ (number) miles to cough and sneeze throughou t the entire service . You kept everyone so distracted, they missed all my mistakes
6. Special thanks to my pet____________ (dog, cat, goldfish, bat, snake), who listened to me chant my Torah portion _______________ (number) times and never found a mistake.
7. Thank you to the gabbai, who forgot his reading glasses this Shabbat.
8. Special thanks to the congregation, because you didn't wretch when you put on the _____________________ (mismatched colors) Kippot that I picked out for the occasion.
9. Special thanks to my friends for never laughing when my aunts squeezed my cheek and called me "sweet bubbele."
10. Thank you to the Brotherhood and Sisterhood volunteers who confused the Kiddush wine and the grape juice during the_________________________ (meal).