Session session = ...; Club club = session.get( Club.class, 1 ); Person p1 = session.get( Person.class, 1 ); Person p2 = session.get( Person.class, 1); club.getMembers().add( p1 ); club.getMembers().add( p2 ); // this evaluates to true assert club.getMembers.size() == 1;