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A Bat Mitzvah celebration is a celebration for Jewish women who are celebrating their coming of age and religious as well as spiritual maturity. It is basically identical to the celebration that occurs when young Jewish men celebrate becoming a Bar Mitzvah. There are several important parts to the celebration, and they occur at a very... more »
When a Jewish boy or girl turns 13, he or she is considered a member of the adult population and must abide by the Commandments. To honor this occasion, the child will have a Bar Mitzvah (for boys) or a Bat Mitzvah (for girls), where the child will participate in several rituals to honor his or her passing into adulthood. It's... more »
The Haftarah is a passage from one of the Books of the Prophets which is chanted in Hebrew in synagogues on the Sabbath and festivals. It is chanted using special melodies called “tropes” which evolved to indicate phrasing and punctuation to listeners who could not read the text. A Bar or Bat Mitzvah usually is the first time that a... more »
Gifts for children are often fun for the giver and the recipient alike. There are an enormous number of products available for children. For a gift to truly be hit with a child, and acceptable to the child's parent, it needs to be appropriate for the child. The more information the giver has about the child, the more likely it is that... more »
A bar or bat mitzvah, the coming of age ritual for young Jews, is often taken very seriously by the family. That's not to say you can't have a good time. Being "classy" and putting in a good appearance at one of these events means knowing the history behind the tradition as well as being on your best behavior. Though a bar or bat... more »
When a girl becomes a Bat Mitzvah, her parents usually hold a big party to celebrate. Select a memorable and meaningful theme for the party to... more »
A Jewish girl's Bat Mitzvah is an meaningful coming-of-age ceremony that is celebrated with family and friends. Select invitations that will give... more »
Attending, hosting or being a Bat Mitzvah girl are all important roles that require a certain amount of decorum. If you know the proper way to... more »
As a Jewish girl, your Bat Mitzvah marks your passage into adulthood in the Jewish religion, and it is your moment in the spotlight. Select the... more »
In Judaism, a Bar Mitzvah is a boy, and a Bat Mitzvah a girl, who has gone through what is in some respects a Jewish coming-of-age ceremony. The terms also commonly refer to the ceremony itself, which normally takes place when the child has turned 13 (for a girl in the Orthodox movement, 12).
* Bar Mitzvah (pl. Bnai Mitzvah) comes from the Aramaic: בר מצוה, "one (m.) to whom the commandments apply". (If it were Hebrew it would be בן (ben) not בר (bar). בר is "son" in Aramaic, and בן (ben) is son in Hebrew.).
* Bat Mitzvah ((pl. Bnot Mitzvah) is בת מצוה, "one (f.) to whom the commandments apply" (Ashkenazi: Bas Mitzvah).
There is a common misconception that the Bar Mitzvah ceremony causes a change in status from youth to adulthood. The rights and responsibilities vest solely because of age; the Bar Mitzvah ceremony is typically an ordinary Sabbath service, in which the boy or girl participates for the first time as an adult.
According to Jewish law, when Jewish children reach the age of majority (generally thirteen years for boys and twelve for girls) they become responsible for their actions, and "become a Bar or Bat Mitzvah". In many Conservative and Reform synagogues, girls celebrate their Bat Mitzvahs at age 13, along with boys. This also coincides with physical puberty.Niddah, 45b. Prior to this, the childs parents hold the responsibility for the childs adherence to Jewish law and tradition and, after this age, children bear their own responsibility for Jewish ritual law, tradition, and ethics and are privileged to participate in all areas of Jewish community life.Traditionally, the father of the Bar Mitzvah boy gives thanks to God that he is no longer punished for the childs sins. (Genesis Rabba, Toldot 23:11)
In modern Jewish observance, the occasion of becoming a Bar Mitzvah or (in non-Orthodox congregations) a Bat Mitzvah usually involves the young man or woman being called to read the Torah and/or Haftarah portion at a S read more at » http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar+and+Bat+Mitzvah
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