The Differences Between Confirmations & Bar Mitzvahs

Judaism views Bar and Bat Mitzvah ceremonies and Confirmation ceremonies differently.

Confirmations and Bar/Bat Mitzvahs are both Jewish rites of passage, but the ceremonies differ in a number of respects. Each observance demands that a young Jewish individual learn about her Jewish heritage, religious obligations and the community's expectations. Both ceremonies provide a young Jewish person with the opportunity to develop Jewishly, while connecting with her Jewish birthright. The differences between the ceremonies involve theology and practical application.

Age

When a Jewish girl reaches the age of 12 or a Jewish boy reaches the age of 13, Jewish law obliges the young individual to start observing "halachot," or Jewish laws. At this age, the young adolescent also accepts the obligation, under Jewish law, to perform "mitzvot," or commandments. This day is a boy's "Bar Mitzvah" day or a girl's "Bat Mitzvah" day. A Confirmation ceremony, on the other hand, takes place among a class of high school students who studied together, usually in Sunday school or after-public-school religious classes. Young people are generally about 16 or 17 at their Confirmation ceremony.

Individual vs. Group

Youngsters celebrating their Bar or Bat Mitzvahs schedule the ritual for the Shabbat that falls closest to their 12th or 13th birthday. The actual birthday marks the day that the young girl or boy becomes a "Master of the Commandments," a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. Confirmation ceremonies generally occur in a synagogue or temple at Shavouth time, in the late spring. Shavouth marks the day that the Children of Israel received the Torah at Mount Sinai. Jews celebrate Shavouth by honoring Torah study. Synagogues and temples that host Confirmation ceremonies schedule the ceremony during Shavouth services to honor the class that spent time studying Judaism together.

Place

Confirmation classes hold their ceremonies in the synagogue or temple that affiliates with the religious school in which the students studied. Many Bar and Bat Mitzvah youngsters celebrate their Bar or Bat Mitzvah in their temple or synagogue by chanting the prayers of a Shabbat service and reading from the Torah portion of the week. However, any Jewish youngster who reaches the age of Bar or Bat Mitzvah becomes Bar or Bat Mitzvahed, whether or not he participates in a religious rite.

Recognition

All streams of Judaism recognize the Bar/Bat Mitzvah rite of passage and all synagogues and temples belonging to all of Judaism's denominations hold ceremonies to mark a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. The Confirmation ceremony developed within the Reform movement. Some Reconstructionist and Conservative synagogues adopted the practice, but not all, and Confirmations occur mainly within Reform congregations.

History

The tradition of recognizing a 13-year-old boy or a 12-year-old girl as a Bar or Bat Mitzvah dates back to Talmudic times, 2,000 years ago. The Reform movement initiated the Confirmation ritual approximately 200 years ago.

References

• My Jewish Learning; A Modern Addition to Shavouth; Rabbi Robert Goodman
• My Jewish Learning; History of Bar Mitzvah; Hayyam Schauss
• AISH: ABCs of Bar/Bat Mitzvah