Full Answer
What happens during a bar mitzvah ceremony?
The day begins with a traditional ceremony and prayer services typically held in the synagogue which includes a Shabbat service. The bar mitzvah boy or bat mitzvah girl is called up to the Torah to recite prayers and readings in Hebrew, which have taken years of learning, studying, and practicing during their bar/bat mitzvah lessons.
When is the Bar/Bat Mitzvah?
The bar or bar mitzvah is usually celebrated on the Shabbat closest to the child's thirteenth birthday. Congregations usually schedule these dates a couple of years in advance, giving the family plenty of time to plan for the day. What does the bar/bat mitzvah do in the service?
When did Reform Judaism end the bar mitzvah?
In the 1800s, Reform Judaism abolished bar mitzvah in favor of confirmation for both boys and girls (bat mitzvah was not considered an option at that time).
How long before the bar mitzvah should we start our Lessons?
How long before the bar mitzvah should we start our lessons? The optimal preparation time can vary between six and eighteen months, depending on the Hebrew reading level of the student and whether he wants to learn to read from the Torah or chant the haftarah.
How long is the average bar mitzvah ceremony?
The length of service will ultimately depend on the movement of Judaism that the family practices. Reform Bar and Bat Mitzvah services will run about 90 minutes to two hours.
What is a Bat Mitzvah reform ceremony?
Bar and Bat Mitzvah ceremonies mark the transition into adulthood for young Jews. At age 13 a boy becomes Bar Mitzvah and at age 13 a girl becomes a Bat Mitzvah. Bar and Bat Mitzvah ceremonies are significant because they are seen as the time of coming of age, when a child becomes an adult.
What do you wear to a reform bar mitzvah?
Men are typically expected to wear a suit or slacks and a tie. Women should wear a modest dress or formal pantsuit. Avoid anything that shows a lot cleavage or leg. Bare shoulders should be covered with a shawl or bolero jacket.
How long is bar mitzvah preparation?
Typically kids start studying for the ceremony nine months in advance and should practise daily for 10 to 15 minutes. “It's a big body of knowledge the kids have to learn,” Axelrod said on the phone last week.
How much do you give for Bat Mitzvah?
How to Consider an Appropriate Bar Mitzvah Gift Amount. For a teen who's attending a peer's bar or bat mitzvah, $36, $54 or $78 are all pretty standard bar mitzvah gift amounts. Exactly how much a young person decides to give will generally reflect their financial means and how close they are to the guest of honor.
What is an appropriate gift for a Bat Mitzvah?
Choosing a Bar or Bat Mitzvah Present Traditional Bar Mitzvah gifts often include a ritually significant amount of money, educational books, Jewish ritual items or a cookbook that celebrates Jewish cooking. You can also take a more personalized slant by buying the teen something to foster their hobbies and passions.
Do you give cash or check for bar mitzvah?
First and second family members will usually give a generous sum of money, something around 400 – 1,000 shekels (120-280 $), and sometimes even more. However, no need to be alarmed. If you are a family you can share a present with the parents or the brothers, so the amount of money you give can be lower.
Can you show your shoulders in a synagogue?
over a year ago. Women's shoulders need to be covered. Men need to wear a kippah or hat. But they will give you should and head covering there if you don't have your own.
Can you wear jeans to a bar mitzvah?
Boys should wear jeans with a button down in a fun color or print and can add a sport coat or jacket, but no tie. If you want to make it a little more formal, wear pants instead of jeans. Girls should wear jeans with something glamorous.
What are the steps in a bar mitzvah?
But in general, you can expect something like this:The Service. Torah Readings. The Tefillin. Bar Mitzvah Speeches.The Party or Celebration. Gifts. Prayers and Blessings. Toasts.
What is memorized for a bar mitzvah?
Study Torah. The Torah contains all of the teachings and rituals of Jewish culture. You don't have to memorize it or even be able to quote it, you just have to read it and understand what it's saying.
What do you have to do at a bar mitzvah?
The bar mitzvah ceremony consists of a number of traditional rituals, including the reading of the Torah, the giving of a speech, and the breaking of a glass. The bar mitzvah ceremony is a religious event that celebrates when a Jewish boy reaches the age of maturity and becomes responsible for his own actions.
What color do you wear to a bat mitzvah?
Men and boys wear suits or dark jackets and slacks, or black tie attire. Girls and ladies wear cocktail attire, or long skirts or dresses.
Can a woman wear pants to a bar mitzvah?
Women are encouraged to wear a dress or nice pantsuit. For men, either a suit or slacks, tie, and jacket. Some communities may be more traditional and women are discouraged from wearing pants, and men should go more formal, so be sure to ask the host if you feel unsure.
What should I wear to a bar mitzvah boy?
Men and even boys will often wear designer suits with ties. If you do not wish to wear a tailored suit, you should opt for one of your high end dress shirts, dress pants, a tie, and an optional blazer or suit jacket to bring the look together.
Can I wear a short dress to a bat mitzvah?
The dress code for the reception is generally semi-formal, so you can wear the same outfit you wore to the ceremony. A modest, midi-length dress, comfortable pumps, and a pendant necklace will be just fine for the ladies, and men can keep their suits on from the ceremony.
How long is a bat mitzvah?
The religious service in which a Jewish person is recognized as a bar or bat mitzvah is about two to three hours long. The actual amount of time during the service in which that occurs is relatively short. It consists of being called to the Torah for the final (Maftir) reading during that service and may be followed by readin
How long is Shabbat service?
However, very typically, the Shabbat morning service lasts two to three hours without a bar (or bat) mitzvah celebration, and may last about half an hour longer WITH a bar (or bat) mitzvah. The mood is typically more upbeat than ‘normal’ and usually there are many out of town visitors in the audience - all those things cause the service itself to run longer than normal. Even without interpretive dance and poetry readings.
What age do you have to be to read the Torah?
Bar and bat mitzvahs take place when a boy or girl of about 13 years of age is called to read or witness the reading of the Torah for the first time. It is a rite of passage in which that person embraces the rights and responsibilities of adulthood in Jewish religious law.
When is the Torah reading?
The Torah is read during morning and afternoon services on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays (Shabbat) as well as holidays and New Moons. Usually bar and bat mitzvahs take place on Saturdays at the Torah reading. The person becoming a bar or bat mitzvah may also be asked to lead other prayers, give speeches about the Torah reading and thank teachers, family members and close friends, and/or receive official congratulations from parents, the rabbi, and/or a congregation official.
What is the name of the boy's mitzvah?
At that point, they are ‘b’nei mitzvah’ (the boy is bar mitzvah, the girl is bat mitzvah).
What does "ceremony" mean in the synagogue?
By “ceremony” you probably mean the reading from the Tora in the synagogue? It takes as long as it takes, depending on the length of the portion to be read etc.
Is there a bar mitzva?
There’s no bar mitzva ceremony. Bar Mitzva merely infers that a young man has attained age 13. At this point, he is required to perform all of the commandments that an adult Jewish is obligated to perform. (Girls attain majority at age 12)
When did bar mitzvah start?
While the beginnings of the modern bar mitzvah ceremony appeared as early as the sixth century C.E., it was not until the Middle Ages that a fully developed ritual emerged. By the 13th or 14th century, the custom of calling a boy up to the Torah was established as the way of recognizing entry into manhood.
How to prepare for a bar mitzvah?
In addition to Jewish history, observance, and the study of Torah, children learn how to participate in and lead worship. As part of the preparation to become a bar or bat mitzvah, most synagogues ask boys and girls to participate in a mitzvah project. In doing so, they apply their Jewish learning to help make the world a better place.
What is the name of the gala feast that the bar mitzvah boy would give?
The bar mitzvah boy would often give a scholarly address on the Torah portionor some section of the Talmud. Then followed a gala feast, called s'udat mitzvah ("meal of celebrating the performance of a mitzvah"), to which family, friends, and sometimes the entire Jewish community would be invited.
What does "bar" mean in Hebrew?
What is the meaning of bar/bat mitzvah? Bar and bat mitzvah mean, literally, "son and daughter of the commandment.". Bat mitzvah is Hebrew, while bar mitzvah, historically a much earlier ceremony, is Aramaic. The word bar is the Aramaic equivalent of the Hebrew ben (son of). While bar and bat mitzvah are often used to refer to the ceremony, ...
What is a child called when they become a bar mitzvah?
Once a child becomes a bar or bat mitzvah, they may now be counted in a minyan, the quorum required for the recitation of certain prayers during a worship service. They may now be called for an aliyah, or invited to read from the Torah on future occasions. A child, having become a bar or bat mitzvah, may now go on to advanced Jewish learning in ...
What age did Jewish girls start performing mitzvot?
Starting in the second or third century C.E., Jewish girls at age 12 took on legal responsibility for the performance of the mitzvot. As with age 13 for boys, 12 probably corresponded with their onset of puberty. However, girls were subject to far fewer commandments than boys. Today, liberal Jews affirm the total equality of women in terms of religious privileges and responsibilities. In the 1800s, Reform Judaism abolished bar mitzvah in favor of confirmation for both boys and girls (bat mitzvah was not considered an option at that time). Within the 19th-century traditional community, some families held a s'udat mitzvah for a daughter on her 12th birthday, with the girl sometimes delivering a talk and her father reciting the Baruch Sheptarani.
When was the first bat mitzvah?
The first-known bat mitzvah in North America was that of Judith Kaplan, the daughter of Mordecai Kaplan, in 1921 . Reform Judaism (which had by this time reintroduced bar mitzvah) and then Conservative congregations quickly adopted bat mitzvah, though in slightly different forms.
How long does a bar mitzvah last?
The Bar Mitzvah party is basically a bit like a wedding reception and typically lasts about as long. The elements of the event may vary depending on which congregation is celebrating with more Orthodox congregations maybe d
How long is a Reform church service?
The length of the service depends on the congregation. Reform services last between 45 - 60 minutes. Other denominations will last 2 - 3 hours.
What is a bar mitzvah?
When a child has a bar mitzvah he participates in the regular Saturday morning (Shabbat) prayer service. During the service the child will show they have learned something of Judaism by reading Torah and/or leading prayers and/or speaking on a topic related to that day’s Torah portion. All of the above activities occur as part of the normal Shabbat service and is done by clergy and/or congregants. The bar mitzvah part is the child performing those parts of the regular service.
How long is the synagogue service?
The worship service, if you are there for the whole thing, will be about 2 1/2 hours.
What is a later date synagogue?
Possible ‘later date’ occasions might be confirmation, if your synagogue does those, or your 18th birthday - some other occasions which is suitable for inviting a large number of family and guests.
Can you celebrate your bar mitzvah at any time?
If your parents or you, need to postpone the public celebration of your status as a bar mitzvah for a few years, then that’s fine. A bar mitzvah STATUS can be celebrated at any time. Many people have ‘adult bar mitzvah’ (celebrations) because they never had one at the usual age.
Can you read Torah at 13?
You will be old enough to be counted in a minyan, old enough to be called to the Torah, and so forth. In fact, you CAN be counted in a minyan and called to read from the Torah, as soon as you are 13, and that in fact IS the public ‘celebration’ of the ‘bar mitzvah’ (you). There may not be a fancy party, but the actual ‘event’ is the public acknowledgement, by the congregation (your community) that there is now a new adult member (you).
How Is a Bar Mitzvah Celebrated?
From time immemorial, Jewish custom has been to mark this milestone with a synagogue ceremony welcoming the bar mitzvah boy to the world of Jewish adulthood and initiating him in the opportunities and responsibilities that come along with his new status.
What is a bar mitzvah?
Bar Mitzvah in Short. Bar mitzvah is Hebrew for “son of commandment.”. When a Jewish boy turns 13, he has all the rights and obligations of a Jewish adult, including the commandments of the Torah. From that date, he will wear tefillin on a daily basis, participate in synagogue services and take his place in the Jewish community.
How many mitzvahs are there in the Torah?
The Torah contains 613 mitzvahs —rather an overwhelming prospect for the bar mitzvah boy. What better way to prepare to observe them than by taking one mitzvah and making it his own? For a “mitzvah project,” the boy researches one mitzvah in depth so that, when the time comes, he is able to observe it to the fullest.
Why is a bar mitzvah important?
A bar mitzvah is not just a once in a lifetime event, rather it’s an important link in a continuous chain of religious and spiritual experiences. Therefore the most important aspect of the bar mitzvah is not the party or the performance, but the impact and long term effect this experience will have on the young man’s identity as a Jew. The preparations for the bar mitzvah should reflect this focus and not be dominated by less important matters.
Where do bar mitzvah boys give speeches?
A Bar Mitzvah boy giving a speech (Serraf Studio) It’s customary for the bar mitzvah boy to deliver a speech, either in the synagogue after the Torah reading or at the reception that follows.
How long does it take to learn to read the Torah?
The optimal preparation time can vary between six and eighteen months, depending on the Hebrew reading level of the student and whether he wants to learn to read from the Torah or chant the haftarah. The earlier the lessons start, the less pressure there will be on the bar mitzvah boy as the date approaches.
How to receive an Aliyah?
In order to receive an aliyah, one must be familiar with the procedure of being called up to the Torah and know the blessings recited before and after the reading.
What to expect at a bar mitzvah party?
Ultimately, it is up to the bar mitzvah boy or the bat mitzvah girl what they want to serve on their big day. Guests can usually expect there to be cake on the menu—it is a birthday party after all—and the cake is often part of the candle lighting ritual.
What is a bar mitzvah?
A bar/bat mitzvah is a rite of passage to celebrate a Jewish boy or girl entering adulthood. This milestone represents the beginning of their journey to follow Jewish law in the religious community. This is typically held around the boy’s thirteenth birthday and the girl’s twelfth or thirteenth birthday after two to three years ...
Why do men wear yarmulkes at bat mitzvah?
These are the traditional caps worn to show respect for the bar mitzvah boy, the religion, and God. Photo: Lindsay’s bat mitzvah captured by Michael Jurick Photography.
What is a bar mitzvah girl called?
The bar mitzvah boy or bat mitzvah girl is called up to the Torah to recite prayers and readings in Hebrew, which have taken years of learning, studying, and practicing during their bar/bat mitzvah lessons. After reading from the Torah, they share a special speech about how they will apply these lessons in their everyday life.
Why is a bar mitzvah card important?
This is an important milestone because your loved one is no longer a child, but turning into an adult. We suggest offering life advice, writing about a memory together, or just share your congratulations for the dedication and hard work they have put forth throughout their childhood.
What is the Jewish tradition of the evening?
This is a song and dance where the guests of honor (the child followed by their parents) each take a turn sitting in a chair and being raised in the air by their guests with surrounding guests holding hands and dancing in circles. A hora will energize the crowd and last about fifteen minutes.
What happens after reading the Torah?
After reading from the Torah, they share a special speech about how they will apply these lessons in their everyday life. Once the religious ceremony and the necessary steps are complete, the boy or girl is now considered an adult in the eyes of the Jewish Community.
Etymology
Origin
- The bar mitzvah ceremony was developed as a public recognition of a legal and religious status, attained with or without the ritual. In other words, a Jewish boy of 13 years and one day automatically became a bar mitzvah even if no public ceremony took place. While the beginnings of the modern bar mitzvah ceremony appeared as early as the sixth century C.E., it was not until …
Early history
- The first-known bat mitzvah in North America was that of Judith Kaplan, the daughter of Mordecai Kaplan, in 1921. Reform Judaism (which had by this time reintroduced bar mitzvah) and then Conservative congregations quickly adopted bat mitzvah, though in slightly different forms.
Significance
- In Reform synagogues, girls and boys mark symbolic entry into Jewish adulthood at age thirteen. The bar or bar mitzvah is usually celebrated on the Shabbat closest to the child's thirteenth birthday. Congregations usually schedule these dates a couple of years in advance, giving the family plenty of time to plan for the day. Most families consider the synagogue the most meanin…
Services
- Depending on the congregation, boys and girls may conduct all or part of the service, read or chant the b'rachot over the Torah (an aliyah), read a section from the Torah portionfor that week, read or chant the b'rachot for the haftarah, read a section from the haftarah, and deliver a sermon.
Use
- In Reform Judaism, any adult Jewish member of the congregation may be called up to the Torah for an aliyah at any Torah service. It is common practice in all branches of Judaism to mark with an aliyah occasions such as the birth of a child, an impending marriage, or recovery from an illness.
Preparation
- For bar/bat mitzvah to be both a meaningful and substantive Jewish moment, it is essential that it be based on more than a crash course of study. Several years in the religious/Hebrew school of a synagogue prior to bar/bat mitzvah is recommended as a minimum of requisite Jewish education. In addition to Jewish history, observance, and the study of Torah, children learn how to participa…
Culture
- While the custom of each congregational community most often dictates the form of bar/bat mitzvah parties, more Jewish families today invest the celebration with deeper Jewish feeling. Israeli dancing and singing, for example, as well as the giving of tzedakah, are evident more than ever. Jews love simchahs and celebrations with family and friends, and now that joy is being sh…