Every faith and culture usually has its own rite of passage. In the Jewish faith, there is no exception. The Bar Mitzvah is the rite of passage that most to all young men that belong to the Jewish faith have. It is the time where a young boy is recognized as becoming a man formally.

When a boy of the Jewish faith turns thirteen years old, the tradition is for him to go through a bar mitzvah. Taking part in a bar mitzvah is more than just the huge parties that bar mitzvahs have come to be known for– although there will most likely be a huge party following the ceremony. Read on to find out more about what goes into this type of event.

When a boy turns thirteen and is an active member of the Jewish faith along with his family, he will have a bar mitzvah. When having one, he will accept the responsibilities that come with being a man. This includes fulfilling the mitzvahs, the commandments of the Torah. He does this at the mitzvah ceremony, where his family and members of the Jewish community are present.

After the ceremony, there will be a celebration. This is a large party where friends and family are invited to come and celebrate the rite of passage of a young boy becoming a man in his faith. This is considered a very important day but after the ceremony is done the time to party has come. These parties are often a combination of the formal and fun and is not uncommon for there to be DJs, MCs, music, and even performances. Sometimes money can be no option!

There is also plenty of dancing and eating and drinking too. Bar Mitzvahs are for boys, but some branches of Judaism have celebrations for the girls called Bat Mitzvahs. They are opportunities to recognize a rite of passage within the community and a time where everyone comes together to celebrate this commitment to faith and transition time in one’s life. The community welcomes the young man to his duties, his faith, his community, and new life as an adult.

Usually, the ceremony is at one location and the party is at another venue. The planning that goes into these parties can begin months ahead of time. From finding a good venue to selecting a theme and arranging for food, drink, music, and more, these parties can get quite elaborate. Meanwhile, in the time leading up to the big day, the young man is usually attending special study classes to brush up on their Hebrew prayers and chants as they will be leading the service during their Bar Mitzvah.

Bar Mitzvahs are one big blend of religion, faith, family, culture, history, rites of passage, and a party. It’s a day filled with ceremony, with food, with drinks, gift giving, dancing, and a celebration. If you are celebrating your Bar Mitzvah soon, have fun, and if you are invited to one or planning one, enjoy the day and celebrate this special time in life! Eat, drink, and celebrate!