The Bar/Bat Mitzvah: the Jewish coming of age, is one of the most important days in the life of a Jewish person…
On that day, Bnai Mitzvah become responsible for their own actions…
And you know what Spiderman said:
“With great power comes great responsibility”
So if you’ve been invited to a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, there are a couple of things you need to know. (Hint: make sure you get him a Bar Mitzvah gift that fits the occasion).
Sure, you can get away with giving him money in multiples of $18…but c’mon, this is one of the biggest days of his life! So go the extra yard and get him a unique gift he’ll never forget.
As for the Bat Mitzvah… first things first:
What’s the difference between a Bar & Bat Mitzvah?
Are there any similarities between them?
What do the words “Bar Mitzvah” and “Bat Mitzvah” even mean?
OK OK, enough with the questions. Let’s start getting some answers…
13 years ago your little girl was born.
Now? She’s about to transform into a young woman.
Time sure flies, huh?
Tell me about it… I still remember my Bat Mitzvah ceremony as if it were yesterday (and it’s been more than 12 years ago, believe-you-me)!
And guess what? I’ll ALWAYS remember my Bat Mitzvah (as long as I stay healthy, Amen V’Amen)… it’s, hands down – one of the most special days in a Jewish woman’s life.
Ehm… What was I saying?
Oh right! Finding a Tallit prayer shawl for the Bat Mitzvah girl!
Let’s go do that, shall we? 🙂
How much money should you give for the upcoming Bar Mitzvah?
The million-dollar question (pun intended)…
… What’s too much money? What’s too little?
… Can you give a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah gift instead?
… And what’s the deal with the whole “multiple of 18” thing?
Don’t worry, this article will get rid of all your confusion…
How’s your child’s Bar or Bat Mitzvah preparation coming along? Hopefully, by now you should at least have:
Great! Lets the party started, then!
“HOLD IT RIGHT THERE, Rebecca! What about me? I’m the mother of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah and I don’t have a dress yet. Heck, I’m not even sure what I should wear!”
D’oh! Silly me!
Let’s get you all sorted out, shall we?
Bar/Bat Mitzvah kids adults these days don’t just want a Bar/Bat Mitzvah party. They want their party theme to match their “obsession of the day”.
Sound familiar?
Sure, you chose themed Bar Mitzvah invitations, you ordered themed Bar & Bat Mitzvah favors…
But now?
Now is the time to choose the main course.
And no, I’m not talking about the food… I’m talking about your Bar/Bat Mitzvah centerpieces & decorations.
Every Jewish parent would agree: getting your son’s first Tefillin (and Tallit) for his Bar Mitzvah is incredibly exciting…
That is – until you start researching the different types of Tefillin and what Tefillin you should buy… From that point, It doesn’t take parents more than a few minutes to realize: “damn, buying a Tefillin is more complicated, expensive, and dangerous than I thought.”
Confused? I don’t blame you…
That’s exactly why I wrote this Tefillin buying guide: to help you clear out the smokescreen, tell you everything you need to know about Tefillin, and even help you buy the best Tefillin set for your son’s Bar Mitzvah (or even for yourself).
Sound good?
Let’s get started!
The girl’s Bat Mitzvah is around the corner.
And you’re about to be a part of it…
Yippee! How exciting!
But before you hop on the dance floor and do the chair-dance (spoiler alert), you first need to get the girl a sparkling Bat Mitzvah gift.
A gift that shines… something that will light her up like a Menorah the moment she sees it for the first time.
And what better way to do that than with a unique Bat Mitzvah Jewelry gift?
After all – we all know that Jewish Jewelry gifts are THE best present you can get for a Bat Mitzvah girl on her big day. It’s the ultimate blend of beauty and meaning – which is exactly what the Bat Mitzvah ceremony is all about.
But what kind Jewelry gift should you get her? The million dollar question…
Should you get her a Star of David necklace? Maybe a Hamsa bracelet? How about a Shema Yisrael ring? Perhaps Roman Glass earrings?
Ahhhh! Too many choices!
No wonder people get overwhelmed…
That’s exactly why I spent hours writing this comprehensive Bat Mitzvah Jewelry gift guide…
To help you:
Ready?
Follow the bling…
Your boy is about to celebrate his Bar Mitzvah… how exciting!
“Let’s raise a toast… L’chayim!”
Hold it there, chief! That’s not what the Torah means by “turning into an adult”. So please keep your boy away from the liquor cabinet for the next 8 years (or 5, depends where you live), m’kay?
What it does mean is that your boy is now subject to the Jewish commandments: he wears a Tallit, he puts on Tefillin every morning, he can participate in a Minyan… just like any Jewish man.
So what if your boy is still “in development”? So what if his voice is squeaky? So what if his facial hair is still nowhere to be found (that’ll come in due time, don’t worry)…
As far as the Torah is considered – your boy is now considered a Bar Mitzvah – which means he’s eligible to all of the rights and responsibilities as an adult… because he is an adult.
And as an adult – now’s the time to start dressing like one… now’s the time to get your boy a beautiful Bar Mitzvah suit – a suit that transforms a sweet “little boy” into a handsome young man!
But getting a suit isn’t the same as getting the right suit. Many parents wonder:
All fine questions… How about some answers?
Let’s go get em’!
Winston Churchill famously said:
“He who fails to plan is planning to fail”.
When you look at most parents planning their kid’s Bar/Bat Mitzvah… what do you see?
Poor folks… no wonder they’re so stressed.
But you know what’s funny?
When you ask them: “how’s the Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation coming along?” – they’ll usually put on a nice [fake] smile on their face and say something like: “everything is going GREAT!”.
That’s the moment you realize: everything is NOT great.
The poor parents are racing against the clock, trying to plan the most amazing Bar/Bat Mitzvah party for their kids… but they’re fighting an uphill battle – filled with stress, anxiety and the fear of letting their kids down all lingering over their heads.
What did they do wrong?
Just like Churchill said: they failed to plan… and now they’re suffering the consequences: holes burning in their pockets, nasty bags emerging underneath their eyes, their brain is quickly turning into a pressure cooker.
That’s exactly why I created this guide: to help Jewish parents avoid that trap. Because unlike what pharmaceutical would like us to believe – prevention is always the best cure.
So today, I’ll show you…scratch that. I’ll GIVE you the exact steps, tools, and timelines you need to plan an unforgettable Bar or Bat Mitzvah (without losing your mind in the process)…
Ready? Let’s begin…
Look at these shy tweens… standing there on the sidelines with their phones, instead of gettin’ Jiggy with it on the dancefloor.
But hey… can you blame them?
And when you put those two things together – don’t be surprised if kids are more interested in taking selfies, posting them on Instagram and comparing who’s got more likes.
Bottom line – this isn’t the 90’s anymore. Kids have smartphones – and they’re not afraid to use it.
There’s no point in denying it: if you want your guests to actually have fun at your kid’s Bar/Bat Mitzvah party – you’ll have to raise the bar (pun not intended).
And that’s exactly where these Bar & Bat Mitzvah party activities come into play… Read More…