What are some traditions related to Bar/Bat Mitzvah?
Traditionally, boys begin to don Tefillin on their Bar Mitzvah (or several months before), and are called up to to the Torah for an Aliyah. Often, the Bar Mitzvah boy will wear a Tallit. Many boys read from the Torah and the Haftara on their Bar Mitzvah Shabbat, and are expected to give a Drashah on the Parshah. Some Bar Mitzvah boys lead services. A celebration is held to mark this special occasion, and friends and family are invited to share in a festive meal. It is customary to give gifts to the Bar Mitzvah / Bat Mitzvah.
On a Bar Mitzvah, the celebrant is customarily showered with a variety of gifts from friends and family. Traditional gifts like the Kiddush cups and tefillin are common. The kippot is also quite common as a gift from someone in the family. The celebrant is supposed to wear the kippot during the services at the synagogue. The tallit is given by the father to the son or daughter during the Bar Mitzvah as a sign of welcoming him into adulthood. Usually made of wool, the tallit can be made of materials except a combination of linen and wool, which is prohibited by the Torah. . Tallits also are available in many varieties like silk tallit, wool tallit, carmel tallit, hermon tallit, polyester-wool tallits etc. Both men and women can wear a tallit. The tallit is usually supposed to cover the shoulders and the head, however most of them are long enough to cover most of the body. These traditional gifts also bind the child into the Jewish customs and serve as
Traditionally, boys begin to don Tefillin on their Bar Mitzvah (or several months before), and are called up to to the Torah for an Aliyah . Often, the Bar Mitzvah boy will wear a Tallit. Many boys read from the Torah and the Haftara on their Bar Mitzvah Shabbat, and are expected to give a Drashah on the Parshah. Some Bar Mitzvah boys lead services. A celebration is held to mark this special occasion, and friends and family are invited to share in a festive meal. It is customary to give gifts to the Bar/Bat Mitzvah. In many non-orthodox congregations in America, Bar and Bat Mitzvah are celebrated in the same way. You should check with your rabbi what is customary in your community. The celebration of Bat Mitzvah is much more recent in Judaism. • Click here http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/Judaism/firstbat.html to see how the first Bat Mitzvah was celebrated in America .
