- A Bar Mitzvah is a precious time in a young boy’s life when he leaves behind the world of adolescents and steps into the world of adulthood. There is a common misconception that, after a boy participates in a Bar Mitzvah, he is free from all parent rule, instantly has all the freedoms of an adult and is given a lot of Bar Mitzvah gifts.
- In reality, the ceremony really marks the time in a boy’s young life when his parents are no longer responsible for ensuring that he follows the Jewish traditions, ethics and rules provided by the Torah. The gifts are actually in honor of the boy for taking upon the responsibility of seeing his daily Jewish responsibilities accomplished.
- If you are invited to witness a young boy being called to the Bema on a Saturday morning service, you may also be invited to celebrate with the boy and his family after the service. Sometimes the reception is a simple Kiddish with wine and snack foods, and other times the celebration is much more elaborate – it all depends on tradition.
If you are searching for thoughtful Bar Mitzvah gifts, here is a list to start you off:
o Kiddish cup – although this is a somewhat common gift, you can find many different Kiddish cups that are brilliant and beautiful, fun and sporty or somewhat plain looking. The Kiddish cup will be used by the boy as he grows up and it is one day his turn to say Kiddish for the Sabbath meals.
o Tallis – a beautiful tallis is always a great gift. Many Jewish men have more than one tallis for different occasions. A tallis that is hand painted, hand embroidered or hand sewn in beautiful patterns are often saved for the High Holidays and other special times of the year.