bat mitzvah
Girl's religious debut
A bat mitzvah is the coming-of-age ceremony for a Jewish girl, typically at age twelve or thirteen, marking her assumption of religious responsibilities.
The term also refers to the girl herself: My niece is becoming a bat mitzvah this spring.
The celebration often includes a synagogue service where she reads from the Torah, followed by a party.
The male equivalent is bar mitzvah.
Judaism's core scripture
- synagogueJewish house of worship
- rabbiJewish spiritual leader
- HebrewSemitic language of Israel
- bimahSynagogue's central platform
tallit · kippah · Shabbat · kosher · Yiddish · menorah · challah · siddur
Liturgical scripture chanting
- aliyahTorah reading summons
- blessingPrayer seeking divine favor
- prayerAddress to deity
- bimahSynagogue's central platform
cantor · rabbi · congregation · ark · procession · chanting · Hebrew · trope
Teenage developmental stage
- thirteenAfter twelve, before fourteen
- teenagerPerson aged thirteen-nineteen
- milestoneNotable event marking progress
- maturityFull growth achieved
responsibility · transition · growth · identity · adulthood · womanhood · independence · empowerment
Gathering for celebration
- festivitiesCelebratory events and activities
- guestsPeople received hospitably
- familyRelated people together
- friendsVoluntary close relations
dance · music · DJ · cake · decorations · balloons · invitations · presents
Torah
Judaism's core scripture
bimah · tallit · kippah · Shabbat · kosher · Yiddish · menorah · challah · siddur · tefillin
Torah reading
Liturgical scripture chanting
bimah · cantor · rabbi · congregation · ark · procession · chanting · Hebrew · trope · passage
adolescence
Teenage developmental stage
- thirteenAfter twelve, before fourteen
- teenagerPerson aged thirteen-nineteen
- milestoneNotable event marking progress
maturity · responsibility · transition · growth · identity · adulthood · womanhood · independence · empowerment · self-discovery
party
Gathering for celebration
- festivitiesCelebratory events and activities
- guestsPeople received hospitably
- familyRelated people together
friends · dance · music · DJ · cake · decorations · balloons · invitations · presents · toasts
- initiation ritesrite of passage, initiation rite, walkabout, tribal initiation, puberty rites
- Jewish ritualsbrit milah, kiddush, havdalah, wedding, chuppah
- synagogue eventssynagogue service, temple service, minyan, Torah reading, kiddush
- traditionstradition, custom, customs, cultural practices, rituals
- partiesbirthday party, party, costume party, house party, dinner party
- JewishTorah, Shabbat, kosher, rabbi, synagogue
bat mitzvahbris
Jewish circumcision ceremony
brit milah · funeral · shiva · Jewish wedding · unveiling