Bar Mitzvah – Coming of age ceremony for boys aged 13. It literally means "Son of Commandment"

(Pronounced Bar-mitz-vah)

To remember the meaning of Bar Mitzvah in Judaism, use the following mnemonic:

They bar mittens in the vast (Bar Mitzvah) synagogue where the boys' coming of-age ceremonies are held.

A Bar Mitzvah is usually performed around a boy’s 13th birthday as part of a service in the synagogue.

The boy is expected to prepare for the ceremony by studying, to fully understand what the event represents.

During the ceremony, the boy puts on the tefillin (a pair of small leather boxes containing Hebrew parchment scrolls, one strapped to the forehead and the other to an arm) for the first time.

The rabbi gives a talk and the boy might also speak to the people gathered.

The boy’s father usually recites a prayer of thanks for bringing his son to maturity.

Afterwards, the boy is presented with gifts and a celebratory meal is served.

After his Bar Mitzvah, a boy becomes responsible for living according to Jewish Law and setting a good example for others.