Bnei Mitzvah

Bar/bat mitzvah parties so dominate the social lives of teens in New York City that, according to a New York Times article, non-Jewish families are holding “faux mitzvahs” for their envious offspring. What is a bar/bat mitzvah supposed to be? How did it end up like this? Read our overview to learn more, and check out the many new ways families are meaningfully enhancing their bar/bat mitzvah celebrations.

Latest Rituals

A Prayer of Thanks After Your Child’s B’nei Mitzvah When You’re Divorced

Our family, so shattered, so seemingly broken, was given new life today.

B Mitzvah, divorce, gratitude, joy, miracle

a person in a purple tallit gathers the four tzit-tzit in their hands

Adult B’nei Mitzvah Mikveh Ritual

This ritual is designed for an adult B’nei Mitzvah cohort in advance of their service.

adult b'nei mitzvah, mikveh

woman with long hair underwater

Lech Lecha’s Promise

blessing, journey

person climbing hill in sandy desert with footsteps behind them and bright blue sky with white clouds above

Blessing for a B”Mitzvah by Non-Jewish Family Members

“We are proud of your pride in being Jewish”

A rabbi bring the Torah to a member of the congregation

A Prayer for Self-Celebration

“May you know your bounty”

blessing, celebration, growth, joy

tree in the center of image with light shining through, woman dancing to the right, wearing a gauzy white dress that's blowing as she dances with her hands outstretched. she has brown hair and light or olive skin.

Berukhah At (Shehekheyatnu): A Divine Feminine Blessing for Momentous Occasions

“We praise you, Shekhinah, / who has given us life”

shehekheyanu, Shekhinah

purple flowers with a banner reading brucha at bayta diamond

We All Have a Name

“We all have a name / given by the mountains we climb”

name change, naming

person standing on mountain in front of sea of clouds and sunshine

Liturgy to Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Bat Mitzvah

Honoring Bat Mitzvah pioneers

anniversary, feminism

Illustration of five people ascending stairs towards a person reading at a podium, text reads Rise Up: Bat Mitzvah at 100.

Tomorrow

“Your birthright renews every breath”

children, grandparents, hope

A family stands in a field at sunset, as a child points toward the horizon.

Sibling Blessing

“May you never feel alone for you will always have each other”

baby naming, blessing

Two children walk arm in arm down a leaf-strewn forest path in black and white.