Mazal Tov! A Bar/Bat Mitzvah is an important ceremony for Jewish boys and girls, a special Sabbath service in which the boy/girl participates for the first time as an adult. Jewish law states that when Jewish children reach the age of majority, they become responsible for their actions and must follow the 613 laws of the Torah.
Like weddings, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebration is an occasion to give the celebrant a special keepsake gift. There are traditional gifts, such as books with religious or educational value and/or savings bonds, but why not kick your gift-giving up a notch and give them something they’ll keep forever?
Charm necklaces and bracelets are great ways to express your congratulations to a girl for her Bat Mitzvah. The gematria, or numerical equivalence of the Hebrew word for “life,” is the number 18. A unique idea would be to give her an 18” chain necklace (in 18K gold maybe?) with a special pendant or charm…or a charm bracelet with 18 charms!
A jewelry gift can even be given in a personalized trinket box, or paired with 18 dollar bills for an extra touch.
If you want to give money to a boy for his Bar Mitzvah, try putting cash or a gift card into a funky duct tape wallet. What teen boy doesn’t like food? Another gift idea is a gigantic Bar/Bat Mitzvah fortune cookie, which can be personalized to say anything you want. You can even insert a check or gift certificate inside instead of a fortune, for an even bigger surprise!
Of course, for a truly commemorative gift, you could always give the recipient a customized Star of David frame, with their own photo inside and their name/date of the event engraved at the bottom. There are also personalized Star of David keepsake boxes for Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, with enough room inside to place money, jewelry, trinkets…you name it!
A Bar/Bat Mitzvah is a way of formalizing and celebrating ones place in the adult Jewish community, so be sure you congratulate them with a gift that they will remember forever!