Conservative Judaism/Bar Mitzvah

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Expert: - 4/13/2005


Question
Would you explain for mw the significance of the Bar Mitzvah ceremony for Jews? I teach 14 year old children.

Answer
Dear Gillian,

Thanks for writing. I'm sorry that Comcast has been down and only "up" occasionally in my neighborhood. I don't know when this message will go out and reach you, but I hope that it is soon, and I apologize for the tardiness.

Bar Mitzvah (and Bat Mitzvah later for girls) is really not a ceremony in history; it is a status meaning "subject to the rule of the commandments as defined by the Rabbinic heritage derived from the Torah=Five Books of Moses and from later Rabbinic interpretation and even legislation.

In terms of ceremony, as it became clear that both the signs of physical maturity and also the age of "majority" it became customary apparently in the middle ages that the boy would be called to an honor of reading from the Five Books of Moses in recognition of his new-found status within the community. He now could be considered an "adult" in terms of religious standing although clearly he was too young to be really an adult.

Best wishes and again apologies for whenever this reaches you.

Rabbi Dov

Conservative Judaism

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Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner

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Write to me with questions about Jewish customs and law, history, philosophy and tradition for answers from a Conservative perspective or conversion. I am a graduate of The Jewish Theological Seminary and a member of the Conservative Rabbinical Assembly. Having served in congregational pulpits since 1970, I now am President of the Foundation For Family Education, Inc. a non-profit educational endeavor. I established it to create new formats of hands-on programs and provide free educational downloads at www.jewishfreeware.org. In addition to general informational questions I welcome your questions about programs for social action, outreach to dual-faith families, inter-faith clergy projects, healing services, education for conversion, adult education for the congregation and the community. If you have questions about Informal and Formal Education I am ready to share my extensive experience with Youth Activities, Camping and Religious School/Hebrew High School on a congregational, community and national/international level.

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I have served on the National Youth Commission for more than 25 years and serve on the Boards of the Conservative Zionist movement MERCAZ and the World Council of Synagogues. I have always dual-families and taught candidates for conversion with a great sense of fulfillment. I am very proud of 25 years on the Jewish camping staff of Camps Ramah. My greatest source of pride is my family! Ask me about them, please!:-)

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