 |
|
        
|
A young woman reaches the age where she is responsible for all of the commandments. This important time can be marked in many ways. This section explores the topic of Bat Mitzvah and how to celebrate the young woman's transition in a meaningful way.
|
| |
Sort results by:
|
|
|
Brown, Erica S.
"The Bat Mitzvah in Jewish Law and Contemporary Practice," Brown, Erica S.. Jewish Legal Writings by Women, ed. Micah Halperin and Chana Safrai, Urim, 1998, 232-258.
Synopsis: Erica Brown's article is a plea for the Orthodox rabbinic establishment to create a uniform ceremony to acknowledge a young woman's reaching the age of obligation in commandments. She presents a halakhic analysis of the aspects of suggestions for such a ceremony that would include young women in ritual performance. The author wishes to ensure that the next generation of Jewish women will be spiritually demanding, ritually observant, and fully educated.
Click here to purchase this item.
|
|
Breger, Jennifer and Lisa Schlaff Ed
The Orthodox Jewish Woman and Ritual: Options and Opportunities - Bat Mitzvah. Breger, Jennifer and Lisa Schlaff Ed. JOFA, 2000.
Synopsis: This booklet, published by JOFA, contains a collection of articles and suggestions about celebrating the Bat Mitzvah in a meaningful manner within a religious framework.
Click here to download this item in PDF format.
If you are having trouble opening this document,
click here to download Adobe Reader.
|
|
Wiskind Elper, Ora Ed.
Traditions and Celebrations for the Bat Mitzvah. Wiskind Elper, Ora Ed.. Urim, 2003.
Synopsis: Since the Bat Mitzvah celebration is not grounded in ancient tradition, much confusion surrounds it. In this volume, rabbis, rabbaniyot, and male and female scholars and educators, come together to deal with the milestone of the Bat Mitzvah from halakhic, philosophical, and educational perspectives. This book contains translated material from a more extensive Hebrew version.
Click here to purchase this item.
|
| |
ADDITIONAL READING
|
|
|
Amir, Menucha Cohen and Sztokman, Elana Maryles
"Pre-Mitzvah Education in an Orthodox-Egalitarian Community," Amir, Menucha Cohen and Sztokman, Elana Maryles. Jewish Educational Leadership, 6:3, Spring, 2008.
Synopsis: The authors discuss how much of bar/bat mitzvah education needs to be gender-specific and tell of an innovative program to prepare young men and woman for adult Jewish life, as proposed by Kehilat Darchei Noam, an "Orthodox-egalitarian synagogue in Modi’in, Israel." Both boys and girls are encouraged to adopt normative forms of participation and leadership along with creative, personal explorations.
Click here to view this item.
|
|
Cohen, Aharon Translated by Moshe Sokolow
"Bat Mitzvah: A Challenge for Religious Education," Cohen, Aharon Translated by Moshe Sokolow. Ten Da'at, 1989.
Synopsis: The author presents suggestions for an educational curriculum geared for B'not Mitzvah.
Click here to view this item.
|
|
Cohen, Alfred S.
"Celebration of the Bat Mitzvah," Cohen, Alfred S.. JHCS, 12, 1996.
Synopsis: R. Alfred Cohen discusses a spectrum of opinions as to the proper or religiously valid and acceptable ways to mark the Bat Mitzvah.
Click here to download this item in PDF format.
If you are having trouble opening this document,
click here to download Adobe Reader.
|
|
Joseph, Norma Baumel
"Ritual, Law, and Praxis: An American Response/a to Bat Mitzvah Celebrations," Joseph, Norma Baumel. Modern Judaism , 22,3, 2002, 234-260.
Synopsis: Professor Joseph discusses the development of Bat Mitzvah ceremonies in the United States. She discusses the responsa of R. Moshe Feinstein at length and compares his opinions with those of other halakhists.
Click here to download this item in PDF format.
If you are having trouble opening this document,
click here to download Adobe Reader.
|
|
Katz, Leo
"Halakhic Aspects of Bar Mitzvah & Bat Mitzvah," Katz, Leo. Journal of Jewish Music and Lliturgy, 9, 1986, 22-30.
Synopsis: This article is a survey of the rabbinic literature concerning Bar and Bat Mitzvah and how it can deepen and enhance its significance in Jewish life.
Click here to download this item in PDF format.
If you are having trouble opening this document,
click here to download Adobe Reader.
|
|
Kramer, Vivienne
"Bat Mitzvah in the 90's," Kramer, Vivienne. Lilith, 19.3, Fall, 1994.
Synopsis: The article presents a variety of celebrations and a list of resources.
Click here to purchase this item.
|
|
Nussbaum, Esther
"On the Bat Mitzvah Celebration: An Annotated Bibliography," Nussbaum, Esther. Ten Da`at, 1989.
Synopsis: Nussbaum compiles various sources and literature about celebtrating the occasion of the Bat Mitzvah.
Click here to download this item in PDF format.
If you are having trouble opening this document,
click here to download Adobe Reader.
|
|
|
Kalb, David
"For Sharing Life-Cycle Events: Inclusive Ceremonies and Roles for Women," Kalb, David. JOFA 5th International Conference. 2004.
Synopsis: Learn about potential roles women can play in life-cycle events such as simchat bat, brit milah, bat/bar mitzvah, auf-ruf, weddings, funerals, and more. This session examines relevant texts and discusses ways to incorporate some of these new practices into everyday life.
Click here to download a PDF order form for this item.
If you are having trouble opening this document,
click here to download Adobe Reader.
|
|
|
Grossman, Susan and Haut, Rivka, eds.
Daughters of the King: Women and the Synagogue. Grossman, Susan and Haut, Rivka, eds.. JPS, 1992.
Synopsis: Daughters of the King explains women's involvement in and around the synagogue from its antecedents in the biblical period to contemporary times. Susan Grossman and Rivka Haut have added their experiences and studies to those of other scholars and religious thinkers to demonstrate the historical diversity of women's roles in Judaism, to record first-person accounts of the innovative practices now being introduced for and by women throughout the Jewish community, and to ponder these new realities in order to glimpse the religious life of Jewish women in the future.
Click here to purchase this item.
|
|
Isaacs, Ronald H. and Olitzky, Karry M.
Doing Mitzvot: Mitzvah Projects for Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Isaacs, Ronald H. and Olitzky, Karry M.. Ktav, 1994.
Synopsis: Created for parents and teachers to help their children and/or students grow into responsible adults in their Bar/Bat Mitzvah year. The book is designed for students to engage in a new mitzvah every month of the year. Each chapter includes background information on the given mitzvot , discussion questions, activities, and a project allowing youths to practice the mitzvot in the real world. In addition, chapters contain a diary for students to keep track of what they learned and how their experience made them feel.
Click here to purchase this item.
|
|
Koltun, Elizabeth Ed
Women and Jewish Education: A New Look at Bat Mitzvah, Koller-Fox, Cherie. In: The Jewish Woman: New Perspectives.. Koltun, Elizabeth Ed. Schoken Books, 1976.
Synopsis: Contents include: Spiritual Quest; The Life Cycle and New Rituals: On the birth of a daughter; Portnoy's Mother's Complaint, This Month is for You: Observing Rosh Hodesh as a Woman's Holiday, Jewish Women's Haggadah by Aviva Cantor Zuckoff; Women in Jewish Law; Models from Our Past; Jewish Women in Modern Society; Women in Jewish Literature and much more.
Click here to purchase this item.
|
|
Lavie, Aliza, ed.
A Jewish Woman's Prayer Book. Lavie, Aliza, ed.. Spiegel and Grau, 30-52, 2008.
Synopsis: A Jewish Woman's Prayer Book, originally published in Hebrew, is a collection of prayers written by and/or for Jewish women from a diverse range of historical and cultural backgrounds. The collection includes prayers for life-cycle events, times of crisis, women's mitzvot, holidays, the Sabbath, festivals, and more. Hebrew texts are included. The indicated pages include prayers for a bat mitzva and a young woman entering puberty.
Click here to purchase this item.
|
|
Salkin, Rabbi Jeffrey K.
Putting God on the Guest List: How to Reclaim the Spiritual Meaning of Your Child's Bar or Bat Mitzvah. Salkin, Rabbi Jeffrey K.. Jewish Lights, 1992.
Synopsis: This book helps people find core spiritual values in American Jewry's most misunderstood ceremony-Bar and Bat Mitzvah.
Click here to purchase this item.
|
|
Siegel, Rachel Josefowitz
Celebrating the Lives of Jewish Women: Patterns in a Feminist Sampler. Siegel, Rachel Josefowitz . Haworth Press, 1997.
Synopsis: Jewish women of all ages and backgrounds come together in Celebrating the Lives of Jewish Women to explore and rejoice in their heritage. They reveal in striking personal stories how their Jewishness has shaped their identities and informed their experiences. Some chapters are relevant to celebration of Bat Mitzvah.
Click here to purchase this item.
|
|
Wolfson-Moche, Nancy
Toward a Meaningful Bat Mitzvah. Wolfson-Moche, Nancy. , 2002.
Synopsis: A collection of essays and suggestions on making the Bat Mitzvah ceremony meaningful.
Click here to download this item in PDF format.
If you are having trouble opening this document,
click here to download Adobe Reader.
|
|
|
New sources are continually being added to JOFA.org. Check back often!
If you have a submission you would like us to consider, send it to
website@jofa.org.
|
|
|
|
|
