About Bat Mitzvah
Bat mitzvah is a "coming of age" for Jewish girls. At age 12, they are now considered old enough to take on the responsibility to observe the Jewish laws and practice. For example, girls following the Jewish tradition will now fast on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement, the holiest day in the Jewish year) and lead the blessings in the home. In most non-Orthodox communities the girls will participate in public religious ceremony and read from the Torah. This ceremony is what most people refer to as the bat mitzvah and it usually takes place when the girl is 12 or 13.The ceremony is where the bat mitzvah girl will be called to the bimah (the front or "stage" of the temple) and will perform the blessings and read from the Torah. She may read or even chant the entire Torah portion (from the Five Books of Moses) and Haftara (selections from the books of the Prophets) and may even give a d'var Torah, a philosophical expounding of what she has just read (quite impressive for a young girl, yes?). This is no small task! Girls study for years for a bat mitzvah ceremony.
Tips for Bat Mitzvah Gifts
These days secular gifts are given frequently. But a bat mitzvah is a monumental landmark in the Jewish lifecycle, why not let your gift add to the meaningfulness of the occasion?(These suggestions are in no particular "rank." With any one of these, you can't go wrong.)
Judaic / Jewish JewelryOf course a Jewish Star is always appropriate but she may be getting many of these. Consider jewelry with a different Judaic theme. Pomegranates are a hot design motif now. They symbolize integrity, equity, and justice. It is said there are 613 seeds inside the fruit, the same number of mitzvot (good deeds) Commanded in the Torah. With trees (for the Tree of Life) and birds (for Noah's dove) you can't go wrong because they are loved Judaic and secular symbols. There is also the chai: Hebrew letters cheit and yud means life, and the hamsa: the upside down hand which is a very popular good luck symbol.
Plant a Tree in IsraelIsrael was mostly desert and marshland when independence was declared in 1948. Planting trees has been critical to creating inhabitable land. The Jewish National Fund is the charity that heads the effort and planting a tree in the bat mitzvah girl's name is as easy as going to the JNF web site. You can even get a beautiful certificate to give her.
A favorite Jewish Recipe
If you are Jewish or can request your Jewish friend's recipe for her magnificent kugel (noodle pudding) or latkes (potato pancakes), consider giving the bat mitzvah girl the recipe along with the necessary serving or cooking gear.
A Biography of a Jewish Woman
Is she a reader? A hardback book about a Jewish woman would be a nice gift. Golda Meir, the first and so far only woman Prime Minister of Israel; Rose Schneiderman, advocate for the rights of working women in the U.S.; Henrietta Szold, American who set up medical units in Palestine and helped resettle thousands of Eastern European Jewish children fleeing Hitler; Zivia Lubetkin, a leader of the Warsaw Ghetto revolt; Ida Kaminska, international star of the Yiddish Theater; Yael Arad, Israeli silver medalist in women's judo in the 1992 Olympics; and Gertrude Stein, American writer who became a catalyst in the development of 20th century modern art and literature. Looking for books on other Jewish subjects? Try Next Book, it's the place on the web to find quality Jewish book reviews.
Shabbat CandlesticksIt is the woman's role to light the Shabbat candles and lead the blessing over the candles that mark the start of every Jewish holiday. A pair of candlesticks that fit her taste and style would make a wonderful gift. A family can have more than one set of candlesticks so you don't have to worry about duplicating someone else's gift. Just make sure it's a pair of the same height.
A donation to a charity, meaningful to the the Bat Mitzvah girl, in her name
For all Jewish lifecycle events, a donation is appropriate. Giving tzedakah (charity) is central to the Jewish faith and the Commandment to bring justice to the world. It's best to choose an organization that fits the girl's interest. Does she love reading? Consider First Book which gives books to children learning to read from low income homes. Does she love dogs, traveling, wants to be a doctor? For practically any interest, there is a charity that fits. Research charities at Charity Navigator.
Public Prayer Items: Tallis, Yad, and Tallit Clips, Head Covering or Kippah
A bat mitzvah girl may get her first tallis (prayer shawl) to wear during her first Aliyah (calling up to the Torah). A well made tallis is made of wool or silk and would be a special gift from a parent, grandparent or close family friend. Like the candlesticks, a person can have more than one tallis, so if you've found the perfect one for her, don't worry about her receiving more than one. If the tallis seems a bit much, consider tallit clips, jewelry that clips onto two sides of the shawl and keeps it on the wearer. If you are going to buy her a kippah or yarlmulke which is a headcovering worn to remind oneself of the presence of G-d, in our opinion, there is only one place to buy a cool kippa for girls: Diaspora Girl hand crocheted kippahs.
Art
Hamsas to hang on the wall, papercuts, and other Jewish inspired art make great gifts.
Money/Bonds in increments of 18
If you want to let the bat mitzvah girl choose something for herself (or save for college), money may be the answer. You can give cash, checks, or savings bonds and make it more meaningful by giving in increments of 18. 18 is the number associated with the word chai, Hebrew for life. Each letter in the Hebrew alphabet has a corresponding number and the letters cheit(8) and yud(10) = 18.
P. S. -- Bring your gift to the party -- not to the ceremony Saturday morning.
Links To Learn More About Bat Mitzvah
Judaism 101Wikipedia
Shop for Bat Mitzvah Gifts:
at ModernTribe.com
2 comments:
hi jennie,
great ideas. always hard to find the right thing! i do take a bit of exception with what you wrote about how with "any one of these, you can't go wrong."
i work in the field of tzedakah and philanthropy, and i want to point out that giving wisely is better than just giving.
just as with most things in the world, tzedakah is best done when it is done efficiently and effectively. that is, with low overheads and with a high percentage (at least 85%) going towards program (and NOT towards salaries, fundraising, admin, etc.).
i am happy to discuss this further, at length. it is oh so important...
arnie draiman
philanthropic consultant
www.draimanconsulting.com
Don't forget to do your part and donate to Jewish Charities at www.ivedonemypart.org.
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