Your pre-teen or teenager might come home with an invitation to a bar/bat mitzvah, a very exciting time in a Jewish child’s life. A bar mitzvah (Hebrew for “son of the covenant”) is a rite of passage for Jewish boys, and a bat mitzvah (“daughter of the covenant”) is the female equivalent, though the requirements of each may be slightly different depending on the denomination of Judaism. Both occur when the child reaches 12 or 13. For context, though not a direct comparison, the ceremonies can be likened to the confirmation process in Christian churches. The celebration is like a quinceañera in Hispanic cultures or debutante balls for girls like the ones shown in Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. (Admit it, you all wanted to go to one after watching the movie...)Prior to the bar/bat mitzvah, the parents are responsible for the child’s actions. Upon reaching this milestone, the child (now a young adult) bears the responsibility for their own actions. Leading up to the bar/bat mitzvah, the child must take a year of extra classes and attend Hebrew school. Once completing the necessary requirements, the child becomes a full-fledged member of the Jewish community, now responsible for carrying out its traditions and rites on their own. The celebration may culminate with a party.