Traditionally, when a Jewish child turns 13, they are treated as Jewish adults, becoming b’nai or b’not mitzvah (sons or daughters of commandments—these are the plural forms of bar or bat mitzvah) who are expected to fulfill the mitztvot (ethical commandments of Jewish life).

In contemporary Jewish observance, the occasion of becoming bar or bat mitzvah involves a celebrant’s being called up to read from the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) at a Shabbat service and then delivering a discussion of the week’s parasha (Torah portion). Our b’nai mitzvah is not a coming of age ceremony, but rather a celebration of our commitment to Judaism.

At Stephen Wise, while most bar or bat mitzvah ceremonies are for our school-aged students, we also offer a meaningful two-year class for adults who never had one and want to become a bar or bat mitzvah. Regardless, Stephen Wise views the b’nai mitzvah as a process, where the actual ceremony is just the beginning of a life-long Jewish journey.

For more information about these programs, please visit our Religious School’s page or our Adult B’nai Mitzvah program’s page.