For Jewish people, Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah are holy ceremonies.
About 19 hundred teenagers gathered this week to celebrate their Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah ceremonies, signaling their coming of age together.
They are taking part in a special municipal program called “Renewal” that is designed to set a model of education and pluralist Jewish identity. “Renewal” has been run for the past three years in Holon, Israel.
What are the Bar and Bat Mitzvah rituals all about?
[Lea Vhall, Manager, “Renewal” Program]: ( Female, Hebrew)
“When Jewish girls turn 12 and boys turn 13, they are considered adults in their respective communities. This means that they become active participants in their communities, with all the respective privileges and obligations accompanying their age, and our idea is to try and bring them closer to the Jewish world.”
The program, called Hithadshut, meaning “Renewal” in Hebrew, is being implemented in schools and at local youth cultural centers under the approval of the Ministry of Education.
Emphasis is placed on Jewish holidays celebrated in kindergartens and schools, while expanding the children’s awareness of their Jewish and Israeli identities.
[Lea Vhall, Manager, “Renewal” Program]: ( Female, Hebrew)
“There is something special about this age, and we wish to dwell upon that. It is said in Judaism that upon reaching this age the divine spirit penetrates the child’s soul, and we wish to celebrate and mark it, along with all the accompanying responsibilities.”
When educating for Jewish identity, emphasis is placed on good values and respecting ones parents, family and country.
A Bar Mitzva celebrator describes his feelings,
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Reporter: Janet Zrian Photographer: Michael Hash
NTD, Holon, Israel
