Browsing all posts in "bar mitzvah".

Nothing Like that Old Time Religion

And by old-time, I mean about five thousand years. Two bar mitzvahs in two weeks. One very Orthodox, with a capital O. Women segregated, not allowed on beama, not allowed to read Torah. Next one mostly Orthodox, mixed congregation, women only allowed on beama for their OWN bat mitzvahs. [Because excluding half the population is [...]

Was that a Vacation??? Damn…(or: what I’ve been doing for two weeks)

As I have been repeatedly pointing out, I was on vacation for the last two weeks.

So? What have I been doing, if I haven’t been writing?

My youngest son was Bar Mitzvah last weekend.

For those of you unfamiliar with this Jewish rite of passage, at the age of 13, Jewish boys are considered responsible for their actions, and for obeying the commands of the Torah. As a symbol of this new requirement, the Bar Mitzvah leads the congregation in a Torah service.

Yes, it’s a lovely idea.

But in America, the Bar Mitzvah has come to mean not the man-child, but the festivities surrounding it.