A Jewish boy who turns 13 years old is entitled to a “bar mitzvah”, regardless of whether the event is celebrated or not. This means that he is old enough to be granted certain rights, responsibilities, or suits for the summer wedding. Source: About.com I know a lot about bar mitzvahs. My family, friends, and distant relatives saw me once upon a family reunion to listen to me sing a badly sung haftorah. I still remember the hours of study and practice it took to be capable of reading my Torah portion on that special day. I have vivid memories of the food and dancing as well as the Pepsi filled Pepsi bottles that we gave each child. People often wonder what amount they should give to bar mitzvahs today, with their high prices.
First, let’s get to the point. . . Bar mitzvahs are not a wedding, and should not be treated in the same way as weddings. While some parents spend more money on their children’s bar mitzvah than they do on judaica webstore their wedding, it is not the same as a wedding. The child is just 13 years old! It is important to distinguish whether your child is invited alone or as a whole family. It is important to be as close as possible to the child and their family, unlike weddings.
Let’s discuss the entire Jewish history surrounding the number 18. Although times have changed, I still remember Melvin gifting me $18 dollars worth of “chai”. If you’re looking to buy anything, even in 1982, $18 won’t get you far. Hebrew for “life”, “chai” is the word. Two Hebrew letters make up the word “chai”, chet, and yud. Chet is equivalent 8 and yud equals 10. The sum of chet and youud is “chai”, which equals 18 The act of giving money in multiples $18 is symbolic of “chai”, or the gift of life. Many people give money in multiples $18 to celebrate a birthday, bar or bat mitzvah, or wedding.
Spend money on savings bonds or gift cards if your child is the only one going to the bar mitzvah. This is a bad idea. This will encourage another teenager to shop for more stuff, when they could be saving the money for their future. Gifts in the amount of triple chai or $54 are a great idea to pass on to teens at the bar mitzvah.
You should give in the range of $75 to $100 per person if your entire family is going. Half for your children. For a family with four members, two adults and two children, $300 is a good gift. This is a religious celebration, so you don’t need to buy the perfect Tzedakah boxes, Kiddush cups or candle sticks. While the idea might be valid, cash is the best option when you are invited to a bar mitzvah. It is often suggested that religious or prayer books are acceptable for this occasion. This is not a good idea. It will be just like the wedding conversation back at home about who was nice and who was naughty.
Gift giving, no matter your faith, is always a challenge in smart money management. You’ll find it a difficult topic that you will continue to talk about after the envelope has been closed. You can’t go back once you reach the bar mitzvah. So make sure to get some Hava Nagila and at least carry a chair leg during the joyful celebrations. Please, no gold coins . . They are not real, they just sound like them!