B'nai Mitzvah

What it means to be a B'nai Mitzvah

A boy becomes a Bar Mitzvah on his thirteenth birthday and a girl becomes a Bat Mitzvah on her twelfth.  Until this point, all the child’s moral, ethical and religious behavior were the responsibility of the parents.  From B’nai Mitzvah forward that responsibility rests solely with the child. 

In essence, every Jew is a B’nai Mitzvah from the moment they become of age.  Therefore, Bar/Bat Mitzvah is a state of being in which we are obligated to fulfill  G-d’s commandments. 

A child must learn what is required of them so they can accept the responsibility before becoming B’nai Mitzvah.  The key factor to being a successful Jew can be summed up in one word – responsibility.  The true meaning of responsibility is freely accepting and fulfilling a commitment.  Therefore prior to becoming a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, a Jewish child should follow a program that cultivates moral, ethical and religious responsibility.  Beth Jacob of Irvine offers a tailored program that culminates with a ceremony through which the entire congregation recognizes that your child has proven him/herself capable of being a responsible Jew.

For more information on becoming a B'Nai Mitzvah - Check out or B'Nai Mitzvah Handbook.