Traditions and Celebrations for the Bat Mitzvah

Since the Bat-Mitzvah celebration is not founded in ancient tradition, much confusion surrounds it. In this volume, Rabbis and Rabbaniyot, male and female educators, come together to deal with the milestone of the Bat-Mitzvah from a halakhic, philosophical and educational perspective. Elements that are paid special attention are the staging of the event, halakhic questions, learning material for the girl who is entering Bat-Mitzvah, ideas for drashot, and a survey of preparatory programs for the upcoming celebration, and more.

Jewish tradition includes no long-standing practices for celebrating the bat mitzvah event. In Traditions and Celebrations for the Bat Mitzvah, rabbis and experienced educators, learned women and men, consider the occasion of bat mitzvah from a variety of perspectives – halakhic, philosophical, pedagogical and personal. These essays offer reflections on the nature and form of the event itself, halakhic responsa, source materials for study in preparation for the acceptance of mitzvot, descriptions of existing bat mitzvah preparatory programs, and more.

In MaTaN - Machon Torani Lenashim Beyerushalayim (Women's Institute of Torah Study) - women study intensively in their desire to grow and develop in their comprehension of the Torah. A balance is struck between the best of academic research and the profound and personally creative approach of traditional-yeshiva learning.
MaTaN was created with the vision of providing all women with the opportunity to study the Jewish sources on the highest level. Its founders wanted to serve the community of women by offering them specially designed programs of intensive classroom studies combined with Beit Midrash learning. Today over 1,000 women study Torah at MaTaN. Its innovative programs include intensive Beit Midrash learning for full time scholars, a broad range of continuing education courses in six Israeli cities and college preparatory programs for young immigrants. An electric excitement is generated as women from all walks of life, of all ages and of varied backgrounds learn together.

About the Editor
Ora Wiskind Elper has an M.A. in Comparative Literature and Ph.D. in Hebrew Literature from Hebrew University, Jerusalem. She teaches Jewish thought at Michlalah College and Touro College, Jerusalem.