The coming of age of our children is always a joyous celebration, and parents and relatives embrace this celebration with too much gusto and with all stops pulled out, so they say. From around the world, to the America's, Europe and Asia, coming of age celebration is eagerly awaited and anticipated. As this is the transition as a child passes from a toddler to teens (thirteen for boys and twelve for girls), this event must be memorable.
In Japan, for example, the coming of age celebration is marked as a national holiday, where families can enjoy the festivities.
Our neighborhood marks this special event as the bar/bat mitzvah, a coming of age celebration that has a religious commemoration. This event is typically noted on a Saturday (Sabbath) morning service where verses of the Torah are recited. In fact the Saturday ritual is just part of the celebration, because the entire bar/bat mitzvah could involve the entire week, depending on the desire of the parents or relatives.
Venues for the bar/bat mitzvah celebration are always geared to be colorful, with lots of bar mitzvah banners and
mini flags hung around the walls or ceiling. Normally these banners have prepared slogans printed on it like "Sarah is coming of age" or "Mark is finally at it," some may have other words, but it always pertains to the one coming of age.
Bar mitzvah celebration is not only confined to what is traditionally practiced, but it goes with the times and different themes are observed. Since it is a weeklong celebration, some may opt for choices like, celestial, music, or maybe stars, some may want sports, others luau, there is really no set rules to follow.
by:
The Flagman
