Bar and bat mitzvah

A Bat Mitzvah (Hebrew: בת מצווה, lit. "daughter of the commandment") is a coming-of-age ceremony and ritual in Judaism for girls, typically celebrated when a girl turns 12, marking the transition into Jewish adulthood and responsibility for their actions. The term is derived from the Hebrew phrase bat mitzvah, which translates to "daughter of the commandment," signifying that the girl is now obligated to observe the commandments of Judaism. The ceremony often includes a Torah reading, a speech or presentation by the Bat Mitzvah girl, and a celebratory party. The concept of Bat Mitzvah is rooted in the Jewish tradition of Bar Mitzvah for boys, which has been practiced for centuries, but the formal celebration of Bat Mitzvah became more common in the 20th century. In Yiddish, the term is Bas Mitzvah, and in Ladino, it is Bata Mitzvá. The ceremony varies among different Jewish denominations, with some communities placing more emphasis on religious observance and others focusing more on the social aspects of the celebration.