Appropriate Bar Mitzvah Gift

What you may include with a bar mitzvah card.

Appropriate bar mitzvah gift.

Money is a perfectly acceptable gift for someone celebrating their bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah however it can be far more rewarding and memorable to hand select a gift for him or her instead. Much like a wedding a bar or bat mitzvah is a large celebration planned well in advance and the host will need to know the number of guests to expect in order to provide adequate food drink and seating. When my son had his bar mitzvah he got everything. A newer option michael krasny s let there be laughter a treasury of great jewish humor and what it all means 14 just came out in fall of 2016 and boasts blurbs from such luminaries as documentary filmmaker ken burns and new yorker humor writer andy borowitz.

For example gifts of 18 36 and 180 should all be considered and would be in accordance with this tradition. It s made of earthenware clay and can have the child s name printed on the front of it with a star of david. Bar mitzvah gifts gifts are expected at bar and bat mitzvahs. A general rule for bar or bat mitzvah gift giving is to take the amount you would normally spend on a birthday present and give 1 5 times that amount in a multiple of 18.

William novak and moshe waldoks classic big book of jewish humor 17 has long been a popular bar bat mitzvah gift. In hebrew the symbol chai represents life and the living. This beautiful and timeless tzedakah box would make a unique bar mitzvah gift and is one that can be enjoyed for years to come. This can be an item but it s often difficult to know what to buy.

We used to give 2 presents to a bar or bat mitzvah. However having our 2 children become bar and bat mitzvahs in the last 4 years we discovered that the gift that they like the best by far is cash checks. Though gift cards are acceptable often the intent behind gifting money is so the kid can put this money into his savings account for later. His favorite gifts were the books and the itunes gift cards but those would be his favorite gifts at any birthday.

One that the child would like now and one that would be something great for the future a book shofar. Although no guidelines exist on the set amount you should give for a bar mitzvah being familiar with jewish customs can help you determine an appropriate gift. If you want to make your gift even more meaningful write a special note in his card. Multiples of 18 cash gifts for bar mitzvahs are typically given in multiples of 18 such as 18 36 or 54.

This is also why it s good etiquette to rsvp as soon as possible. The numeric representation of this symbol is the numeral 18 so it is a tradition to give cash gifts in 18 increments at bar mitzvahs.