Bat Mitzvah

The bar and bat mitzvah are the coming of age celebrations for Jewish families. This celebration is a time for young men and women to become adults within the Jewish community. The celebration takes place when a boy turns thirteen or a girl turns twelve. The terms bar and bat mitzvah literally translates to “son and daughter of the commandment” (first source). Beginnings of modern tradition can be seen throughout history as early as the 6th century C.E. However, it was not until around the 13th and 14th century that a fully developed ritual emerged (Cite this). There are a few possible reasons for why it is the age thirteen for the men. One of them comes directly from the Jewish book of religion, the Torah. The Torah suggests that Isaac
Starting in the second or third century C.E, girls were beginning to share a little more responsibility. It was around this time that girls first started earning responsibilities that would classify them as women. At the age of 12 the girls took on legal responsibility, but they did not have a celebration like the men’s bar mitzvah. During these periods women were given much fewer commandments than the young men. It was not until recently that this age was a time for true celebration for girls. Today, the equality of women is respected by liberal Jews. They now offer the full equality for women in religious privileges and responsibilities. It was not until the early 1922 however that the first bat mitzvah was celebrated as a true and equal opportunity for the girls. This age of change for both men and women is probably correlates with onset of puberty, however, there is quite a controversy over the origin of this
The quinceanera is the coming of age traditions for young women of Mexico and central american countries. Before Spaniards arrived, tribes such as the Inca, Maya, Toltec, and Aztec celebrated similar initiation ceremonies where at the age of fifteen girls were separated from the boys to receive different education. This course would contain curriculum relation to their future role in society. The young women learned skills such as cooking, cleaning, housework, and child-rearing. Within the native communities the age of fifteen is also the same age the young women were ready to be married. This resulted in a right of passage ceremony and a shift into adulthood. When the Spanish arrived, the spread of Christianity influenced the quinceanera. It is believed that it was 19th Century Mexican emperor Maximilian who incorporated European customs into their previous traditions (second source). When the Spanish arrived the spread of Christianity influenced the development of the quinceanera. Quince in Spanish means fifteen marking the fifteenth year in the young woman’s life. It is believed it was 19th Century Mexican emperor Maximilian who incorporated European customs into their previous traditions (second source). The quniceanera begins with a mass to give thanks for her completed childhood. She wears an elaborate formal dress and is given gifts by her godparents, which are typically