Today is your daughter’s big day; she turned 13 a few weeks ago and is now ready to be accepted as an adult in the Jewish community. As a parent you couldn’t be prouder of your child. Your faith is an integral part of your identity and your daughter feels the same. She’s the oldest of your children and the first to have a Mitzvah. You want to buy her a gift but aren’t sure what to get. Below is a quick guide that will aid your decision.

Keepsake or Jewelry Box

A common and quite popular gift is a keepsake box. Doing a quick Google search will reveal an enormous listing of sites boasting the variety of boxes they have in stock. It’s true, keepsake boxes come in all shapes in sizes, from hearts to deep squares to shallow rectangles. Some come with partitioned sections to hold items of different sizes. Others are simple open boxes that your daughter can organize any way she sees fit. They can be personalized with an engraving, making them a unique gift. Certain keepsake boxes double as a picture frames, with a slot on the top for a memorable and interchangeable photo. Keepsake boxes are lovely gifts that your daughter will use for many years.

Artwork

A framed painting is a beautiful gift that will add an artistic motif to her life. Prints can be bought for a reasonable price online or from a licensed art dealer. Since you are celebrating an important religious day you might want to buy a piece of art that symbolizes this. Several dedicated Jewish stores sell framed paintings and Bat Mitzvah artwork specifically for this day. Decorated with bright colors and sacred sentiments, the Mitzvah art will commemorate the significance of her important day forever.

Traditional Gifts

Relatives and friends are going to give your daughter gift certificates and other fleeting presents. But you would like to give her something that represents the weight of this particular day. There are several different traditional gifts that will impart the meaning of her Bat Mitzvah. A framed Torah is a beautiful and awe inspiring gift that can be displayed in any room of the house. It will remind her of the religious maturity she has grown into. Another traditional gift is a hand blown glass Yad. It rests on a sterling silver stand and posses a stylized flare coupled with religious sentiment. It’s a wonderful gift for any young lady. Don’t be afraid to purchase your daughter a traditional gift that will connect her to the Jewish faith.

Jewelry

What young woman doesn’t appreciate jewelry? The right necklace or bracelet can bring beauty and sophistication to the wearer. If you’re having second thoughts about buying your daughter jewelry, consider Disney’s precious jewelry collection. It’s influenced by different characters and movies from their monumental catalogue. While decorated with diamonds and pink sapphires, the jewelry, such as their necklaces, are appropriate for a young lady but still capture the innocence and love Disney strives for. As a grown-up in the eyes of the Jewish community, it’s a perfect time to buy her a necklace or other pieces of jewelry.

There are several different gifts you can buy for your daughter’s Bat Mitzvah. It’s important to pick something that she’ll not only love, but connects her to this life changing day. Remember, whatever you choose to buy, make sure it represents the love and pride you have for her.

Bat Mitzvah gifts hold special significance in a young Jewish adult. Jewish customs allow a male child of thirteen years or a girl child of twelve years to read for the first time from the holy book of Torah. The thought behind having a Bat Mitzvah function for a thirteen or twelve year old child is that up to that age their parents hold the responsibility for their children following Jewish religious customs, but after the Bar Mitzvah ceremony the child becomes responsible for his or her actions and can take part in all Jewish social customs and gatherings.

This occasion is marked by a ceremony which takes place in a synagogue. This is followed up with a grand party for the family members and friends of the girl child. During this occasion the child and sometimes the family too is presented with gifts to mark the special occasion. Bringing gifts to the child also helps the family in their celebration of the occasion. Bat mitzvah gifts are presented not at the time of the ceremony held in the synagogue but at the reception party.  Most children are given Judaic gifts related to Jewish religious customs like kiddush cups, tallis, or tefillin. Tallits and Shabbat candlesticks are sometimes also given, especially to girls. A tzedakah or charity box is a very thoughtful and useful gift. You also have a wide choice of religious books that would make an ideal gift. In general, such gifts give the child a better understanding of his or her past and heritage, and help to perform the religious ceremonies better.

The most popular gift is money, which can be used later in the education or other specific expense of a child. There is an interesting thing to be kept in mind if you are giving some form of cash as gift. The Hebrew word for ‘life’ has gematria, or the number 18, as its numerical equivalent. So Bat Mitzvah presents of money are considered very auspicious if the amount is in multiples of 18.

 As the ceremony of Bat Mitzvah is held for the coming of age of the girl child so other impressive Bat Mitzvah gifts can be small and elegant pieces of jewellery that will be an asset to the child in the long run. There is no fixed gift that has to be bought. However it is better to shop for a gift for the occasion keeping in mind the age of the child.

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