Judaism is one of the oldest religious practices in the world. It literally started two of the most popular religions today: Islam and Christianity. It seems like everyone should be familiar with the basics of this religion, even if that's not true. Most people are only familiar with a few attributes or ceremonies that Judaism has used until modern times, such as the Menorah (the seven-branched candlestick), the Star of David (traditionally known as the symbol of Judaism), and, let's say , the Bar Mitzvah ceremony. What people miss (aside from associations) is how truly symbolic they all are in the practice of Judaism. The Bar or Bat Mitzvah, for example, practically represents the basis of Jewish culture and religion. We will try to examine the idea of ​​how and why it became so important. So, what is a Bar Mitzvah? According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a Bar Mitzvah is “the initiation ceremony of a Jewish boy who has reached the age of 13 and is considered ready to observe religious precepts and eligible to take part in public worship”. Of course this is a very vague explanation to get to the bottom of the meaning of this ceremony. What is of paramount importance about both the Bar and Bat Mitzvah is that this ceremony is absolutely essential for every Jew who actually practices the religion. As mentioned above, this ceremony is a kind of emancipation for Jewish children. Accordingly, the way the ceremony was held has a very important meaning in the life of the child and his parents. Before the Bar Mitzvah his parents should have monitored their child's cultural development. Every child, at the age of 13 (or 12, which is the maximum age for girls) should... middle of paper... an important event in the life of every Jewish child, and which, moreover, makes it interesting for us. Works CitedBank, Richard D.. "Bar and Bar Mitzvah: Becoming Sons and Daughters of the Commandment." 101 things everyone should know about Judaism: beliefs, practices, customs and traditions. Avon, Massachusetts: Adams Media, 2005. 196-201. Print.Metter, Bert and Joan Reilly. Bar mitzvah, bat mitzvah: the ceremony, the party and how the day unfolded. New York: Clarion Books, 2007. Print.Oxtoby, Willard Gurdon. "Jewish Traditions". World religions: Western traditions. 1996. Reprint. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 2011. 127-157. Print.Sherbok, Dan. “Life Cycle Events.” Judaism: History, Beliefs and Practice. London: Routledge, 2003. 534-537. Print.Simpson, J.A., and E.S.C. Weiner. The Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press; 1989.Print.