Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!yale-com!scott From: scott@yale-com.UUCP (Walter Scott) Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish Subject: Re: Bat Mitzvahs Message-ID: <3005@yale-com.UUCP> Date: Sat, 25-Feb-84 16:04:55 EST Article-I.D.: yale-com.3005 Posted: Sat Feb 25 16:04:55 1984 Date-Received: Sun, 26-Feb-84 01:35:06 EST Lines: 17 Bat Mitzvah's at 13 in the US? That's not necessarily true; I personally have never been to or heard of a synagogue which gave Bat Mitzvah's at any age but 12, though I can imagine a Reform congregation changing something like that for the sake of "equality." The reasoning I always heard for giving Bat Mitzvahs at 12 instead of 13 was that the Bar / Bat Mitzvah represents a coming of age and a passing into adulthood, and since girls mature earlier than boys, they should have the ceremony earlier. Nothing "sexist" about it, just a recognition of real biological differences between girls and boys. -- Reaching out through the void of netland... Walter Scott Yale University decvax!yale-com!scott