Bar and bat mitzvah ideas
Becoming a bar or bat mitzvah is a major moment for Jewish children and their families. As your child completes their rite of passage into adulthood, it’s an excellent opportunity to celebrate their accomplishments and share the joy with your community.
Looking for some bat and bar mitzvah party inspiration? You’ve come to the right place. In order to plan a bat or bar-mitzvah party to remember, start with creative ideas for a party that delights guests of all ages that honors your kid’ss individual spirit and personality.
What is a b-mitzvah?
A bar mitzvah, bat mitzvah, or gender-neutral b-mitzvah ceremony represents a Jewish tradition that’s been practiced for thousands of years. (The general term for all ceremonies is b’nai mitzvah. This term may also refer to ceremonies for multiple young peoplepeople at once, regardless of gender.) When a child reaches the bar and bat mitzvah age of 13 for boys and 12 for girls, they assume maturity in their own Jewish identity.
Bat and bar mitzvah party themes
Planning the perfect b-mitzvah party is all about curating ideas as unique as the newly-minted young adult being celebrated. What better way to commemorate their coming-of-age than to craft a party based on their individual personality and interests?
Choosing a theme for your bat mitzvah party or bar mitzvah celebration can also help you make other parts of the party feel more cohesive, such as the music, decorations, and food, and of course, bar or bat mitzvah invitations. Start by choosing a theme that suits your child’s interests, like:
— A sports-themed party, such as baseball, basketball, or soccer
— A travel or destination-themed party
— A party based on a favorite book, TV show, or movie
— A hobby-inspired theme, such as art, fashion, theatre, or gaming
If a specific theme doesn’t seem to fit, you can also plan the party based on your child’s favorite colors. Then, plan your party decor, props, foods, and even your outfits to match.
Photo credit: Hylah White Special Events.
10 bat and bar mitzvah themes to inspire you
Still looking for a theme that speaks to your soon-to-be adult? Here are some ideas to jumpstart your imagination:
1. Rock and Roll – For the 13-year-old who lives for guitar riffs and vinyl records, rock-and-roll is a fun and vibrant way to bring the party to life. You can make this musical theme the heart of celebrations with guitar-shaped desserts, posters of famous rockers, and even rock-and-roll trivia games.
2. Garden – This is the year your child truly blooms, so why not let the theme speak to this important moment of growth? Fill the room with your preteen’s favorite flowers, floral-themed table decor, and offer small potted plants as goodies for guests.
3. Cloud 9 – Yes, sometimes middle-schoolers’’ heads can be up in the clouds—but that can be a wonderful thing! Especially when it comes to party themes. Balloon arches, thematic decor, and even a cotton-candy machine can really bring this theme into the stratosphere.
4. Classic Hollywood Glamor – You want to roll out the red carpet for your child for this milestone—how about you take that feeling literally. Have your child’s name up in lights, serve popcorn from an old-fashioned popcorn machine, and even screen a few classic films to add a dynamic decor element to the scene.
5. A Night at the Circus – As the party planner, you’re already the ringleader of these festivities. Add some Ringling Brothers-flair with colorful drapery, carnival bites, and live entertainment like jugglers, acrobats, and a magician (dog wearing a lion’s mane, optional). With this theme, you’ll truly have a show-stopping b-mitzvah.
6. Once Upon a B-Mitzvah – Fairytales will always have a special place in childhood, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the magic of those stories long into adulthood, too. Transform your child’s b-mitzvah celebration into a storybook: Think enchanting string lights, plenty of greenery, and a few charming touches like bunting and paper butterflies.
7. Sweet 13 – If your teenager is motivated by all things sweet, transform their celebration into their own personal Candy Land. Bright colors work beautifully with this theme. Plus, candy can double as treats and decor. Incorporate glass bowls of brightly colored gumdrops, towers of cupcakes, and spun-sugar centerpieces. It’ll look good enough to eat—and taste that way, too.
8. Around the World – Some 13-year-olds collect guidebooks and passport stamps like other kids collect baseball cards. If this sounds like your child, an Around the World theme will beautifully represent their wanderlust. Decorative globes, flags of other nations, plane ticket decor, and international cuisine will make this party a worldly one for sure.
9. Clue – Does your child spend hours on mystery dramas and novels? Then they’ll love a Clue-themed party. Decorate tables with elements from the classic mystery franchise and add vintage-y elements to the scene with dark velvet drapery, peacock feather centerpieces, and of course, candlesticks.
10. Beachside Boho – A chic theme for sure, beachside boho calls to mind artsy towns on the shoreline. Multi-colored candles, natural greenery, mixed textures, palm fronds, fringe, and Persian rugs will transport your guests. Volleyball is a must—and if you’re lucky enough to live near an actual beach, you can even host the party on location.
Activities and entertainment for a b-mitzvah bash
As any parent of a bar or bat mitzvah can attest, there’s a lot of learning, studying, and hard work that goes into preparing for the ceremony. For some youngsters, just being able to sit through the whole service without squirming too much is an accomplishment! So it’s only natural your kid and their buddies will want to let loose at a fun, spirited party after the fact.
Plan some activities and entertainment to amuse the the b-mitzvah child, their young friends,, and your adult guests, alike. Here are some bat mitzvah ideas and bar mitzvah ideas to keep everyone happy:
— Set up a photo booth or photo wall – A photo station can be a wonderful way to create some fun memories and keepsakes. Set up a backdrop inspired by your party theme and provide guests with fun props for their photos. If you don’t have your own photographer on hand, have guests take selfies and tag you on social media to ensure you get your own copies. You can also set out an instant camera to create a photo guest book.
— Hire a DJ or set up your own playlist with speakers – Even if dancing doesn’t land on your list of bar mitzvah party ideas (though, it probably should—most kids love to dance and have energy to spare), having some music playing in the background can boost the atmosphere of the party. To keep it personalized, recruit the b-mitzvah child to help build the playlist.
— Have a karaoke competition – Give the kids their own taste of stardom with a karaoke station. For extra fun, have the audience vote on the best singer and hand out prizes at the end of the party. Make sure the b-mitzvah kid gets plenty of time in the spotlight, if that’s their jam.
— Host a trivia session – Trivia sessions can bring loads of fun to any party. If you’re following a certain theme, you can lean into that topic for this activity. Or, fill a hat with questions in several categories and draw from them at random. Make sure they’re questions people of all ages might know the answers to. Bonus points if the topics are all related to things the star of the day is into.
— Set up tables with board games – Board games are a fabulous way to keep kids engaged with each other throughout the party, especially if you’re having a more low-key event. Set up a few tables with games and decks of cards. You can also offer more physical games, like jenga, cornhole, Twister, and perhaps the most iconic b-mitzvah game of all: wrapping kids up like mummies with toilet paper. We don’t make the rules
—Rent arcade games: Make a statement at your child’s b-mitzvah by renting classic arcade games for guests to play (no quarters required).
“Bat Mitzvah Lighting” by Paperless Post and “Hydrangeas and a Mitzvah” by Mr. Boddington’s Studio.
Bat and bar mitzvah invitation wording
Your child’s b-mitzvah is a joyous, momentous celebration your family and friends will remember fondly for years to come. But before you can make those sweet b-mitzvah memories, you’ll need to choose some invitations as special and personal as the day itself.
Once you’ve found those perfect invitations, what kind of wording should you use? Try these b-mitzvah wording examples to get started, and then customize from here. (Need more ideas? We’ve got a whole article for you!)
For a bat mitzvah:
Mr. & Mrs. Jacob Goldberg
Invite you to join them
As their daughter
LEAH
Is called to the Torah
As a bat mitzvah
November 20th at 10AM
Temple Beth Elohim
Celebration at 8PM
1038 East Tremont Ave.
Please Reply
For a bar mitzvah:
THE HERZOGS INVITE YOU TO
JOIN THEM AS THEIR SON
MARCO
IS CALLED TO THE TORAH
AS A BAR MITZVAH
JUNE 17TH AT 10:00AM
CELEBRATION AT 8:00PM
PLEASE RSVP
Custom bat and bar mitzvah invitations
Whether you’re able to celebrate with an in-person bat or bar mitzvah, or if you’re hosting a virtual bat or bar mitzvah, there are plenty of ways to make your invitations both meaningful and beautiful. Paperless Post offers virtual bar mitzvah invitations for this unique time, as well as virtual bat mitzvah invitations you can make your own with fun and easy customization tools.
If you’d like to add Hebrew text to your bar mitzvah invitations or bat mitzvah invitations, our Personal Design Services team is here to help. They can also add a bat mitzvah logo to your invitation template, or upload it as a custom stamp to send along with your bat mitzvah evite.
Browse bat and bar mitzvah invitations with Paperless Post
Planning a bar or bat mitzvah? They’re almost all grown up, so celebrate their call to the Torah with all the people you love the most. Paperless Post offers preformatted bar or bat mitzvah invites perfect for in-person celebrations, large Zoom-mitzvahs, or mini mitzvahs with your closest family (as well as party save the dates if you are planning ahead).
From painless guest list uploads to RSVP tracking and all the design support you could want, Paperless Post makes celebrating your biggest moments easier and sweeter than ever.
Browse Bat and Bar Mitzvah Invitations
