Coming Of Age: 13 B’Nei Mitzvah Stories

My Bat Mitzvah was not exactly the stuff of legends. I did, however, have a lovely family barbecue and a small party for my friends. I was encouraged to involve myself in a charity project and to become a full fledged member of the community. It may not have been the same as the weekend Synagogue events+ evening parties thrown for the boys turning 13, but it was mine and it was important to me.

Later, when I met Jews from various streams of Judaism, I was surprised to learn how much focus was placed on being called to the Torah as a B’nei Mitzvah, especially by secular Jews looking to incorporate more religious practice into their lives. Many even held adult ceremonies for those that did not have one as a teen. One person told me they didn’t feel “fully Jewish” until they had been called to read the Torah as a B’nei mitzvah.

While I considered these people fully Jewish without any such fanfare I appreciated the sentiment. I began to wonder what these events were for like others. It was with this mindset that I read my copy of “Coming of Age: 13 B’nei Mitzvah Stories“. I was pleased to find a variety of stories crossing genres as well as genders. However, my favorite was definitely the single poem included – a moving piece by Jane Yolen, that spoke directly to my heart.

Running through all the stories, whether contemporary or in outer space, was the theme of growing up and taking responsibility. Sometimes that occurred in a Sheraton Ballroom. Other times one needed to step up on a foreign planet that included a bevvy of Seinfeld references. In one memorable story the B’Nei Mitzvah travelled into their Torah portions. In another, a survivor of communist Russia shared a celebration with her grandchild since it was illegal for her to have one of her own. There was humor here, but also poignancy.

As I read, I laughed out loud at the singing prostitutes of the Yiddish Theater story and googled historical figures that I hadn’t hear of before. I traveled back in time and I was grounded in the present. But always, always, I was surrounded by bright young Jewish people looking to find their place in the world.

This is a collection that is great to gift to a preteen preparing for their own coming of age celebration but it also holds up for readers that are not Jewish who want to learn more about their peers. In fact, I recently posted an interview with the editors in which they expressed a hope that the book would bring understanding of Jewish culture to kids of all backgrounds.

My one regret is that although there is a variety of representation in terms of genders, cultures, and family composition there is no ultra orthodox story. Or even a story that felt fully grounded in modern orthodoxy. I realize this may not have been the target audience, but if there is a second volume I hope it finds the space to include a few hassidic, ultra orthodox, and modern orthodox stories along with all the rest.

Coming of age rituals are common across cultures, and these stories offer a peek into a few Jewish versions of that rite of passage. Whether you had your coming of age at 12 or at 72, you will find much to reflect on in these stories.

Note: a portion of proceeds from this book will be donated to charity.

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E Broderick is a writer and speculative fiction enthusiast. When not writing she enjoys epic games of trivial pursuit and baking. She currently lives in the U.S. but is eagerly awaiting the day a sentient spaceship offers to take her traveling around the galaxy.