Bar Mitzvah Invitations: What Kind of Invitations Should I Send Out for a Bar Mitzvah?

A Bar Mitzvah is a ceremonial event that happens at age 13 in the life of a male Jewish boy. 'Bar' means son in Aramaic, and 'Mitzvah' means 'of the commandment'. The celebration is called a Bar Mitzvah, and the boy himself is also called a Bar Mitzvah. This event is the boy's entry into manhood, and reading from the Torah in front of his friends and family marks the transition time in his life. Judaism now holds the boy accountable for his actions, and concomitant responsibilities, privileges, and respect follow him from then on. This is also a relieving day for parents because they're no longer responsible for making sure the boy follows the laws of the Torah. They're off the hook.

So, what kind of invitations do you send out for such a special event? What should Bar Mitzvah Invitations look like? What wording, what ornamentation, what presentation, etc. should be used? Far different from a birthday, this coming-of-age transition marks the spiritual and moral evolution in a Jewish boy's life. The invitations should be special to match the extraordinary nature of the event itself. Parents are responsible for choosing the cards because the boy has still not entered manhood, in the Judaic tradition. Therefore, this article is for parents! Follow these tips to get the best Bar Mitzvah invitations:

1. Choose scenes from traditional Judaic history and stories. The Torah, Jewish Stars, Lions of Judah, Tallit, Yarmulke, Chai, or Hamesh Hand all point to the dedication and devoutness of the family. Friends, relatives, and colleagues will take this as a sign that you're putting a lot of importance into your son's Bar Mitzvah, and that you think it is a special event. There are secular Bar Mitzvahs too. In the latter, the boy reads a story from Jewish history or researches and reads about a topic he wrote on the Jewish people. This is in contrast to reading from the Torah. Symbols are safe for both because most of them are part of confirmed history, according to archaeologists, anthropologists, and historians. Plus, if you have non-Jewish friends, it will inform them a little of the nature of the event and explain that is one of many Jewish celebrations.

2. Select and match styles, scripts, themes, presentation formats, printing techniques, paper types, and colors wisely. Even though your son is not picking it out, choose something he will like because the invitation will be a keepsake when he's well into his adult years. For example, blue, silver, gold, pastels, purple, prismatic, and green are the most popular colors of Bar Mitzvah invitations so choose a color that suits his tastes.

3. The most important thing to remember when considering invitations it the kind of message you want to convey. Let the invitation's design and wording reflect your reflective significance of the event. If you feel it is a somber, sublime, and honorable thing, then choose solid dark colors and stark Jewish symbols. Use a professional calligrapher and emboss the script.

Bar Mitzvah Invitations are a time of pride, wonder, and new beginnings. Let the cards reflect the spirit of the event.