Bat mitzvah gift from boy?

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amother

Ivory

Mon, Nov 23 2015, 1:43 pm

Hello. My DS is invited to a bat mitzvah party for a girl in his grade. Usually, in our circles, the boys do not invite girls to their bar mitzvah celebrations, and girls do not invite boys to their bat mitzvah celebrations. But this girl sent all the boys and girls in her grade an invitation.

My son wants to know what sort of present he should bring.

He knows that we usually give simple, age appropriate jewelry to bat mitzvah celebrations for our friends'daughters, but he feels awkward giving jewelry to a girl.

Any suggestions?

amother

Black

Mon, Nov 23 2015, 2:03 pm

A sefer she'll be able to use long-term? In Dati-Leumi circles, a Tanach is a very common Bar/Bat Mitzva present. My personal favorite editions are JPS (for English translation), or Koren or Feldheim for Hebrew with lots of charts at the back. I'd also recommend As a Driven Leaf, a copy of which someone gave me for my Bat Mitzva, though I only took interest in it a few years later.

I grew up in a community where jewelry was the typical Bat Mitzvah gift, for my general reference point.

amother

Ivory

Mon, Nov 23 2015, 2:39 pm

The Tanach idea is nice. We are in Israel and she is not an English-speaker, so she won't need an English translation, and those particular books won't work.

Mon, Nov 23 2015, 2:41 pm

From a mom of a teen daughter:

Around here, kids usually give each other gifts similar to regular birthday gifts. Larger cash gifts and "grown up" jewelry are given by adults. If the kids don't know each other well, a gift card to a popular store is fine.

I don't give books as there are sure to be multiples of the most popular, unless there is something special that you know she would like. Also, nothing personalized - they often cannot be returned and certainly not regifted. (This should be the worst of our worries, but dd received quite a few "extras" at her bat mitzvah).

ETA: Now I see you are in Israel. I am responding from the U.S. The local customs may be different.

singleagain

Mon, Nov 23 2015, 2:47 pm

you said she's not an english speaker.... do you know if she wants to learn? maybe a popular book in english to help her learn? or an english dvd or cd of english songs [or songs in english, like shlock rock, ---- if appropriate for your community.

amother

Black

Mon, Nov 23 2015, 2:49 pm

Oh, if you're in Israel I'd definitely say to go with a book. If a few of your son's friends want to give something together, a set of mikraot gdolot chumashim would be a nice alternative to a Tanach. Maybe ask on LII if you want more specific suggestions.

causemommysaid

Mon, Nov 23 2015, 2:51 pm

gift card to a bookstore

DrMom

Tue, Nov 24 2015, 12:24 pm

Does she have any hobbies? Maybe something in that vein would work.

yksraya

Tue, Nov 24 2015, 12:27 pm

Maybe a very nice colorful pens or markers set. Not the babyish kind but more like a stationary.

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