America's First Bat Mitzvah

About this Episode

The first American bat mitzvah took place on March 18, 1922. As its 100th anniversary nears, we’ve got something of a departure for our podcast. We’re running an episode that we co-sponsored of Adventures in Jewish Studies, a podcast of the Association for Jewish Studies. In it, guest scholars Rabbi Carole Balin, Melissa R. Klapper, and Rabbi Deborah Waxman consider the history of the bat mitzvah and its evolution over time. They also explore how the bat mitzvah helped pave the way for greater inclusion of women in public Jewish ritual and practice and helped shape American Jewish life.

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Episode Links

• ‎Adventures in Jewish Studies Podcast from the Association for Jewish Studies
• Judith Kaplan celebrates first American Bat Mitzvah ceremony | Jewish Women's Archive
• Sally Gottesman | Jewish Women's Archive
• A bat mitzvah girl debuts a new way for blind Jews to participate in an ancient tradition - The Washington Post
• My Beautiful, Kaleidoscopic Jewish Life (Gina Drangel)
• This Teen Had a Gender-Neutral 'B Mitzvah' – Kveller
• Melissa Klapper, Ph.D. (Rowan University)
• Carole B. Balin (Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion)
• Association for Jewish Studies