A Bar/Bat Mitzvah Gift List

by Robert E. Tornberg - Head of School, Cohen Hillel Academy, Mablehead, MA

Although there are many wonderful new and not-so-new books to give as bar/bat mitzvah gifts, I have chosen to share some of my old favorites, which speak to the unique needs and interests of middle schoolers.

The Chosen by Chaim Potok (Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.) is an easy-to-read and seemingly straightforward book. It appears to be about comparisons of life in Hasidic and Modern Orthodox communities. In actuality, it deals with the important themes of relationships with friends and parents, the difficulty of growing up, and the trouble people have getting along. It does a wonderful job of touching the major life concerns of teens in a way that is not personally threatening.

Always Wear Clean Underwear! by Marc Gellman (Morrow Junior Books) is a book of pure fun, with wonderful values lessons embedded within. The author begins each chapter with a statement made by many of our parents: “Always wear clean underwear,” “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” “Go give Grandma a kiss,” and the ever-present “Call if you’re going to be late.” These phrases and 28 others are explored in direct language, but with humor and satire. Gellman then follows with a light-hearted treatment of the message (value) that is really behind each parental phrase.

It’s a Mitzvah: Step-by-Step to Jewish Living by Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson (Behrman House, Inc./RA) is a book that should be on the shelf of every young Jew. It begins with Rabbi Artson boldly sharing that as a child, he had been a “fervent atheist.” He explains that as a college student, he questioned many of his childhood assumptions and decided to explore Judaism. In each chapter of this book he gives young people a step-by-step opportunity to explore for themselves issues such as preserving the Earth, seeking peace, compassion to animals, and Shabbat. He explains the significance of each issue and lists concrete ways to put the mitzvah into practice.

I have saved my all-time favorite for last. The Book of Miracles: A Young Person’s Guide to Jewish Spirituality by Lawrence Kushner (UAHC Press) is a book I study with young teens each year. I have also read it for myself many times. Kushner touches on some of the most profound “big” questions of life What does it mean to be a Jew? What is our place in the world? How can we say the world is beautiful when there is so much ugliness? This book, written in very simple language, helps young people (and older people) deal with the truly profound.