Rites of Passage How Today's Jews Celebrate, Commemorate, and Commiserate

• Format: Electronic Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Purdue University Press 2010
• Subjects: Religious groups: social & cultural aspects; Social groups: religious groups & communities
• Online Access: DOAB: download the publication; DOAB: description of the publication

Scholars tend to call them "rites of passage." Most people prefer to speak of them as life-cycle events or milestones. Jews like to speak of simchas, when there's something (a birth, bar or bat mitzvah, or a wedding) to celebrate. These are key moments for individuals and for the fami...