Giving money is the easy way. Finding an object that would make a personal and memorable bar/bat mitzvah gift is a lot harder. To provide you with some inspiration, here are eight gifts we’d be comfortable giving:
2. A luxury pen is a sophisticated yet practical gift that will forever remind the young writer or student of his or her mitzvah celebration. The Cross Classic Century Sterling Silver Ballpoint Pen has a simple, sleek design and can be specially engraved. With a lifetime mechanical guarantee, this timeless pen will be treasured year after year. $110, cross.com
3. There’s a reason why girls of all ages love charm bracelets. Composed of many different charms, each bracelet is unique to its wearer, and with more charms always being added, it’s the gift that keeps on giving. We love the adorable Cupcake Charm by Tiffany & Co., which can adorn either a bracelet or necklace chain. $200, tiffany.com
4. A Personalized Memory Box from LeatherTree is a great way to for the bar or bat mitzvah boy or girl to memorialize his or her coming of age. These leather boxes store treasured keepsakes from the special day and include space for a photo on the box cover as well as a free personalized engraved plate. $155, leathertree.com
5. For a gift with a personal touch, the Sterling Silver Spinning Engraved Ring is both elegant and mitzvah-related. Each piece has a customized inscription of your choosing, engraved on the center band between two sterling silver or 14k gold rings. Select a traditional Hebrew saying or have your own personalized sentiment translated to Hebrew. $139, israelblessing.com
6. The Barnes & Noble NOOK Simple Touch is an affordable eReader for young bookworms with a paper-like display, WiFi, two month-long battery life, and 3 million titles to choose from—not to mention the books you can borrow from friends or the library. Bonus points if the gift is pre-loaded with books specially chosen for the boy or girl of the hour. $79, barnesandnoble.com
7. Alternatively, print books are a perfect gift for any occasion. There’s a great variety of Jewish-themed books, ranging in topics from morality to coming of age, from the history of Judaism to modern-day Jewish living. Our favorites include: The Big Jewish Book for Jews ($16), The Book of Jewish Values ($20), Jerusalem: A Cookbook ($19), and Jewish Wisdom ($17). amazon.com
8. And for something completely different, what about an experiential gift instead of a material one? In a city with an excess of enriching cultural offerings, a year-long family museum membership makes a fun and lasting gift that can be shared with those you love. For a fitting theme, give the bar or bat mitzvah student and his or her family a membership to The Jewish Museum or The Museum of Jewish Heritage. $135, thejewishmuseum.org; $180, mjhnyc.org
