Atlanta Jewish Times Rabbi Roundtable Features Rabbi Jason Holtz on B'nai Mitzvah

Rabbi Jason Holtz recently took part in the Atlanta Jewish Times Rabbi Roundtable. He responded to the question, "What Jewish ritual, teaching, or custom do you believe families too often overlook when planning a simcha?"

Here's an excerpt from what he wrote.

All the things that b’nai mitzvah do, such as reading Torah or giving a d’var Torah, are significant in part because those are things that adults do. So, parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, can take on those big roles, too. Maybe they read Torah the same Shabbat as the child becoming a b’nai mitzvah, or maybe they give a d’var Torah on a different Shabbat. Either way, not only does it not take away from the child’s moment, it makes it more special. It shows that becoming b’nai mitzvah is the beginning, not the end.

You can read the full column at the Atlanta Jewish Times, here - https://www.atlantajewishtimes.com/rabbi-roundtable-aug-31-2026/