Becoming Women

Bat mitzvahs tell us less about tradition than they do about how girls create rites for coming of age, as the new book Today I Am a Woman shows

God Is in the Details

What a parody bat mitzvah speech tells us about real ones

Sundown: Israel Alleges Flotilla Brings War

Plus GOP hammers Obama on Syria envoy, and more

In Lieu of Gifts

Forgoing the usual bar and bat mitzvah swag, some teens are asking guests to contribute to charity

Sundown: Solar-Powered Peace

An uncommon rite, bubbly’s back, and Obama’s image

Sundown: A Different Kind of Death Sentence

Rockin’ to Peres, belated womanhood, and fear in Pittsburgh

Saturday Night Fever

Why some families are opting for havdalah bar or bat mitzvah services

Sundown: Foxholes and Kid Lit

Strange places for atheists, the plight of prisoners, and baseball takes a stand

Sundown: Birthright Spreads More than Jew-Love

Plus, a beer becomes a man and crankiness becomes a disease

Today I Am an Actor

Expert tips for the phony bar mitzvah boy