Rites of Passage- society and culture

Rites of passage are experienced in all cultures around the world. In some instances they are very significant and play a crucial part in growing up, in others they are simply the conversion between life stages. Rites of passage can be defined as an event or act that marks a significant transition in human life, or, a ceremony that marks somebody’s passage from one stage of life to another, for example, from childhood to puberty. Perhaps one of the most meaningful and influential rites of passage is coming of age. This includes understanding who you are, and the part you play in society. Rites of passage are significant as they may act as an agent of socialisation. They assist in identity formation and help in the process of social and cultural literacy.
In the Jewish culture, one of the fundamental rites of passage is the ceremony of the Bar/Bat mitzvah, meaning ‘a son/daughter of the laws’. A boy is a Bar mitzvah when he reaches his 13th birthday, while girls are Bat mitzvah w...