TL:DR; If you're attending a bar mitzvah party, $36-$360 per guest is a good gift amount, and giving in multiples of 18 expresses good wishes in the Jewish culture. Whatever you choose to give will be appreciated by the celebrating family.
A Bar Mitzvah is a coming of age ceremony for a boy, as well as an opportunity to celebrate the Jewish faith. This is an exciting time for the young man and his family.
As a guest, you are invited to celebrate with the Bar Mitzvah boy and his parents during this joyous time.
What is an appropriate cash gift for a Bar Mitzvah?
Should you give cash or check? How about an investment for the kid?
Read on to find answers to all of these questions and more.
Up Ahead:
- Bar Mitzvah Gift Etiquette and Guidelines
- Average Bar Mitzvah Cash Gift
- How Much to Give for a Bar Mitzvah
- Giving Cash Gifts in Multiples of 18
- Cash vs Check for Bar Mitzvah Gift
Bar Mitzvah Gift Etiquette and Guidelines
A Bar Mitzvah is a Jewish coming-of-age ceremony that celebrates a boy’s 13th birthday.
Traditionally, families have a ceremony at a synagogue and throw a big Bar Mitzvah party for the Jewish boy, celebrating his transition from childhood to adulthood in Judaism.
A Bar Mitzvah is a Jewish coming-of-age ceremony that celebrates a boy’s 13th birthday.
At the synagogue ceremony, the Bar Mitzvah boy accepts the responsibility for keeping the Jewish commandments.
The Bar Mitzvah party is usually more festive than the ceremony and is held at a house or venue in honor of the boy. The party often features food and dancing with family members, friends, and other well-wishers - but can also be more casual.
If don't know the family well enough to attend both events, it is perfectly acceptable for you to attend the Bar Mitzvah party only.
Gifts are often given to the Bar Mitzvah boy at either the ceremony or party, but they are not required.
The gifts are meant to set the child up for adulthood. Traditional gifts include money, kid-friendly stocks, jewelry with Jewish symbols, savings bonds, investments, and other financial gifts.
The most popular jewelry gifts include a star of David necklace and bracelets with an evil eye.
Monetary gifts are a popular Bar Mitzvah gift, a way to invest in the boy's future.
Bar Mitzvahs are often celebrated as a way to build generational wealth, setting a young teen up for a successful financial future.
They help the boy achieve his life goals, like going to college, buying a car, or starting a business when he's older.
Average Bar Mitzvah Cash Gift
Knowing what the right amount to give is tricky.
When it comes to giving gifts, the goal is to show the gift receiver that you care.
The average Bar Mitzvah cash gift typically ranges from $36 to $360.
The average Bar Mitzvah cash gift typically ranges from $36 to $360.
This is a good place to start when thinking about how much to spend on a Bar Mitzvah gift.
How Much Should I Give for a Bar Mitzvah?
If you know the boy well or have a close relationship with him and his parents, consider going above the average range of $36 to $360.
If you don’t know the boy well enough to give him an extra generous gift, stick with the lower end of the range.
Your budget and financial situation may also dictate how much you can give. Remember, any amount will be appreciated and show how much you care.
Any amount will be appreciated and show how much you care.
If you are not attending the party then a smaller gift would be appropriate, but not required. If you can't attend due to distance and still want to send a gift for the young man’s future, check out Greatest Gift’s financial gifting platform.
A Bar Mitzvah is one of the most important birthdays in a Jewish boy’s life. With this context in mind, consider what you would typically spend on a regular birthday, and double that.
Peers of the young man are not expected to give as much as family members, like grandparents, aunts, and uncles.
They can give a gift on the lower end of the average range, somewhere above what they would spend on a regular birthday.
To show how much you care and to support the boy’s financial future, give a gift with Greatest Gift. Greatest Gift’s financial gifting platform is built for these occasions, and have an added value of providing tools, guides and resources to show gift receivers how to save and invest for their kids.
Giving Cash Gifts in Multiples of 18
The number 18 is an important number in Jewish culture. In Hebrew, each letter has an equivalent numerical value. The Hebrew word for life, Chai (pronounced high), is spelled out of two letters whose numbers add up to 18.
Therefore, multiples of 18 are considered lucky numbers in Judaism. Gift amounts and donations are often given as money in multiples of 18.
For example, instead of giving $50, many Jewish people opt to give $54, a multiple of 18, symbolizing good fortune.
Many Bar Mitzvah cash gifts are given as multiples of 18. For example, popular gift amounts are $36, $54, $90, $108, $180, $360 and $540.
When choosing an amount to give, think of what you are looking to give, then find the nearest multiple of 18.
Multiples of 18 are considered lucky numbers in Judaism and are often used as gift amounts and donations.
If you were looking to give $100, consider giving $90 or $108 instead to express good wishes.
Giving gifts that are multiples of 18 will help you express your good wishes to the boy.
Cash vs Check for Bar Mitzvah Gift
So, you know how much to give. But HOW do you give your gift?
Cash is great and appreciated by all. It’s simple easy to give. Unfortunately, it’s easy to spend too.
Cash is great and appreciated by all. It’s simple easy to give. Unfortunately, it’s easy to spend too.
Cash gifts are often used for immediate spending on day-to-day things. If you intended the gift to go towards a greater goal like college or future savings, you may be disappointed.
Parents need to go to their bank and deposit the funds into their checking account, and only then transfer the funds to the child’s savings accounts.
Checks are ok, but they also have a few drawbacks. Checks are prone to human error, so pay attention when writing out the check.
Instead of giving cash or a check, consider giving cash gifts with Greatest Gift’s financial gifting platform.
Make sure to write the check out to one of the parents, not the Bar Mitzvah boy. This way they’ll be able to successfully deposit the check with their bank. They can later transfer the money to the kid's 529 plan or UTMA account.
Instead of giving cash or a check, consider giving Bar Mitzvah cash gifts with Greatest Gift’s financial gifting platform.
Greatest Gift was built for parents, kids, family &friends. It turns investing in a child’s future into a personal gift that you can send to anyone, and continues to provide financial education, guides and recommendations for parents on saving and investing for kids.
It is the modern way to give financial gifts for kids.
Summary
Any amount given will show how much you care. It's the thought that counts.
Plus, you can't really go wrong when you give a gift to celebrate this milestone event.
Enjoy the celebrations and happy gifting!
