Bar Mitzvah at Western Wall
צילום: גיל יוחנן
Preferred Bar Mitzvah gift – money
New survey finds that 20 percent of families spend more than USD 5,975 on Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebrations
Give them money and make them happy. A new survey has shown that 30.4 percent of Bar and Bat Mitzvah kids prefer receiving cash as a gift. It was also found that some 20 percent of families spend more than NIS 25,000 ($5,975) on the celebration.
The survey by GeoCartographia Research Institute was conducted among the parents of Bar/Bat Mitzvah youth for Moments Media, a company that publishes a guide for celebrations of this type.
According to the survey, other gifts Bar/Bat Mitzvah kids would like to receive include computers (18.9 percent), overseas flight ticket (16.3 percent), MP players (15.9 percent), computer and TV games (15.3. percent), jewelry (9.6 percent), books (8.7 percent), clothing (7.3 percent), and bicycles (5.4 percent), cellular phones (4.6 percent), games (2.4. percent), musical instruments (2.2 percent), prayer books and tefillin (1.9 percent), stereo systems, TVs or digital cameras (1.9. percent), vacations in Israel (1.2 percent), and ski vacations (1.2 percent).
These findings represent a shift in trend, as last year Bar/Bat Mitzvah kids primarily preferred receiving bicycles and books.
How much does it cost?
The survey findings showed that some 13 percent of families spend more than NIS 30,000 ($7,170) on Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebrations, 5.4 percent spend up to NIS 25,000, ($5,975) 7.1 percent up to NIS 20,000 ($4,780), 1.9 percent up to NIS 15,000 ($3,585), 19.5 percent up to NIS 10,000 ($2,390) and 15.3 percent of families spend up to NIS 5,000 ($1,195).
As to the most important aspect of the celebration 29.9 percent of respondents said it was the laying of the tefillin and the religious ceremony, 15.2 percent said it was the meal, 11 percent dancing, 6.3 percent the henna ceremony, 3.7 percent the family union, 2.8 percent said it was the child's happiness and 2.3 percent said it was the overseas Bar/Bat Mitzvah trip.
According to the survey the preferred forms of celebration included a family gathering (60 percent), throwing a pat for friends (16 percent) and 16 percent they preferred an overseas trip.
With regards as to who decides how the celebration is organized some 60 percent of respondents said it was the parents of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah child, and 40 percent said the child's requests are also taken into account.
