The bat mitzvah turns 100. It marks more than a coming-of-age for Jewish girls

https://www.npr.org/2022/03/17/ [login to see] /bat-mitzvah-turns-100-coming-of-age-jewish-girls
For 12-year-old Nomi Kline Solmsen, preparing for her upcoming bat mitzvah is a family affair. Her grandfather, a rabbi, is helping her learn to chant the words from the Torah. Her aunt, also a religious leader, is working with her to translate the Hebrew and come up with her own interpretation of the words.

"Because the Torah was meant to be discussed," Nomi says. "I get to be part of that discussion. I get to have my own voice."

For children like Nomi, who see this rite of passage as a basic human right, it can be surprising to realize how recent the history of the bat mitzvah really is.

This weekend, Jewish communities across the country will be marking the 100th anniversary of that first American bat mitzvah. There will be talks and podcasts and celebrations of this coming-of-age ritual--stories about the past and plans for the future.