Surviving Your Bar/Bat Mitzvah: The Ultimate Insider's Guide

In this humorous and informative primer on becoming bar or bat mitzvahed, Axelrod helps kids and their parents navigate this meaningful but often stressful time with useful tips and back-to-basics knowledge. Axelrod, a cantor with over twenty years' experience training soon-to be thirteen-year-olds for their induction into the world of Jewish maturity and responsibility, takes readers on a step-by-step tour of what the celebration means, what tasks need to be accomplished for that special day, and how to make it through the process without succumbing to the myriad pressures. Although this volume is mostly handy for followers of the Conservative branch of Judaism, those unfamiliar with the multifaceted aspects of the milestone will also find Axelrod's calming voice and guiding hand helpful. Hebrew grammarians may find fault with his explanation of the term bar mitzvah, which he defines simply as coming of age, but Axelrod's deep knowledge and familiarity with this process, and especially his entertaining asides, will satisfy most. Agent: Anne Devlin (Aug.)