Quote:
Originally posted by Rudey
For my bar mitzvah I spent a year going to special classes. The event required understanding, learning how to read and sing certain passages of the Torah - and let me tell you when you don't have vowels on Hebrew letters it becomes even more difficult especially when you have to sing it in a particular fashion. Bat mitzvahs are generally newer celebrations and are mostly just parties while some denominations like Reform may also read.
-Rudey
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That's about what I did for my bat mitzvah. (I've never been to any bat mitzvah that was just a party! There's always been reading there.) I had bat mitzvah lessons with the cantor after Hebrew school for a year or so, where I learned how to read and sing my Torah portion and Haftorah portion. I had to spend quite a bit of time practicing as well...I probably still have the practice tape of the cantor singing the portions somewhere.
I had to read part of the Torah portion and the whole Haftorah portion, lead some other prayers, and give a speech.
But that was almost a cakewalk compared to what kids nowadays do at their bar/bat mitzvahs. I have gone to several of my younger cousins' bar and bat mitzvahs and the kid leads a significant amount of the service, if not the whole thing. In many congregations, the bar/bat mitzvah kid has to do a community service project (not unlike an Eagle Scout project but I don't think it has to be as large-scale) or has to do a certain amount of hours of volunteer service.