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Essay on The Ritual of Confirmation in the Muslim and Jewish Religion
The Confirmation ceremony in Judaism is a recent addition to tradition, established by the Reform movement in the late nineteenth century. It is seen as a means of educating young women equally with young men and keeping both in the process of Jewish education beyond the age of thirteen (Earle, 2000). For Jews, Confirmation ceremony is an individual ceremony, on a young person's sixteenth birthday, when he or she is given the opportunity to display intellectual and emotional skills as an emerging adult by presenting a research paper on a subject of historical or ethical interest to Jews.
Initially the ceremony was conducted apart from the synagogue, and was linked to the school and home, but like many other lifecycle rites, it moved from the home to the public arena. By 1831 it was observed in a Berlin synagogue.From an early point, the rite was held on Shavuot, the holiday that celebrates the giving of the Torah. The profession of faith by the young generation lends a moving dimension to a holiday otherwise lacking in physical symbols and folk customs.
No doubt Shavuot has remained the preferred time for this rite because of its convenience as well: the occurrence of Shavuot in late spring coincides with the end of the school year. Thus confirmation marks the completion of supplementary Hebrew school along with secular studies.....
