Milestones (Post #5)

In the book, and specifically in the religion of Islam, a Muslim  is supposed to journey once in their lifetime to the Holy City of Mecca on a pilgrimage or hajj (only if they are medically or financially stable). Making this spiritual journey is a huge milestone in the life of an Islamic follower. It is said that a Muslim who takes a hajj to Mecca will come back as a newly born baby because they will be relieved of all of their sins. Here is a link that explains why the Muslim's pilgrimage is so important: www.religioustolerance.org/isla1.htm. I think that this link is very helpful because it explains why Muslims take this journey, why it is of such importance to them, what preparations take place before the trip, and what happens on the spiritual journey.  

A huge milestone in my life and religion was my Bat Mitzvah. For a jewish person, this is when you come into the Jewish world as an adult and take on  different responsibilities. This is also when you become responsible for your own actions. A boy is supposed to be Bar Mitzvahed at the age of 13, while a girl is supposed to be Bat Mitzvahed at the age of 12. A girl is allowed to have her Bat Mitzvah earlier than a boy because it is said that girls are more mature than boys. Also, this is the time in a Jewish person's life when moral awareness and sensitivity develops. Not every Jewish person is required to have a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, but most people do.

My Bat Mitzvah was very special to me. I was honored to read the torah in front of my family and friends, and to receive blessings from my family as well. At the time, I was only focused on the after-party aspect of my Bat Mitzvah. The party was really fun, but now looking back I'd say that the cultural and spiritual aspect of the day, (at my service), was the best part. This was definitely a huge milestone in becoming a bigger part of my religion. Here is a link that I found that explains what exactly a Bar/Bat Mitzvah is, the purpose of it, the event that takes place at the synagogue, and the reception following it: www.aish.com/literacy/lifecycle/what_is_a_bar_or_bat_mitzvah$.asp