Bark Mitzvah
A Bark Mitzvah is an observance and celebration of a dog's coming of age, as in the Jewish traditional Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah. The term has been in use since at least as early as 1977, and Bark Mitzvahs are sometimes held as an adjunct to the festival of Purim.
Ceremony
The Bark Mitzvah is a celebration not necessarily held in conjunction with a specific age but can occur when the dog turns 13 months or 13 years of age. During some Bark Mitzvahs, dogs wear a tallit, a ritual prayer shawl worn during Jewish religious services and ceremonies. A male dog wears a specific yarmulke, a thin skullcap.
History
The first recorded Bark Mitzvah took place in Beverly Hills California in 1958. According to the Beverly Hills Courier, Max and Janet Salter celebrated the coming of age of their black cocker spaniel Duke of Windsor (Windy for short). Janet coined the term "Bark Mitzvah" on the invitations. Over the next 50 years, Max and Janet threw several more Bark Mitzvahs whenever one of their dogs turned 13.
