Tag #138758 - Interview #78554 (Jozsef Faludi)

You had to go to cheder until you were about 12, because the preparations for the Bar Mitzvah happened at the cheder. That’s where we learned the droshe that we presented. The Bar Mitzvah wasn’t in the temple, it was at home. In the temple the Bar Mitzvah was called up to the Torah for the first time. First we’d finish our affairs in the temple, and that would take until noon. Then there was lunch where the family was, and afterwards came the guests. We’d set up tents. We had a tent in the yard too, where the guests would come. Almost the entire kileh (community) was there. There were three long tables. I stood at the head of the table and very proudly said my droshe. Then the Bar Mitzvah got his new clothing, which was finally long pants, and things like that, but gift-giving wasn’t in fashion.