I was invited to celebrate a bar mitzvah for an 83-year-old. Where does this tradition come from?

We should always look for reasons to celebrate and be joyful.

It's never too late for a Jewish person to celebrate becoming bar, bat, or bet mitzvah! Many Jews celebrate as adults, if they didn't have the opportunity to celebrate when they were 13, either because they weren't yet Jewish, family circumstances didn't allow for it, or they were in a Jewish community where girls were not then afforded that lifecycle ritual. Read about adult b'nei mitzvah.

Many Jewish communities celebrate a special adult bnei mitzvah for people who reach the age of 83. The custom is rooted in a verse from Psalm 90:10, which suggests that 70 years represents "a full life." According to that logic, when you reach your 83rd birthday, it's time to celebrate your b'nei (bar or bat or bet) mitzvah again - or perhaps for the first time. It's rare that an 83-year-old chooses to celebrate with a big blowout party, complete with a DJ and dancing. More typical is marking the occasion by being honored with an aliyah (being called up to the Torah for blessings), receiving special recognition during worship, and making a charitable contribution. In some communities, this honor is offered annually, during the High Holidays, to everyone aged 83 and older.