Ritual marking the religious maturity of young people and their admission as full members of the Jewish congregation. Originally reserved for male offspring, it was modernized to include female children after the Enlightenment. The first Bat Mitzvah ceremony for girls was held in the United States in the early 20th century. Forms of Bar/Bat Mitzvah are established today in most Jewish religious traditions. Non-religious Jews also see the ritual as a symbol of Jewish affiliation.