Israel's capital has been a source of attraction for hundreds of years for people from all corners of the earth and of every religion. Bar or Bat Mitzvah, a major celebratory event in the lives of every Jewish boy or girl, can be a memorable event when taking place in the holy city of Jerusalem. Make this special day a once in a lifetime experience for the birthday boy or girl, for the entire family, and for all the guests when choosing to conduct it in one of Jerusalem's historically, culturally and religiously significant sites.

We've compiled a shortlist of some of Jerusalem's extraordinary locations that can offer your Bar or Bat Mitzvah both a beautiful and significant site to celebrate your big day and make it a meaningful and unforgettable event for everyone involved.

1. The Israel Museum in Jerusalem was founded in 1965 and has become Israel's leading cultural institution and one of the leading encyclopedic museums of the world.
The Youth Wing of the Israel Museum offers a Bar or Bat mitzvah program for groups, entitled: "Ceremonial Passages to Adulthood in Judaism and in Other Cultures". Realizing that the passage from adolescence to adulthood is a pivotal stage in life, and is celebrated ritually in various cultures with new tasks and challenges, the museum offers a special tour for classes or groups in which participants look at the essence of the ceremonial passage — its special role in each culture, what is common to the different cultures, and the special role of the Jewish ceremony.

2. The Bible Lands Museum illustrates Biblical history through ancient Near Eastern art, from the dawn of civilization through the early Christian era.
The Museum's innovative educational staff has designed a once in a lifetime experience and tailored it to the Bar or Bat Mitzvah's Parashot Hashavuah or Haftarah, offering families a unique and enriching experience. The program incorporates an exclusive tour of the museum's exquisite collection of artifacts related to the Bible and culminates in a hands-on creative workshop.  

3. The Tower of David is one of the most beautiful and original locations for a museum anywhere in the world and is the best introduction to 4,000 years of Jerusalem's rich and colorful history.
Its Bar or Bat Mitzvah programs include a Treasure Hunt for Families, including riddles, clues and a choice of assignments that lead the participants through the citadel's hidden passages, to its towers and water cisterns, on an exciting search for the hidden treasure; Jerusalem throughout the Ages for Youth and Adults, a guided tour of the permanent exhibition of the museum; Murder Mystery for Youth and Adults, where participants enter into a fascinating courtroom drama that took place 2000 years ago in Herodian Kingdom of Judea and take their place as a jurors to decide who murdered the high priest, and Guided tour of the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem for Youth and Adults, a guided tour of the Jewish Quarter of the Old City from the Kotel to the Museum.

4. The Jerusalem Biblical Zoo was originally established in 1940 as a tiny little children's zoo by the late Prof. Aharon Shulov, one of the pioneers in the field of zoology at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Today, the Zoo stretches across an area of 62 acres in a lovely valley surrounded by green hills, near the southwestern Jerusalem neighborhood of Manahat (formerly Malkha). Its official name now is The Tisch Family Zoological Gardens in Jerusalem - The Biblical Zoo.
As part of its Bar or Bat Mitzvah's offering, the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo invites its guests to enjoy the scenic view, spacious lawns, animal exhibits, the children's zoo and much more.

5. The Ammunition Hill National Memorial Site is a symbol of courage and the renaissance of the State of Israel and of the exemplary values of the Israel Defense Forces. The site commemorates the battle over the Ammunition Hill during the Six Days War in 1967 and the 182 soldiers who were killed in the battle.
The hill's location, its beautiful scenery and historical significance make it a perfect site for an unforgettable Bar or Bat Mitzvah celebration.

6. Yad Ben Zvi is the leading institute engaged in research and education in the areas of the history and culture of the Land of Israel, Jerusalem studies, and the study of Sephardic and Oriental Jewish communities. Yad Ben-Zvi's activities focus on the scholarly interests of the late Izhak Ben-Zvi, Israel's second president, and are inspired by his vision. It is located in the historical Rehavia neighborhood in Jerusalem, in the old presidential quarters, where presidents Izhak Ben-Zvi and Zalman Shazar both resided and carried on their official duties. Yad Ben-Zvi offers tours and courses within the institute's compounds and around the city of Jerusalem and also offers a special Bar or Bat Mitzvah educational program.

7. Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority, was established in 1953. Since its inception, Yad Vashem has been entrusted with documenting the history of the Jewish people during the Holocaust period, preserving the memory and story of each of the six million victims, and imparting the legacy of the Holocaust for generations to come through its archives, library, school, museums and recognition of the Righteous among the Nations.
Located on Har Hazikaron, the Mount of Remembrance, in Jerusalem, Yad Vashem is a vast, sprawling complex of tree-studded walkways leading to museums, exhibits, archives, monuments, sculptures, and memorials. Yad Vashem offers several educational programs for youth and adults which can offer your Bar or Bat Mitzvah a chance to learn about the most important event in Jewish history as part of their passage into adult life.