Baptism

New Testament; when referred to the children born in a Christian home. By
redefining baptism as a rite of transition or passage, in contrast to initiation
into discipleship, the original meaning and purpose of the baptism is radically
changed by the credobaptists. We are then no longer talking about the same
baptism as practiced by the Apostles or as commanded by Jesus
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In the Jewish tradition there is a corresponding process of confirmation on
adulthood where a child becomes responsible for his or her action. This is
called Bar-Mitzvah.
"Our sages taught that a parent is responsible for the actions of a child until
the child reaches the age of 13 years and one day, at which point, the child
reaches the age of legal majority in the Jewish community and assume full
responsibility for observing the commandments and for all his/her deeds. At
the age of 13 and a day, a boy becomes a Bar Mitzvah (which means the "age
of responsibility for the commandments") and a girl becomes Bat Mitzvah
(some follow the tradition of considering a girl Bat Mitzvah at the age of 12
years and one day, on the basis of the Mishnah's granting her responsibility
for her own vows at that age).
From the age of 13 and a day onward, a Jew is counted as part of a minyan
[the quorum required for public prayer], eligible to read Torah publicly, and
obligated to fulfill the dictates of Jewish life.
Every Jew becomes a Bar Mitzvah automatically. It is a change of legal
status; it has nothing to do with how much an individual knows or has
learned. No ceremony, certificate, or special service is required. However, it
is a change of status that affects the entire community, since now there is an
additional member to count in the minyan, and thus it has been customary to
celebrate this milestone since the 1300's, though celebrations have always
been small and modest until this century.
The centerpiece of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebration is the child's first aliyah:
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