In a Jewish bar mitzvah Torah service, the traditional title of the person receiving the first aliyah is kohen.
Jewish custom traditionally gives the first aliyah to a kohen, a descendant of Aaron, the biblical priest and brother of Moses. The second aliyah traditionally goes to a Levi, another hereditary Israelite status. Other worshippers receive later aliyot, including the bar or bat mitzvah celebrant.
The allocation is customary rather than an indication that the kohen is more important than other participants. Communities may adjust the order in particular circumstances, and some congregations use different practices. A gabbai helps organize the aliyot, while a hazzan leads sung prayer; neither title means “the person receiving the first aliyah.”