The Hebrew plural term for Jewish boys and girls who have reached religious majority is b’nai mitzvah.
The phrase is commonly used for a group containing celebrants of different genders, or for the ceremonies themselves when more than one young person participates. Its literal sense is “children of the commandment,” although English usage often treats it as a plural noun for bar and bat mitzvah celebrations.
Related singular terms are bar mitzvah, traditionally “son of the commandment,” and bat mitzvah, “daughter of the commandment.” Communities may use b’nai mitzvah as an inclusive umbrella term, especially when referring to a joint ceremony or to the life-cycle milestone generally.
Spelling and transliteration vary. Forms such as b’nei mitzvah and b’nai mitzvah appear in English, but they refer to the same Hebrew plural expression. The apostrophe represents omitted Hebrew letters in transliteration.