We would like to buy an Israeli or Jewish gift for my friends son's
Bar Mizvah  this Rosh Ha-Shana and found that:
http://www.myisraeligift.com/gift_from_israel/menorahs/accordion_hanukkah_menorah_the_seven_species/
But my friend told me once that only Jewish women light candles.
Is it gift appropriate for Bar Mitzvah or only for Bat Mitzva?

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Request for Question Clarification by politicalguru-ga on 11 Sep 2005 03:53 PDT

I wouldn't buy it from other reasons: 
- It is *way* overpriced and I bet that you can get better ones in other sites; 
- It is not something that I would be thrilled to receive if I was a
13 year old boy
- It is related to another holiday, that of Hannukah and not really to
Bar Mitzvahs.

Would you like to hear alternative ideas?

This site agrees with your friend, that Jewish women light the candles:

http://www.mazornet.com/jewishcl/holidays/Chanukah/menorah-wholights.htm

But several other sites do not mention this.  
It seems more appropriate to let someone of the same faith give a gift
of religious significance (also avoiding any faux pas).
I'd give him a Swiss Army knife  - maybe a model without the Swiss
Cross -  unless there is a Jewish tradition against such.  Some folks
have the superstition that the person receiving a knife as a gift
should pay a penny for it.  He can used the scissors to cut his
fingernails, something a young man needs and should manage without
Mother's manicure set.

POsted too soon --
A pair of pocket binoculars would also be something a youngster would
enjoy and always find useful.  I like the principle that a gift for a
unique event in life (Bar Mizvah, Confirmation, graduation) should be
one of lasting value.

Its seems that we're mixing up 2 of the jewish "candle-lighting" practices. 
One instance involves women - the Shabbat candles. To welcome in the
Shabbat, 2 candles are lit on Friday evening at sundown. These candles
are primarily lit by women
(http://www.chabad.org/library/howto/wizard.asp?AID=137601) although a
man fills in when no women are in the household.
The second instance is the Chanuka candles. During the 8 day festival
of Hanukah (usualy in the early winter) candles are lit each day after
dark. Starting with one candle on the first night, one candle is added
each night untill, by the eighth night, all eight candles are lit.
This responsibility primarily relates to men, but women need to be
present by the lighting and will light candles of their own when no
man is present.
In this case, a menorah would be an appropriate gift for a bar mitzvah
boy because it is primarly a male responsiblity.
As for which present to buy, it is very appropriate to buy gifts
related to the holidays that fall in proximity to the Bar Mitzvah. If
you can post the date of the bar mitzvah, I'll suggest somthing.