Upsherin
The Jewish first haircut ceremony for a boy at the age of three, leaving the sidelocks, or payot.
Also: opsherin, chalakah
Upsherin, Yiddish for 'shearing off', is the first haircut given to many Jewish boys when they turn three, especially in Haredi and Hasidic communities. Until then the hair is left uncut. Guests may each snip a lock, and the side hair is kept as payot. Many families give a coin to charity for each lock and begin teaching the child the Hebrew letters. A popular place for the ceremony is Mount Meron in Israel on Lag BaOmer.