Mommy,
Far be it from me to tell you how to spend your own money… but since you asked:
Generally speaking, as the parent of three teens, I feel that an Ipad is too much for a bar mitzvah present. Those things start at about $500.
That being said, I am generally of the opinion that a gift should suit the occasion. A Bar Mitzvah is (or should be, anyway) a spiritual occassion, marking an important milestone in the young man’s religious life. As such, I’ve always felt that a religiously themed gift is the best way to go (although, I’ll admit, that I’ve often given cash as well when I didn’t have the time to look for something more appropriate).
But that’s just my own $1/50.
The Wolf