If your family is having a brit shalom, you’ll probably want to assign roles (for example, kvatter and sandek, who are honorees) and have a few things on hand, including chosen prayers, kosher wine, a kiddush cup, a challah, a ceremonial chair, a pillow for the baby to rest on, etc. For more information about…
When it comes to having a brit shalom, there are lots of choices. Rabbi-led in a synagogue is an option, but these ceremonies can also take place at home, or even outdoors. A family’s prior involvement in congregational life, the time of year/weather, and what feels most comfortable for parents and baby are often deciding…
Babies assigned female at birth are typically given a Hebrew name during the Torah service shortly following their birth. Brit milah is a male-only ceremony, and brit shalom was originally conceived to be a male-only alternative. However, modern notions about gender and equality are changing the way many of us look at Jewish ritual —…
Naming ceremonies for hospital-circumcised babies enable parents to have a Jewish birth ceremony when they feel a hospital circumcision is more convenient or otherwise superior to brit milah, or when brit milah feels foreign due to their secular or interfaith backgrounds. Parents of babies who are intact may also choose to have a naming. Some…
In one sense, a brit shalom is nothing more than a covenantal naming and welcoming ceremony for a baby who isn’t being circumcised. In another sense, it’s the parents’ declaration that although they’ve opted out of circumcision, they are choosing to raise a Jewish child — and are proud to be both Jewish and non-circumcising…
Most Jews regard circumcision as a given. For the devout, it’s the fulfilment of a divine commandment, an act of faith. For many others, regardless of their beliefs, circumcision remains a powerful statement among the Jewish people. Jewish thinkers throughout the ages have reflected on the benefits. Moses Maimondes felt it kept sexual desire in…
