The Blessing and Introduction of Newborn Babies into the Family and Community
Jewish Naming Ceremony is for our daughters and sons to be blessed and welcomed in the community.
The Jewish Naming Ceremony
is considered to be one of the most important Jewish rituals and is a way of bringing both blessings and good fortune to the new baby.
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The baby naming ceremony is the custom to celebrate the birth of a child. It addition, the child is welcomed into the Jewish community with the anouncement of their Hebrew name. All those that gather together shows support through the physical and spiritual well-being of the child. It is a time of dedication and benediction where the parents share why a particular Hebrew name was chosen.
Parents give their baby a secular name as well as a Hebrew name to express their child’s individuality and unique personality. We honor in loving memory to the generations from their family tree. We remember those family members in life and in our hearts always. It is this name that will be used during rituals, ceremonies, marriage, and can be passed down to future generations.
The Jewish naming ceremony for girls is referred to as the Brit Bat (welcoming the daughter to the covenant) or Simchat Bat (celebration of the daughter). the custom is to schedule them for up to two months following the birth of the daughter.
For a baby boy, the naming ceremony is referred to as Bris or Brit Milah. It takes place at a private home eight days following birth as part of the Jewish Ritual Circumcision Naming Ceremony. There are two ceremonies for our sons to be blessed. For parents that are choosing no bris, there is the Brit Shalom.
Blessings are recited for the daughter and the sons equally for naming ceremonies in the 21st Century.
When there is a Jewish celebration, there is always food! See the Jewish Cookbooks by Leah Koenig.