Birth
Birth is a deeply spiritual experience meant to be commemorated in a religious setting. As Jews, we mark the births of boys and girls with ceremonies — Brit Milah for boys and Brit Bat/baby naming for girls.
Birth ceremonies began with the ברית מילה/Brit Milah/covenant of circumcision ceremony. It dates back to the beginnings of Judaism and monotheistic faith.
OVS Birth Ceremony Overview:
- In order to have a Brit Milah or a Brit Bat, the baby needs to be born Jewish, from a Jewish mother, or there needs to be a stated commitment that the baby will be converted.
- Rabbi Hearshen will meet with you either before or after the birth to assist with questions about baby names and the ritual itself. He’ll help you find ways to honor relatives and to make the ceremony more personal. Rabbi Hearshen will provide you with a format for the ceremony as well as plenty of options for readings and rituals you can incorporate, allowing you to create a meaningful, personalized ceremony.
- OVS is happy to help you choose a trained and experienced מוהל/mohel/Moyel to take part in any Brit Milah ceremony.
- A Brit Milah or Brit Bat can be held in your home, the home of relative, or here at the synagogue. If you would like to have your ceremony at OVS, please contact our Executive Director, Adam Kofinas.
