Judaism Life Cycle Outline
Essay Preview: Judaism Life Cycle Outline
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Brit Milah
Welcoming ceremony into Judaism for a boy
Includes circumcision
Covenant of Circumcision
Occurs 8 days after birth – VERY important, nothing interrupts
Ritual objects used:
Circumcision tools (anesthetic is possible according to some), tallit (prayer shawl), booklet with ceremony text, Elijahs Chair
Time of ceremony – early in the morning
Ritual setting – morning prayer service
Parts of ceremony – welcomed, circumcision, naming, festive meal.
Participants – moyel (person who does the circumcision “surgery”), parents, grandparents, Godparents, sandek (person given a role of honor) , rabbi
Biblical roots are in Genesis in the story of Abraham
Brit haBat or Brit Bat
Covenant of the daughter
Other names: Brit Hayyim (Covenant of Life)
Relatively new ceremony, commonly done for the past 30 – 40 years.
Welcoming ceremony into Judaism for a girl
When: Anytime after 8 days old
Ritual setting – often morning prayer service
Ritual objects used:
Tallit, booklet with ceremony text, Elijahs Chair
Parts of ceremony – welcome, naming, parent letter, festive meal
Participants – moyel (person who does the circumcision “surgery”), parents, grandparents, Godparents, sandek (person given a role of honor) , rabbi
Judaism and Names
Ashkenazic Jews (from Norther or EasterEurope) – name Hebrew names after deceased family member
Saphardic Jews (from Spain, North Africa, Middle East) – name Hebrew names after living family member
Judaism – Life Cycle Education
Honey on the Page
Ancient Custom
Learning should be a sweet thing
Consecration
Ceremony at the beginning of a childs formal religious education.
Often done on the holiday of Simchat Torah, a holiday after Sukkot
Bar Mitzvah
Means son of the commandments
A child becomes a bar/bat mitzvah
Ceremony identical or similar to a bat mitzvah except for many Orthodox Jews
When – age of 13, usually the closest Sabbath to the childs birthday
Ritual objects;
Torah (child reads from it), prayer book, Haftorah (reading from Prophets), tallit, kippah, part of a larger service
Setting – Sabbath Prayer service, usually in a Synagogue or Temple (Jewish communal holy place)
Reception, party, celebration
Judaism – Life Cycle Conformation
Confirmation
Ceremony at age 16 or 17 that gives a young adult a way to publicly affirm (or reaffirm) their commitment to Judaism
“Modern” ceremony, at most 185 years old
Marriage
Names of parts of ceremony:
Kiddushin (Hebrew word for marriage), another term which is part of the ceremony is nissuin (betrothal). Could be a year in between the two. The parts used to be separate, but are now both included in the wedding ceremony.
Wedding Ceremony
Parts:
Signing of Ketubah, or wedding contract
Witnesses sign as well (way of being honored)
Nissuin & Kiddushin
Ritual objects;
Huppah (canopy) – open on all 4 sides to show hospitality
Models that the home is to be a Mikdash mat (small sanctuary)
Glass broken – to remind that the world is a broken place
Rings
Participants;
Bride, groom, parents, witnesses who sign the ketubah
Parents often stand under the huppah with the bridal party
Does not have to be performed by a rabbi, only a knowledged Jew
Reconstructionist Jews acknowledge same sex marriage
Death