Birth
Brit Milah (also known as a bris) is the ceremony that welcomes a baby boy into the Jewish community through the ritual of circumcision. In this ritual, the parents confirm their family’s participation in the eternal commitment between God and the Jewish people and their affirmation of Jewish life for another generation. The ceremony can be held in the home or at the synagogue.
Brit Bat is the ceremony that welcomes a baby girl into the covenant between the Jewish people and God. There is no set liturgy and unlike the brit milah for a boy, there are no rules about when or where. A brit bat on Shabbat can take place during worship services either on Friday night. The baby is brought up to the bima where the rabbi blesses the baby and the parents speak about her namesake(s). It is customary to contribute toward the Oneg Shabbat or to make a contribution to the synagogue in the baby’s honor.
To explore ways of celebrating the birth of a child or grandchild, contact Daphne Parker at 305.667.5657.
Consecration
The Consecration service is a tradition that was developed by the Reform movement to mark the beginning of a child’s formal Jewish education. Children are eligible for Consecration when they begin study in our religious school. For many students this will be in kindergarten, but students are encouraged to participate at any grade. The Consecration ceremony is held at the Shabbat service and coincides with our celebration of Simchat Torah or of Chanukah. Prior to this service, children receive a small Torah and are encouraged to decorate it with a personalized cover made with a parent. Older students receive a copy of Mishkan Tefilah. At the service, the children come to the front of the congregation and sing songs about the Torah and recite the Shema.
Interested in registering your child for religious school?
Please contact the Shir Ami Religious school office at 305.667.5657
B'nai Mitzvah
Each B’nai Mitzvah ceremony is a milestone in the life of Temple Judea, and it is with pride and recognition of the significance of this event that we have created “BMC” – our B’nai Mitzvah Club Program, to lead our students to confidence, knowledge, love for Torah and Jewish life. We want your family to be familiar and comfortable with the activities and objectives of this process. Our program is exciting and intentional, reflecting the true value and satisfaction of celebrating and reaffirming our Jewish heritage as a vital part of our daily lives.
It is particularly important for your child to foster meaningful relationships with Rabbi Siegal, Rabbi Fisch, B’nai Mitzvah Director Gaby Enser Tangir, Director of Education Seth Lewis Levin, Cantor Lisa Segal, our congregation, and the broader Jewish community. To celebrate a B’nai Mitzvah at Temple Judea, the student's family must be members in good standing, and the children must be enrolled in our B'nai Mitzvah Club program (BMC). Attendance at Monday Nights and our Sunday mornings J-PLEx program is also required.
Students mark their B’nai Mitzvah at Temple Judea by leading the service in prayer, offering inspirational words of Torah, chanting Torah and haftarah, undertaking a Mitzvah Project, and actively participating in our community.
Kabbalat Torah (Confirmation)
Recognizing that Bar Mitzvah, although significant, does not in modern society mark a child’s becoming an adult, the ceremony of Kabbalat Torah allows girls and boys to affirm their commitment to Judaism as a consequence of a personal decision. Kabbalat Torah encourages students to think about issues in their lives and in society as a whole, through the lens of Jewish tradition and Liberal Jewish values. In addition to classes of study with the rabbis and educators at Temple Judea, Kabbalat Torah also includes a group trip to Washington DC to participate in the L’Taken seminar hosted by the Religious Action Center. As a result, many of our students cement lasting social relationships with fellow students during these years. Kabbalat Torah culminates in a Shabbat evening ceremony created jointly by the students and the Senior Staff. Thanks to the Temple Judea Endowment Committee for its ongoing support of the L’Taken program.
Weddings
Weddings are a joyous and spiritual opportunity in Jewish life. Temple Judea is honored to host a wedding in our sanctuary or on our grounds, and our clergy also officiate off-site. Please contact Daphne Parker in the rabbinic office for more information at D.parker@judeagables.org
Our clergy team stand ready to help prepare couples not only for the wedding but also for the marriage. We offer (free of cost) premarital counseling, utilizing a national program that helps prepare couples for the challenges of marriage. We also are happy to provide copies of “The Bride and Groom Handbook” which lists the basic traditions and practices of Jewish weddings.
We also strongly suggest that couples engage in premarital testing for Jewish genetic diseases. The University of Miami offers support for this important endeavor, 305-243-4524 (the Victor Center for Jewish Genetic Diseases).
In Time of Grief
Our synagogue community is here for you even at this most difficult of times. Guided by the sensitivity and profundity of Jewish tradition, we want to make these sad days feel more bearable because of our presence and the wisdom of Jewish practice. To reach a rabbi during this time, please call the Temple Judea office at 305.667.5657. There is always an on-call number available if the office is closed.
Please use the following information as an important resource in getting through the days ahead.