Jewish Lifecycle Events
Our clergy and staff, along with the CBSW community, want to help you honor your family’s Jewish lifecycle events, from weddings to brit milah and baby namings, to the death and mourning of a loved one, to conversion to Judaism.
Weddings:
Rabbi Goldberg works with each couple to craft a Jewish wedding ceremony that is personal and meaningful for the couple and their families and will then officiate the ceremony at CBSW or your preferred venue. We are honored to host weddings at CBSW for couples looking for traditional, interfaith, or same-sex ceremonies to mark this special lifecycle event.
If you wish to have an aufruf, a special blessing at the Shabbat Service preceding your wedding, please contact Jen in the CBSW office.
Brit Milah and Baby Namings:
The covenant of circumcision, otherwise known as "Brit Milah," is the oldest continuous Jewish rite and takes place on the 8th day following the birth of a baby boy. "Brit Bat" is the symbolic ceremony of welcoming infant daughters to this historic relationship. Both ceremonies involve giving the child a Hebrew name.
We look forward to providing brit milah and baby naming ceremonies at CBSW. Rabbi Goldberg is a great resource to help you navigate the process, including finding a certified mohel/mohelet and help determining honors for various family members or friends. Whether you prefer to hold the ceremony at CBSW or at home (or another location), we’re here to help.
Additionally, we can welcome a new baby into the covenant of the Jewish people at our Friday night services with a special blessing and an Oneg afterward in honor of the simcha.
Death and Mourning:
Judaism teaches that death is an inevitable consequence of living and that the dead are to be treated with dignity and respect. The tradition also provides a framework for expressing grief through fixed periods of mourning, which also serve as a limit to excessive displays of grief. Jewish mourning rituals include the observance of Shiva (the first seven days of mourning), Sheloshim (the first thirty days of bereavement), Yahrzeit (the yearly anniversary of a loved one’s passing), and unveiling (when a gravestone is dedicated approximately a year after burial).
When a death occurs, contact our CBSW office. Rabbi Goldberg will coordinate with the family, setting the time for the funeral service. He will also engage our Chesed volunteers to provide any needed assistance to the family. Our office will communicate the death to our CBSW members with service information so they may support the family.
Conversion:
If you are interested in learning about Judaism, whether you are simply curious or on the path to conversion, you are welcome at CBSW! Rabbi Goldberg offers an Introduction to Judaism class for those interested in learning more about possible conversion (with no expectations).
Many people convert to Judaism each year, and each will do so for unique, personal reasons. If you are considering conversion to Judaism, we recognize that this is a very personal decision and want to make your journey as meaningful as possible. Rabbi Goldberg will meet with you to answer questions and—should you decide to proceed—work with you to determine your path. This includes the study of what it means to be Jewish, the study of Hebrew and the Torah, and learning to observe Jewish rituals like Shabbat and immersion in a ritual bath (the Mikvah).
