ICJudaism: A Teacher’s Guide to Judaism
Hosted by ICTeachers Formerly: Mike’s Rough Guide to Judaism
Disclaimer:
The contents of these pages represent the author’s personal views, experience and
understanding.
There are bound to be some things here that some Jews would disagree
with.
Birth and Naming in Judaism
Birth and Circumcision
Traditionally, Jews do not give presents for a baby before it has been born. Although baby showers are no longer unknown, they are still unusual in most Jewish communities.
As soon as possible after the birth of a child the father is given an aliyah (aliyah = going up) in the synagogue (ie he is called up to share in the reading of the Torah on Shabbat morning). At that time a blessing is said for the health of the child and the mother. If the child is a girl her name will be announced at the same time. In Progressive Judaism, blessing the baby may be held off until both parents are able to bring the child to synagogue, when either or both parents will be given an aliyah.
If the child is a boy and is healthy he will be circumcised on his eighth day. This is in fulfilment of the commandment in Torah and is a sign of the covenant originally made between God and Abraham. The circumcision ceremony, called Brit Milah, or simply Bris (the Ashkenazi pronunciation) usually takes place at home and is performed by a skilled practitioner known as a mohel. A Jewish boy is given his name at his bris.
Female circumcision has never been a part of Judaism.
Names
Jews usually have 2 names, their civil name, in the form used in the country where they live, and their Hebrew name, which will be used in religious contexts such as when they are called up for aliyah, when they marry, at their funeral and on their gravestones.
Hebrew names are traditionally patrilineal, taking the form of <name> ben <father’s name> for a boy or <name> bat <father’s name>. Ben means son of; bat (pronounced but) means daughter of. In progressive communities girls’ names may be may matrilineal, using their mother’s name instead of their father’s or all names may refer to both parents .
The civil name will generally, but not always, have some connection with the Hebrew name (it may be an anglicised form of it, for example).
A child whose Hebrew name is Shimshon ben Moshe, might be given the civil name Simon (Shimshon actually translates to Samson) but might equally well be something less like the Hebrew name, such as Stephen. Many English names have Hebrew origins anyway and these are most likely to be kept eg. The English name Rebecca is derived from the Hebrew, Rivkah, so Rivkah bat Moshe would probably have the civil name Rebecca or, possibly, Becky).
Civil names which have particularly Christian associations, such as Christopher and Christine or Benedict are rarely used by Jewish families.
In Ashkenazi tradition children are usually given the Hebrew name of a recently deceased relative. This is seen as a mark of respect and remembrance. There is also a superstitious sense of bad luck associated with giving a child the name of a living relative. It is very unusual for Jews from an Ashkenazi background to be given the same name as their parent. This tradition does not hold to any significant degree in other streams of Judaism.
