Do you need an officiant for a Jewish lifecycle event? Talk with me!
For all stages of life:
B’rit Milah, the covenant of circumcision, is traditionally carried out by a mohel (male) or mohelet (female), a Jewish specialist in the procedure who may be a physician but doesn’t have to be. If you’d prefer to use a physician who isn’t trained in the religious aspect, I can work with him or her to conduct the religious ceremony. Please get in touch with me, and your physician of choice, on the first day after the child is born, because tradition mandates setting it for the eighth day after the baby’s birth, even if it’s the Sabbath or a holy day.
Baby Naming, for daughter or whenever circumcision isn’t required, can take place at your home or another venue. There is no fixed schedule for this; it can take place when you're ready.
B’rit Mitzvah, the coming-of-age ceremony for a young person (that is, bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah) typically takes place at age 13, but can be at any point in life after that, including in adulthood. Education in Judaism is a requirement, but can be acquired in many ways. It’s best to start planning well in advance.
Marriage and commitment ceremonies--please see this page.
Jewish funerals and burials don’t always take place within 24 hours, but shouldn’t be postponed unnecessarily. I can officiate at a funeral service at a synagogue (with the congregation’s consent), a funeral home, or at graveside. Please note that many Jewish cemeteries require taharah, traditional Jewish preparation of the body prior to burial, but I’m willing to officiate without it if the cemetery permits. If you choose to sit shiva, I can help you with that.