We welcome new lives through birth. We celebrate marriage. We confront illness and loss. We do these things together, and knowing that we are not alone instills that sense of family we cherish.
Permit us to become your spiritual family, celebrating together moments of joy and comforting eachother in times of struggle.
You may be wondering about:
Brit Milah
Mazel Tov! Welcoming a new member of the family is a profound experience.At B’nai Abraham, we honor the Reform movement’s position on Jewish identity: All children with at least one Jewish parent, and who are raised and educated only as Jews, are considered to be fully Jewish. Rabbi Lauren is readily available to meet before or after your child is born in order to discuss the details of the appropriate ritual, which will welcome your child, honor your family and connect us all in the chain of Jewish tradition.
Our congregation is honored to welcome your child into our community. Tradition calls for us to circumcise our sons on the eighth day of life in a ritual called Brit Milah, the Covenant of Circumcision. During this ceremony, boys also are given their Hebrew names. Girls are welcomed, and given their Hebrew names, in a ceremony called Kabbalat Bat, Welcoming a Daughter.
B’nai Mitzvah
At 13, Jewish children come of age as Jews and become Bar Mitzvah (“son of the commandment”) or Bat Mitzvah (“daughter of the commandment”). B’nai Mitzvah is simultaneously a life-cycle event, educational milestone, and a communal celebration.
Confirmation
Confirmation is a unique life-cycle event, for it is tied to educational achievement. Confirmation occurs at the end of Tenth Grade. That year is spent studying with our clergy. Topics range from God, Ethics, Contemporary Issues to the history of our American Jewish experience. The year culminates with a joyous Confirmation service.
Conversion
Taking on a new religious identity is one of the most profound steps in a person’s life. Our rabbi invites those interested in Judaism to speak directly with her. Choosing Judaism is a highly personal journey and not bound by a time frame. When a person is ready to formalize that relationship, Rabbi Lauren will plan a ceremony to help you celebrate this milestone.
Illness
We invite you to send us the name(s) of loved ones who are facing the challenge of illness, that we may support them, and you, by inclusion in our communal Mi Sheberakh prayers.
The Mi Sheberakh prayer is one of the central Jewish prayers for those who are facing the challenge of illness. The prayer includes pleas for both physical and spiritual healing for those within our community who are dealing with illness. Traditionally, the Mi Sheberakh is said in synagogue when the Torah is read and is often said by professional healthcare givers, patients, and loved ones at various times during treatment and recovery from illness of all sorts
Bikur cholim, visiting the sick, is an important Jewish tradition and, as such, is taken very seriously at TBA. While our rabbi would like to visit you or a loved one who is ill, we respect your right to privacy. Contact our office to report a hospitalization or illness and direct us in the most appropriate way to respond.
Grief & Mourning
In Jewish tradition, there are several occasions each year when our loved ones who have passed on are memorialized. The most significant of these is yahrzeit, the anniversary of the death, which is observed according to the Hebrew calendar. As is the case in all Jewish holy days, yahrzeit observance begins at night. A 24-hour candle is lit and one may attend synagogue to recite the Kaddish, the memorial prayer.
It is traditional to avoid attending any celebrations or parties on the day of yahrzeit, and some people may choose to fast on that day. You are invited and encouraged to let us know the name and yahrzeit of your beloved ones who have departed from us. We will honor their memory by announcing their name during services.
Weddings
Mazel Tov! Engaged? Thinking about it? Entering into marriage can be both exciting and overwhelming. To ease the process, and provide some answers, our rabbi would love to meet with you and talk about your future as a couple. Rabbi Lauren can help teach the bride and groom the meaning of the ceremony, from Ketubah (marriage document), to Kiddushin (Engagement), to Huppah (Marriage Canopy), to Nissuin (marriage ceremony), to breaking the glass. She also counsels, offering Jewish wisdom in preparation for a life dedicated to love and companionship. She will work with the bride and groom in designing the ceremony, providing her knowledge and experience. We look forward to celebrating with you and we welcome all couples who seek connection with our Jewish community here on the Westside of Cleveland.
Lifecycle Events
We welcome new lives through birth. We celebrate marriage. We confront illness and loss. We do these things together, and knowing that we are not alone instills that sense of family we cherish.
Permit us to become your spiritual family, celebrating together moments of joy and comforting eachother in times of struggle.
You may be wondering about:
Brit Milah
Mazel Tov! Welcoming a new member of the family is a profound experience.At B’nai Abraham, we honor the Reform movement’s position on Jewish identity: All children with at least one Jewish parent, and who are raised and educated only as Jews, are considered to be fully Jewish. Rabbi Lauren is readily available to meet before or after your child is born in order to discuss the details of the appropriate ritual, which will welcome your child, honor your family and connect us all in the chain of Jewish tradition.
Our congregation is honored to welcome your child into our community. Tradition calls for us to circumcise our sons on the eighth day of life in a ritual called Brit Milah, the Covenant of Circumcision. During this ceremony, boys also are given their Hebrew names. Girls are welcomed, and given their Hebrew names, in a ceremony called Kabbalat Bat, Welcoming a Daughter.
B’nai Mitzvah
At 13, Jewish children come of age as Jews and become Bar Mitzvah (“son of the commandment”) or Bat Mitzvah (“daughter of the commandment”). B’nai Mitzvah is simultaneously a life-cycle event, educational milestone, and a communal celebration.
Confirmation
Confirmation is a unique life-cycle event, for it is tied to educational achievement. Confirmation occurs at the end of Tenth Grade. That year is spent studying with our clergy. Topics range from God, Ethics, Contemporary Issues to the history of our American Jewish experience. The year culminates with a joyous Confirmation service.
Conversion
Taking on a new religious identity is one of the most profound steps in a person’s life. Our rabbi invites those interested in Judaism to speak directly with her. Choosing Judaism is a highly personal journey and not bound by a time frame. When a person is ready to formalize that relationship, Rabbi Lauren will plan a ceremony to help you celebrate this milestone.
Illness
We invite you to send us the name(s) of loved ones who are facing the challenge of illness, that we may support them, and you, by inclusion in our communal Mi Sheberakh prayers.
The Mi Sheberakh prayer is one of the central Jewish prayers for those who are facing the challenge of illness. The prayer includes pleas for both physical and spiritual healing for those within our community who are dealing with illness. Traditionally, the Mi Sheberakh is said in synagogue when the Torah is read and is often said by professional healthcare givers, patients, and loved ones at various times during treatment and recovery from illness of all sorts
Bikur cholim, visiting the sick, is an important Jewish tradition and, as such, is taken very seriously at TBA. While our rabbi would like to visit you or a loved one who is ill, we respect your right to privacy. Contact our office to report a hospitalization or illness and direct us in the most appropriate way to respond.
Grief & Mourning