1. Sept 15. Jewish Life Cycles.

2. For Wed: Judaism 101 site: Marriage Funerals For Friday: Daily Prayers and Sabbath Next week: Calendar and Festivals. Week after: Finish Calendar, and Kashrut.

3. “Sorting Kipa” Kippah Yarmulke Conservative Orthodox Reform –Feminist –Reconstructionist.

4. Birth. Judaism is ethnic: people are born Jewish. Membership in Judaism has obligations: –Covenant requirements

5. Next time at: Synagogue Father will be given chance to bless the Torah Will announce the birth of the child If a daughter is born, she will be named at the synagogue.

6. Boys: Circumcision Covenant with Abraham required it, and of all male Jews since. “Brit Millah” = Covenant of Circumcision.

7. 8 th day of life Timing very important. Only medical reasons can postpone it. Operation must be performed on 8 th day, even if it is Sabbath or a Festival.

8. Child Held by godparent sitting in “Elijah’s Chair” –Perhaps child is MESSIAH, child is treated like a king. Operation performed by trained MOHEL

9. Naming boy Abram renamed Abraham “noble father” to “Father of Multitudes” Baby is given a Hebrew name.

10. Names [BOY’S NAME] ben[FATHER’S NAME Isaac ben Abraham Isaac son of Abraham [Girl’s Name] bat [Father’s Name] Sarah bat Baruch Sarah daughter of Baruch.

11. Ben… Many times in the modern world ‘ben’ is part of a surname. E.g.Ehud Ben Zvi. Ehud is his first name. Ben Zvi is his surname: –Dr. Ben Zvi. –Daugher is: Rivkah Ben Zvi.

12. Mother. Purification rituals after childbirth. 7 days for a son 14 days for a daughter Ritual bath MIKVAH is used.

13. Redemption of First born Son Age: 31 days Bible requires that all first born sons (except priests) belong to God. Parents must redeem “buy them back”. Post temple: giving of charity to a descendant of the Priests.

14. Modern Issues around birth Abortion: tradition says human life begins when child is half-way out of Mother. Abortion required to save the life of mom.

15. Issues: Gender bias –Purification requirements – More ritual for boys than girls. Adoption: If child’s birth parents are not Jewish, child must be converted.

16. Issues Circumcision –Outdated barbarity? –Necessary tradition? –Requirement of God?

17. Bar Mitzvah “Son of the Commandment” Bar is Aramaic for Hebrew “Ben”. 13 years and 1 day: a boy is religiously adult: responsible for Torah Obligations. Can count towards a “MINYAN”, requirement to have 10 adult men for rituals.

18. Torah Obligations A Bar Mitzvah is bound to observe all of the MITZVOT: “COMMANDMENTS” A Bar Mitzvah is allowed to read blessings in Synagogue over Torah.

19. Ceremonies. First Synagogue meeting after becoming of age, the boy will be asked to come up to read the blessings over the Torah. In modern world, this simple privilege has become a major cause for family reunions, parties, presents etc.

20. Girls Age 12 years and 1 day, Girls are considered religiously adult, and responsible for women’s religious obligations. Traditionally, there is no ceremony for girls.

21. Bat Mitzvah “Daughter of the Commandment” A new ceremony for girls in some congregations.

22. Confirmation. Some synagogues: age 16 or 18. “Graduation” from religious schooling.