AxB Adventures

Some of the non-chosen among you have asked us some questions, so here is the brief rundown of what this whole thing is about...

Like many religions/cultures, Judaism has has it's own welcome ceremony for babies. For boys, the bris has a long history... always on the 8th day, with its own rituals (giving of a name, circumcision, etc.), order of activities, and a few places here and there for personalization. For girls, however, the tradition starts with someone (usually a father) going to the shul and announcing the name of the girl during a kaddish... that is also where the tradition ends.

So, in our egalitarian modern age, what is a modern Jewish family to do? It turns out, you get to play a choose your own adventure game...

Do you want to have it on the 8th day? Or do you want to schedule it at a time more convenient for out-of-town relatives?
Do you want to mimic the rituals for a boy (at least as closely as possible)? Or do you want to create an event that celebrates femininity?
Do you want to use traditional readings and prayers? Or do you want to place her in the middle of a drum circle ringed by origami butterflies while everyone sings folks songs of the 18th century?

Oh, and make all these decisions while some combination of 9th months pregnant and with a newborn.

Our ceremony was designed to mimic most of the rituals and feeling of a bris, complete with a symbolic circumcision (see the previous post), though we did schedule it at a more easily attended time than the 8th day, given the non-local invite list. In the previous post, you saw the processional bringing the baby to the ceremony, the wine, and the symbolic circumcision. Today... we start with the biggest part...

The name

When deciding on names, we found ourselves with both a challenge and opportunity as we considered our family histories and were confronted with the rather auspicious fact that three of our grandfathers had names that began with S.

Finding names, then, that share this letter was important to us, to create continuity, to give her a connection to previous generations, and to recognize people who meant a lot to us and to our parents, through their presence, and sometimes, through their absence.

Dina explaining the secular name, Sadie

Sadie is a yiddish nickname for Sarah. We specifically liked a name with Yiddish roots due to the rich cultural history of Eastern European Jewry, and its shared importance for those who came to the U.S. many generations ago and for those who immigrated more recently.

Sadie is specifically named for her maternal grandfather, Simon (Hebrew name: Simcha). Simon passed away when Dina's mother was a child, so it was important for us to find a way to build a connection with him, and with that part of our family. It is also a happy coincidence that Simcha means "joy," which is, in itself, a great thing to bestow on your child.

Lee speaking about the Hebrew name, Shoshanna

When picking a Hebrew name, we wanted to be sure to give her something traditional, but also something she could use easily should she find herself in Israel at some time.

Specifically, Shoshanna is for her maternal grandfather Shumal (English name: Stanley) and paternal Grandfather Saunders (English name: Sidney). The name specifically means "lilly," but one can't have a conversation about Hebrew word meanings without dipping into the roots, and the root ששנ also has meanings of "joyful, and "bright," a fitting compliment to the secular inspiration as well.

We each gave a reading reflecting some of our wishes for our daughter, and we will append them to the end of this post...

But enough talk, more pictures of the day!

Our first time giving the blessing of parents to children...

A presentation of naming certificate and a gift from the shul's Knitzvah group by the Temple co-President.

And of course, this day wouldn't be the same without our family, friends, and community gathered with us...

And now... let's eat!

Pictures of the party to follow in Part 3.

Dina's Reading

Desiderata (abridged)

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,

and remember what peace there may be in silence.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your career, however humble;

it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs;

for the world is full of trickery.

But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;

many persons strive for high ideals;

and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.

Especially, do not feign affection.

Neither be cynical about love;

for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,

gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in the face of sudden misfortune.

But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.

Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,

be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,

no less than the trees and the stars;

you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you,

no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Lee's Reading

The Seven Blessings –

1. May the One who blessed Eve with the choice to eat from the tree of knowledge and the

courage to pave the way for humanity bless this child with wisdom and strength.

2. May the One who blessed Sarah with faith to believe in the impossible bless this child

with the Shechinah, a divine presence in her life.

3. May the One who blessed Miriam with a voice to speak out even when her views were unpopular give this child the strength to be a spokeswoman for her beliefs.

4. May the One who blessed Shifra and Puah with the courage to save an entire generation

bless this child with the knowledge to know that life is sacred.

5. May the One who blessed Deborah with the wisdom and power to be a judge bless this

child with self-esteem so that she may be a leader and a sage.

6. May the One who blessed Tzipporah with the knowledge that G-d speaks through those

we love bless this child with a community of loving and nurturing people.

7. May the One who blessed Ruth with loyalty to another woman bless this child with love

and concern for the future of women.

This past Sunday was Sadie's naming in the Jewish community (Brit Bat) where she received her Hebrew name of Shoshanna.

The event was at our synagogue in Brookline, just downstairs from our wedding location and in the same room as our reception.

Before the event, we'd revealed her secular name, but kept the reasons and the Hebrew name secret. This allowed us to be practical for the intervening weeks, but still have some "introduction" to friends, family, and the Jewish community at the ceremony.

Photos below of everything up through the symbolic (only!) circumcision, the rest of the ceremony, the reception, and other details to follow!

Sadie hangs out while her parents and grandparents decorate the room.

Reb Moshe and parents welcoming the crowd assembled (below)

The processional bringing Sadie into the ceremony though her great-grandparents and grandparents...

Wrapping Sadie in the talis we wore at our wedding...

The view from the other side of the tablet for Grandpa David watching remotely (thanks Alice!)...

Wine, and symbolic "circumcision" of the heart, ears, and tongue; organs the bible suggests we (symbolically, again) circumcise at various times.

And that's all for Part 1, stay tuned for the rest of the ceremony, assuming we can get some more time away from changing, feeding, and trying to get some sleep of our own!