Covenant & Naming Rituals

Historically, Jewish people have formally welcomed boys into the covenant with God, marking the occasion with celebration and circumcision. The birth of a girl was met with joy, but no ritual or communal celebration. We offer a variety of ways to formally welcome both girls and boys. You’ll also find naming rituals and blessings for parents, grandparents and children.

Photo by Jordan Cassway

Footwashing

Ritual Component

The baby's feet are washed in a number of ceremonies either as a symbol of covenant or as a symbol of welcome. [more]

Found In: Covenant & Naming Rituals

Tags: covenant, footwashing, welcoming

Welcome Prayer I

Prayer

Traditional blessing of welcome [more]

Found In: Covenant & Naming Rituals

Tags: welcoming

Welcome Prayer II

From Simhat Bat Ceremony II, Women's League of Conservative Judaism | Prayer

A slightly longer version of the traditional blessing for welcoming a baby at a babynaming ceremony [more]

Found In: Covenant & Naming Rituals

Tags: welcoming

Verses for Welcoming the New Baby

From the Itim Institute | Ritual Component

A variety of selections from scripture [more]

Found In: Covenant & Naming Rituals

Tags: welcoming

D'ror Yikra

From the Itim Institute | Poem

Traditional liturgical poem (piyut) for welcoming the baby, also known as "Donash ben Labrat" in Ladino [more]

Found In: Covenant & Naming Rituals

Tags: welcoming

Ya'alat Chen – A Graceful Gazelle

From the Itim Institute | Poem

Traditional liturgical poem (piyut) for welcoming the baby [more]

Found In: Covenant & Naming Rituals

Tags: welcoming

Blessing the Graduate

From Kolot | Prayer

Modern blessings for a daughter or son [more]

Found In: Covenant & Naming Rituals, Friday Evening, Graduation

Tags: Marcia Falk

Talmud Berachot 17a

By Lawrence Kushner, Translator | Reading

"May your eyes sparkle with the light of Torah and your ears hear the music of its words" — a prayer for our children based on a talmudic passage [more]

Found In: Bar / Bat Mitzvah, Covenant & Naming Rituals, Choosing & Affirming a Jewish Life

World of Your Dreams

Lyrics and music by Debbie Friedman, based on Talmud Berachot 17a | Song

"May you live to see your world fulfilled" [more]

Found In: Bar / Bat Mitzvah, Covenant & Naming Rituals, Graduation

Tags: Debbie Friedman, torah

Mother's Prayer

By Shelley Niceley Groff | Prayer

A mother's prayer on the occasion of her daughter becoming Bat Mitzvah [more]