Officiants
Anyone can lead your welcoming ceremony. You may ask a rabbi, cantor, or friend to be in charge, but it is also lovely when the parents, holding their new daughter or son in their arms, take the lead. Again, your comfort should dictate your choices. Do you want to be at the center, leading this ritual? Or do you want someone else to take over, so that you can fully experience it as a participant?
If you will be working with a member of the clergy, you should meet with him or her even before the baby is born. You will want to find out if he or she has a set ceremony that s/he uses and, if so, what it is. You will also want to find out how much flexibility he or she has? Can you make additions to the ceremony? Can you create your own? Does he or she need to see it beforehand? If there are sensitive topics – a non-Jewish parent or grandparents – now would be a good time to find out how he or she deals with them.
back to top
