The Life of a Jewish Person

Birth The Jewish Bible commands that the Jewish people be fruitful and multiply

Bris The ceremony of circumcision The godparent holds the child during the circumcision

Circumcised The child is circumcised 8 days after birth If the child is sick the Bris can be postponed

Named The baby is officially named after the circumcision

Party Family and friends are invited to small celebration usually involving dinner in honor of the Bris

Baby Girls Girls are not circumcised They do have a baby celebration without the circumcision where they name the baby

Brit The baby girl is bathed in water and named

Naming the Baby Jewish children are not named after their parents but other family members Jewish children have a English name and then a Hebrew name

Bar Mitzvah Is not a verb but a state of meaning You can not be Bar Mitzvahed

Bar Mitzvah Boys at age 13 and a day Must learn to read enough Hebrew to read the Torah

Bar Mitzvah Scheduled on a Saturday morning The boy reads from the Torah The boy gives a speech Party!

Bar Mitzvah There is a second Bar Mitzvah at the age of 83 At 70 you become a new person, so 13 years later you have the second Bar Mitzvah

Bat Mitzvah Girls at the age of 12 and a day

Jewish Wedding Jews can not marry their mother, grandmother, granddaughter, sister, half-sister, aunt, niece, mother-in-law, step mother, daughter-in-law or any married woman not granted a religious divorce

Jewish Wedding Men and women have equal rights in choosing a spouse

Jewish Wedding Customs: At Shabbat before the wedding the groom and bride read from the Torah and are pelted with nuts and candy from the crowd

Jewish Wedding Customs: 2. Women take a ritual bath the day before the wedding in a natural fresh body of water

Jewish Wedding Customs: 3. The groom and bride should be separated from each other for a week before they are to be married

Jewish Wedding Customs: 4. A women can not be married during her menstrual cycle

Jewish Wedding Customs: 5. Men typically wear a ceremonial white robe at their wedding. -they will be buried in the same road

Jewish Wedding Rituals: 1. The Marriage Canopy - called a Chuppah - held over the heads of the bride and groom during the ceremony

Jewish Wedding Rituals: 1. The Marriage Canopy - called a Chuppah - held over the heads of the bride and groom during the ceremony - can be decorated

Jewish Wedding Rituals: 2. Drinking Wine - bride and groom drink from the same glass

Jewish Wedding Rituals: 3. Rings - couples exchange rings - groom says to bride’ “with this ring, you are consecrated to me, according to the tradition of Moses and Israel”

Jewish Wedding Rituals: 4. The Seven Blessings - mark the moment of the marriage

Jewish Wedding Rituals: 5. Breaking the Glass - represents the destruction of the Temple - everyone yells: “Mazel tov!”

Jewish Wedding Rituals: 6. The Ketubah - the marriage contract is signed - sort of prenuptial agreement - details financial requirements, etc.

Jewish Wedding Rituals: 7.the back room - For ten minutes directly after the wedding the bride and groom spend time alone with each other in a quiet room

Jewish Divorce Jewish men can not just divorce their wives A Jewish man must present his wife with a get to divorce her

Jewish Divorce A get is a complex legal document written by a Rabbi

Jewish Divorce A man can divorce a woman for any reason

Jewish Divorce A woman can not divorce her husband without his permission If she does get a divorce she can not get remarried for at least 90 days

Jewish Divorce If a man dies and his body is never found the wife can not remarry

Jewish Death Jews leave an ethical will An ethical will is a will that is read out loud to your family and friends when you die

Jewish Death Ethical wills often include: Spiritual encouragement How you want your family to act after your death Your accomplishments Your mistakes Asks for forgiveness

Jewish Death Suicide & assisted suicide is a sin Can not be buried in a Jewish cemetery No mourning

Jewish Death A blessing is said when the person passes away: “Blessed are You, Eternal One our God, Universal Ruler, the True Judge”

Jewish Death Body should be buried as soon as possible preferably the next day Funerals can not be held on Shabbat or holidays

Jewish Death The body can not be left alone and the guard must recite Psalms until relieved

Jewish Death The body is never displayed in an open casket at a wake

Jewish Death There is no embalming of the body The body must be buried If a body part is lost during a life time it is buried along with the body

Jewish Death The bodies must be washed, dressed in a white shroud, and blessed before they are buried

Jewish Death The casket is generally as inexpensive and plain as possible

Jewish Death Family members tear a piece of their clothing to symbolize their grief

Jewish Death The family throws the first dirt on the casket when it is lowered

Jewish Death Traditional Dinner Eat round foods to symbolize the cycle of life Examples: eggs, chickpeas, bagels, etcetera

Jewish Death Mirrors are covered in the home

Jewish Death For one week the family: Don’t cut hair Don’t have sex Don’t listen to music Don’t do anything fun Don’t go out Keep a candle burning

Jewish Death The children of the deceased mourn for a year No going out No fun

Jewish Death On the anniversary of the day the person died the children light a candle

Jewish Death Jewish Bible says that Jacob buried his wife and placed a pillar upon her grave That tradition became the tombstone

Respond How has the Jewish tradition affected American life/culture today? Try to give specific examples in your answer