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Life Cycle

Life Cycle support from DC Minyan

If you know of someone who is new in town, just had a baby, is suffering from an illness, or in any way could use some extra community support, please e-mail [email protected] so that we can alert DC Minyan’s “Mitzvah Volunteer List” and include a listing on our Support Fellow Members page. You can also email [email protected] to sign up to be on the Mitzvah Volunteer List and receive occasional emails informing you of opportunities to help community members in need. Please also see the Bereavement page for more about how we can help those in the community experiencing a loss.

Celebrating with DC Minyan

Here are ways that DC Minyan can be involved in your life cycle celebration. If you would like to suggest additions to this list, please email us at [email protected].

Announcing a Simcha

If you would like to announce the simcha of a DC Minyan member (including your own simcha!) in the weekly DC Minyan announcements, please email the Steering Committee at [email protected].

Having an Aliyah

If you would like to have an aliyah in honor of a special event, email the Gabbai Committee at [email protected].

Bentching Gomel

Birkat HaGomel is a prayer recited during Torah reading by one who has recently survived a dangerous situation, including childbirth. On a week that the Minyan meets on Shabbat morning, if you know by Thursday afternoon that you would like to bentch gomel, email the Gabbai Committee at [email protected]. If you did not notify them  by Thursday, please tell one of the gabbais at services on Shabbat morning. The gabbais can also provide transliteration and/or assist you in saying the prayer.

Having an Aufruf

If you would like to celebrate your upcoming wedding with an aufruf at DC Minyan, please email the Gabbai Committee at [email protected] to discuss when you would like to have it and what you would like it to include. The aufruf can include aliyot and a misheberach (special blessing) for the couple, and you and/or your relatives and friends may also want to read torah, read haftarah, have an aliyah, give a dvar torah, or lead services, all of which the Gabbai Committee will help you arrange. And if you would like to sponsor kiddush in honor of your aufruf, please email the Kiddush Coordinator at [email protected].

Sponsoring Kiddush

If you would like to sponsor kiddush in honor of a special event (such as an aufruf, birthday, anniversary, yartzeit, or professional achievement), email the Kiddush Coordinator at [email protected].

Naming/Blessing a New Baby

If you would like to name a new baby at DC Minyan, email the Gabbai Committee at [email protected]. You can also request to have a special blessing (misheberach) for the new parents, without naming the baby in synagogue. See “Further Reading” below for resources on planning a bris, simchat bat, or pidyon ha-ben.

Bar/Bat Mitzvahs

If you are interested in having a Bar or Bat Mitzvah at DC Minyan, email the Steering Committee at [email protected].

Local resources

DC Minyan does not have its own facilities or staff, so there are some aspects of your life cycle events for which we can’t provide. We have compiled some resources for other businesses and organizations in the DC area that can help. If you have any comments on or suggestions for additions to this material, please email [email protected].

Jews United for Justice has put together a guide that can help you plan a celebration in a way that is mindful of workers’ rights and environmental impact. Jewish families in our area spend $30 million dollars a year on weddings and bar and bat mitzvah celebrations. JUJF is striving to have every one of those dollars spent in a way that reflects Jewish values. You can read about and download the guide here.

Further reading about Life Cycle events

We hope these documents help you think about and plan for events that arise. If you have any comments on or suggestions for additions to this material, please email [email protected].

Fri, December 20 2024 19 Kislev 5785