Rabbi Koppell will work with you to custom design a unique ceremony to welcome your precious child.

Welcoming and Naming Ceremony

Rabbi:

We are gathered together today to celebrate the birth of Molly to welcome her to the world, and to establish her Hebrew name.

Moses B. Sachs said, “Every child born into the world is a new thought of God, an ever fresh and radiant possibility entrusted to our care to be carefully nurtured as our most cherished possession.”

Doug and Monica, you have been blessed with the precious gift of new life and the privilege of parenthood. You are confronted with the task of guiding a child’s life, determining, at least in part, the values by which she will live and the ideals towards which she will strive.  You are asked to devote the whole of your being to raising your daughter.  May you be granted long life and health to provide Molly’s life with love, peace, and good deeds.

Naming

Doug:  We chose Zohar to be Molly’s Hebrew name. Zohar means “light, brilliance.”
Monica:  It is our wish that Molly have a long and happy life. May she learn to reflect, in perfect brilliance, her God-given soul qualities.

Rabbi: Our God and God of our fathers and mothers, sustain their child. May her father and mother rejoice in her offspring.  With love and wisdom may they be privileged to teach her the meaning of the covenant which she enters today, and to inspire her to practice righteousness in speech and in deed, to seek truth and the ways of peace.  May she grow into adulthood as a blessing to her family and to her community. May her name be known in Israel and in the world from this moment on as Molly Zohar.

Community:  (sing together)  Barukh Ata Adonai, elohenu melekh ha-olam, she-he-khe-yanu, v’keeyemanu, v’hi’gee’yanu la-zman ha-zeh.
You are praised, Adonai our God, Creator of the universe, who has kept us alive and sustained us and brought us to this holy moment.

Blessings

Monica:  Molly, we pray that your life will be filled with spiritual consciousness and that you will deal with people with the love and honesty that you yourself would like to receive;

Doug: That you will find a personal happiness and, having her, that you will create happiness for others; that you will have the sensitivity to search beyond the superficial and that you will possess an understanding that will enable you not to judge others too quickly or harshly.

Eilene (grandmother): We pray that you will have the confidence to stand for the ideals which you believe; and that you will have the strength of character to know your own mind and yet not close it to a variety of ideas and people.

Norm (grandfather): We pray that you will have a strong and healthy body; an intellect to be valued as a continuing resource and the stamina and energy to achieve your ambitions; that you will accept your successes with humility and assess your failures and shortcomings with self-respect.

Marilyn and Dennis (aunt and uncle): We pray that you will face life with an adventurous spirit and thrive on the diversity and complexity of humankind. We pray that you will be unafraid to love and be loved; that you will experience the pleasure of being a friend and sharing close friendships.

Hannah and Bart (aunt and uncle): We pray that you will often feel the camaraderie and love generated by the presence of our community as you do today. We pray that you will be courageous and accepting, understanding and never forgetting that you were chosen and loved by us.  A family is formed not through blood but through love and devotion.\

Cousins Mara and Michaela (little children): Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

Rebecca (cousin):

The First Final Facts of Firsts
By Elizabeth Stone: The first smile, the first word, the first step:  They’re startingThe first day at school, the first word written, the first 100% paper: That’s one more start. The first book read, the first story written, the first report card:  They’re on their way. The first day in Junior High, the first “A” presentation, the first crush:  It’s just part of growing.

Meghan (cousin):
The first day at Senior High, the first kiss, the first term paper:  One more step. The first couples party, the first final exams, the first prom: They keep on beginning. The first time they drive, the first date, the first heart-to-heart talk:  They are growing too fast. The first year at college, the first drink, the first one to meet Mom and Dad: They’re really on their way.

Matthew (cousin):
The first really important graduation, the first college degree, the first thought of marriage: That’s too big a step. The first professional job, the first marriage plans, the first step down the aisle:  Such a big start. The first plans about children, the first baby shower, the first child:  The biggest step of all. The first smile, the first word, the first step.

Rabbi:  (adapted from Tom Jurek)
Dear God, help Doug and Monica as they begin their family. Give them generosity when faced with temptation. Give them unity. Especially when schedules are hectic and busy days and nights pull them apart. Give them true friends and understanding relatives who choose to support rather than criticize. Above all give them faith, hope and love; Faith so that they will know that it is your will that Your generosity will see them through. Love to know that any sacrifice or inconvenience is a small price to pay, for their family is Your family and Your family is destined to eternal life with You.

Rabbi:

May God bless you and protect you. May God’s presence shine for you and be favorable to you. May God’s face turn to you and grant you peace.Yivarekhekha Adonai v’yishmerekhaYaer Adonai panav elekha v’yekhunekha Yissa Adonai panav elekhar v’yasem l’kha shalom.