Lifecycle Events
At its heart, Beit Haverim is a community – a community that offers a warm and welcoming environment, with the goal of making everyone feel supported. Together we rejoice in your simchas and mourn your sorrows.
Our clergy and staff are dedicated to helping you observe and navigate lifecycle events with compassion and guidance. Please reach out to Beit Haverim at office@beithav.org or (503) 568-1241 with questions about any of the following:
- B'rit Milah / Bris
- B’rit Bat / Baby Naming
- Bar / Bat Mitzvah
- Confirmation
- Conversion
- Wedding
- Death / Cemetery / Funeral
Recommended reading:
Lifecycles by Rabbi Debra Orenstein
The New Jewish Baby Book: Names, Ceremonies & Customs – a Guide for Today’s Families by Anita Diamant
B'rit Milah / Bris
The Torah commands us to circumcise our newborn sons on the eighth day of their new lives. This powerful ceremony celebrates new life, and also brings our sons into Judaism’s sacred covenant. Our congregation can put you in touch with a Mohel (ritual circumciser), help the parents understand the ceremony, and co-officiate, along with the Mohel. Learn more about the bris ritual.
B’rit Bat / Baby Naming
We celebrate the great blessing of a newborn daughter with a ceremony that brings her into the covenant and confers upon her a Hebrew name. The baby-naming ceremony most commonly occurs 30 days after the birth, and can take place either at home or at the synagogue, typically on Shabbat. Learn more about the baby naming ceremony.
Bar / Bat Mitzvah
The Bar or Bat Mitzvah ceremony is a significant rite of passage in the life of a Jewish child as they move to adulthood. A Temple member becomes a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah after a period of coursework and study that is designed to prepare one for an observant Jewish life. Our young teens prepare for this milestone through a combination of religious school and Hebrew study, plus tutoring and consultation with the Rabbi. We also periodically hold B'nai Mitzvah classes for adults. Please read our Bar/Bat Mitzvah Handbook, and then consult with Rabbi Berg to learn more about the requirements to become a Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah. Learn more about B’nai Mitzvah.
Confirmation
After becoming a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, students may continue their studies and choose to be part of our Confirmation class. Students reconfirm their commitment to a life of Jewish learning in a year of study with Rabbi Berg, culminating with our Confirmation class leading our community in our Shavuot Shabbat service. Learn more about Confirmation in the Reform movement.
Conversion
Taking on a new religious identity is one of the most profound steps in a person’s life. Rabbi Berg will recommend a local Introduction Judaism course, which is a necessary step in the conversion process. Additionally, regular attendance of worship service, holiday events, and other synagogue activities will further acquaint you with Jewish life and the community. When you are ready to formalize your conversion to Judaism, our Rabbi will facilitate an appropriate ceremony to celebrate this new identity. Learn more about Jewish conversion.
Wedding
A wedding is a momentous occasion, both as a milestone in a couple’s life and in terms of the planning and preparation needed for such a celebration. Please contact us if you are interested in having your wedding at Beit Haverim, or a wedding officiated offsite by Rabbi Berg. Learn more about planning your Jewish wedding.
Death / Cemetery / Funeral
Members of Beit Haverim impacted by illness or death of a loved one may call upon our clergy for visitation in the hospital, hospice, or nursing home, to provide support and comfort. Rabbi Berg can help the family plan for and officiate a funeral or memorial service. Beit Haverim can also facilitate Chevra Kadisha observances, if desired. For information on local funeral homes with experience working with Jewish families, reach out to office@beithav.org or (503) 568-1241.
Beit Haverim maintains a cemetery for the benefit of our members with both traditional and cremation plots. It is a peaceful, beautiful setting, located in the historic Oswego Pioneer Cemetery. At our cemetery stands our memorial stone to which you may add plaques with the names of your dear ones who will be remembered in perpetuity. Learn more about preparing for a Jewish funeral. For cemetery needs, please contact office@beithav.org or (503) 568-1241.