This page includes a huge array of information about Jewish circumcision (brit milah), and its modern alternative, brit shalom (with no cutting, or drawing blood). As Mark Reiss says: “Brit Shalom can be similar to the naming ceremony traditionally used for baby girls, sometimes called Brit Bat (daughter). Other names for Brit Shalom include Brit Ben […]
Brit Shalom ceremonies – resources Read More »
There are many websites, resources, and articles, by noted medical experts, rabbis and authorities on Jewish tradition and halachah (law) that set out the arguments both against brit milah (the circumcision ritual for Jewish boys), and for alternative welcoming, naming and covenant ceremonies (such as brit shalom) that do not involve cutting or drawing of blood. You will find a number of useful resources
Celebrating Brit Shalom (book by Moss & Wald) Read More »
Music and recording © Alexander Massey 11 March 2015 BUY the sheet music (3 vces & pno/guit) – $4.50 (3 copies @ $1.50) (I have written another substantial article on Elohai N’shamah, including 2 new meditations, which can be found here.) Chant, text, translation, source readings and reflections ….
One of the common questions that I hear from couples is: “What do people normally say in their vows at a Jewish wedding?” The ultra-traditional approach My first answer is that, the most common form for centuries was a very short statement, by only the groom, on placing the ring on the bride’s finger. The
Wedding Vows – a Jewish perspective Read More »
Copyright law is internationally upheld as a fundamental right for composers, lyricists, librettists and writers (referred to collectively in this article as ‘creators’, and publishers for good reasons. However, these creators and copyright holders typically lose out financially to the practice of people copying or distributing (e.g. emailing) unpaid-for copies of the music instead of
Music, Copyright and Jewish Ethics (or “Is it ok to steal from musicians?”) Read More »
These are my own shorthand notes of a wonderful book by Rabbi Nancy Wiener, Beyond Breaking the Glass: A Spiritual Guide to Your Jewish Wedding, (2012, Central Conference of American Rabbis). I hope they encourage you to buy the book. By the way, the notes in square brackets are my own thoughts, rather than ideas gleaned
Beyond Breaking the Glass (Nancy Wiener) – notes on the book Read More »
We are told in the Torah: “On the first day you shall take the product of the beautiful tree, branches of palm trees, thick branches of leafy trees, and willows of the brook and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days” (Lev. 23:40) This has developed into the tradition of arba’a minim,
Sukkot matters (2): Finding meaning in the Four Species Read More »
The shaking of the Four Species, sometimes called ‘shaking the lulav’, has attracted a number of meanings over the course of Jewish history. One of these was the idea that all the four plants require water to grow, and this was a ritual to invoke the right amount of rain for the crops. I would
Sukkot matters (3): Finding meaning in shaking the lulav Read More »
Sukkot is a wonderful opportunity to reach back into our Jewish tradition, drawing upon ancient wisdom, at the same time as making new meanings for ourselves and contributing to the evolution of a living Judaism. I’m not going to give an exhaustive account of every detail, or of every ‘official’ version of the meanings of
Sukkot matters (1): Finding meaning in the sukkah Read More »
The Sheva Brachot are one of the core ‘set pieces’ of a Jewish wedding. [Scroll to the end of this page to hear 4 different musical versions of the same blessings.] While the wording is very traditional, and the blessings are traditionally sung by the celebrant or a chazan (cantor), there are many ways to reframe the seven
Sheva Brachot (Seven Blessings) Read More »