Brit Milah
The Torah commands us to circumcise our newborn sons on the eight day of their new lives. This powerful ceremony celebrates new life, and also brings our sons into Judaism’s sacred covenant. While there isn’t anyone in our area who can perform this rutual, we can give you contact information to put you in touch with a Mohel (someone trained in ritual circumcision). One of our lay leaders will be happy to help parents understand the ceremony.
Baby Naming/Simchat Bat
We celebrate the great blessing of a newborn daughter with a ceremony that brings her into the covenant, and confers her Hebrew name. While boys are traditionally given their Hebrew names at their Brit, parents can opt for a naming cermony with us too.
It is never too late to receive a Hebrew name. Older children and adults who do not have one are encouraged to meet with the rabbi to discuss a naming during one of our Shabbat services.
How to Choose a Hebrew Name
Among those of Ashkinazi decent, it is tradition to honor the memory of a relative or other respected person who is no longer living. Those of Sephardic heritage tend to honor living relatives. These are traditions, you are welcome to use other criteria when choosing a name for your chld or yourself.
Bar/Bat Mitzvah
knowledgable enough to start being responsible for carrying out your Jewish responsibilites. It takes a minimum of a year of study to prepare for your Bat/Bar Mitzvah.
Wedding
The Jewish wedding has many beautiful traditions. Since our rabbis are not contracted full time and do not live locally, the expense to bring them here would fall to you. However, 
in the past our lay leaders have obtained temporary licenses permitting them to legally marry couples. They would be happy to work with you to include as many of the traditional elements as you would like to include. (An honorarium, or donation, is customary for their services,)
Funeral
Our tradition offers several powerful end of life rituals – Kriah (tearing of a garment), Levayah (funeral procession), Hesped (eulogy), Kevurah (burial) and Shivah (seven days of mourning). Our lay leaders can instruct you on these and other rituals. We can also lead the traditional prayers for mourning, and help you understand and implement other meaningful Jewish mourning practices.
As with weddings, if you want to have a rabbi present during a time that falls outside our visit schedule, their travel and lodging expenses would fall to you.