Baby Naming

In the Ashkenazi community, name giving ceremonies for newborn girls were not widespread and often limited to the father announcing the baby's name in the synagogue on the Shabbat, Monday, Thursday or other occasions when the Torah would be read following the birth. Furthermore, Ashkenazi Jewish custom is to name a new baby after a relative that has passed away. This keeps the name and memory alive, and in a metaphysical way forms a bond between the soul of the baby and the deceased relative.

In the 20th century, interest in traditional ceremonies for welcoming baby girls has been revived, and new ceremonies have evolved. These ceremonies are often known under the newly coined terms Simchat Bat or a Brit Bat. Rabbi David Golinkin writes that there is no explicit source in the Mishnah or Talmud specifying when girls should be named.

At Shaare Zedek, we have formulated a beautiful ceremony. This ceremony is conducted by our Rabbi and Chazan Sheini on those days that the Torah is read.

For details of how you can make the arrival of your baby daughter that extra special please email or call me. I can be reached at rabbi@shaarezedek.ca or by phone 514 484 1122 ext 110.