Lifecycle Rituals
Your CRS clergy are here for you through the transitions and transformations in your life. Through Jewish ritual and the presence of community, we are honored to help you sanctify your sacred milestones. For members of our Rodeph Sholom congregation, our clergy will meet with you to help shape and support the moments that matter.
If you are interested in becoming a member of Congregation Rodeph Sholom, please visit our membership page.
For more information regarding next steps for lifecycle rituals, please reach out to clergy@crsnyc.org.
If you have a lifecycle emergency, please call (917) 902-6103.
Birth
Jewish birth rituals mark the beginning of a new life with joy, intention, and community. These sacred moments welcome a child into the Jewish people, celebrate the formation of a family, and offer blessings for the journey ahead. Whether through traditional ceremonies or personalized rituals, our clergy are here to support you in creating meaningful experiences that reflect your values, honor your family’s story, and surround this new beginning with love and care.
Baby Naming/Bris
A brit milah (bris) typically takes place on the eighth day after birth. Our clergy work with mohelim/moheliot (trained professionals who perform circumcisions) to create a meaningful ritual that welcomes your baby into the Jewish community.
A baby naming is a similar ritual that welcomes a baby into the Jewish community, gives them a Hebrew name, and bestows blessing for a good life. While a bris takes place on the 8th day after birth, a baby naming ceremony can take place anytime.
These rituals around birth can occur in the home or in the synagogue for members of the congregation, and in the synagogue for non-members. Please reach out for scheduling and rental options.
We are also honored to celebrate all ways in which families are formed. Surrogacy and adoption are life cycle moments worthy of affirmation and our team is excited to work with you in these special moments as well. Please reach out to see how we can build something together to honor your family.
Fertility Journeys
We are honored to accompany our CRS members through all aspects of fertility journeys, through the hope and heartbreak. We can offer both pastoral support and spiritual ritual.
B’nai Mitzvah
Judaism centers a powerful coming-of-age ritual to mark a child’s transition into religious responsibility, the moment they become not only learners but also teachers of Torah. This milestone is marked by our students leading a Shabbat service as the culmination of years of continued study. At Rodeph Sholom we mark this milestone proximate to the 13th birthday, irrespective of gender, for learners of all types.
Adult B’nai Mitzvah
For those who did not mark the B’nai Mitzvah milestone at age 13, or for those who are looking to experience this milestone again as an adult, we offer an Adult B’nai Mitzvah program every two years. This 18-month experience includes studying Hebrew, learning to chant Torah, and intensive study in a cohort of learners. This process is open to those who have been members of the Rodeph Sholom community for at least 3 years.
Conversion
We are honored to welcome individuals on their journey toward embracing Judaism. There are three important pillars of the conversion process:
- Education and exploration of Judaism and Jewish life
- Being an active part of Jewish community
- Spirituality and Jewish identity formation.
The conversion process generally takes at least one full calendar year. The first step for those interested in exploring conversion is to meet with Rabbi Deborah Goldberg. You can learn more about our courses and our process here.
End of Life Rituals
Jewish end of life rituals offer structure, meaning, and support during one of life’s most difficult transitions. Rooted in tradition and guided by compassion, these practices help us honor the life of the deceased, care for those who are grieving, and find connection within community. From the moment of loss through the first year of mourning and beyond, our clergy are here to walk alongside you, helping to shape rituals that reflect both tradition and the unique legacy of your loved one.
Funeral
Jewish funeral rites empower us to begin articulating the legacies of our loved ones. In partnership with our clergy team and the funeral home of your choosing, we will shape a funeral service that honors the deceased and those who grieve them. If you are pre-planning a funeral service for yourself or someone else, please email our clergy at clergy@crsnyc.org. If a family member or loved one has just died, please contact our clergy emergency line at 917-902-6103.
Shiva and Shloshim (7 Days and 30 Days)
Throughout the first year of grief, there are many milestones of mourning that may be marked, including shiva (the first 7 days after burial) and shloshim (the first 30 days after burial). Our clergy can help support our CRS members through these moments of their grief journey. Additionally, Sunday through Friday we hold a short daily prayer service on Zoom which gives time for our community to support one another, to recite the Mourner’s Kaddish, and remember their loved ones. Read more about Midday Minyan.
Unveiling/Shana
Jewish tradition acknowledges an important transition out of the first year (shana) of mourning. Whether consecrating a headstone or footstone, spreading ashes, or gathering with loved ones to share memories, these rituals are intended to bring comfort to those who are still living and recognize the ongoing way that the deceased has impacted our lives. Cemetery unveilings typically occur once the footstone or headstone is in place or around one year since the burial. While clergy are not required to be present, we are honored to participate and/or partner with you to shape a meaningful ritual.
Identity Affirmations
We celebrate the diversity of experience in our Jewish community. For those looking to mark any kind of identity transformation, we are honored to create a ritual to acknowledge this moment in your life.
Some examples of moments we have marked with congregants:
- Beginning or ending a medical experience
- Coming out
- Gender transition & name changes
- Sobriety journeys
- Retirement
- Affirming Jewish identity
Uncoupling and Divorce
Jewish ritual provides sacred and intentional ways to mark the end of a significant relationship. Led by a member of our clergy team, uncoupling rituals makes space to honor the relationship that was and to formally begin the transition into the next chapter of life on separate paths. The first step for those interested in an uncoupling ritual is to meet with a member of our clergy team.
Weddings
We are delighted to celebrate your love through officiating your wedding. We are honored to get to know you and to shape a Jewish ceremony that feels authentic to you as a couple. The officiating clergy member will meet with you 3-4 times during the months leading up to the wedding. In these meetings, our clergy will help you reflect on your relationship, preparing for your wedding as well as your marriage, in addition to officiation. Please reach out to us prior to selecting your date and venue so we can match you with an available clergy team member and ensure the date is held on their calendar. Please note, some of our clergy officiate only for members of Rodeph Sholom while others may be available for those who are not yet members.
To rent space for a ceremony at CRS, please contact rentals@crsnyc.org.
Auf Ruf
Some couples may choose to bring the joy of their wedding into the broader community in the form of an auf ruf, a special blessing during congregational services on either Friday night or Saturday morning. This is a ritual option for members of Rodeph Sholom in advance of their upcoming wedding and can be coordinated with our clergy.
