Birth - Baby Boy

B'rit Milah (Circumcision Ceremony for Baby Boy)

Is your family growing with a recent or upcoming birth of a baby boy? Mazel tov! We look forward to celebrating with you and providing support for a b’rit milah ceremony. The welcoming of a new life into the world is among the greatest of miracles.

We’re here to support you in making this a meaningful time as your baby boy enters into the Jewish community through the covenant of circumcision and is given a Hebrew name. Please contact Senior Rabbi Nico Socolovsky or call the office at (408) 358-1751 so we can begin planning with you!

The ceremony, which lasts only a few minutes, is traditionally held in your home and is often followed by a light meal. A mohel, or Jewish doctor with special training in the ritual aspects of b’rit milah, usually officiates, though it is not uncommon for a rabbi to co-officiate. For information on local mohelim, or to answer any other questions you may have, please email Senior Rabbi Nico Socolovsky or call the office at (408) 358-1751.

About B’rit Milah 

The ritual of b’rit milah dates back to Abraham, the first Jew. As the Torah prescribes (Genesis 17:12), it is held on the child’s eighth day of life, with the child’s day of birth counting as the first day.

If there are any special medical considerations, the timing of the b’rit milah may be adjusted and delayed because in Jewish tradition the baby’s health always comes first. The b’rit milah ceremony includes two main components: the ritual circumcision and the Hebrew naming of the newborn boy.