A boy is given his Hebrew name at the Brit Milah (bris). The Brit takes place on the eighth day after the birth and is performed by a mohel.  What makes circumcision important is its larger symbolic resonance, as a brit/covenant, a linking of a newly born Jew to a four-thousand-year-long history.

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The Brit Milah is one of the oldest of Jewish customs, yet the Brit Habat (covenant of the daughter) is one of the newest.  The Brit Habat ceremony has its roots in the American feminism movement from the 1970’s.  A girl is named in the synagogue when the parents are called up to the reading of the Torah. Traditionally families may sponsor a Kiddush after the service in which the baby-naming occurred.

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For information on a Brit Milah or Brit Habat at Temple Beth Sholom, please call Clayton Steinberg at 702-804-1333 ext. 133.