BRIT BAT for SWEET PEA SCHERLINDER



BRIT BEN for GILAD MARTIN SCHERLINDER

13 April 2009 Hol Hamoed Pesach, 19 Nisan 5769

1. Opening Song: "There’s A Brand New Baby at Sara’s House”

(adapted from Sesame Street / recording on Rene Boni’s Hands of Time CD)

There’s a brand new baby at Sara’s house (x3) -- Baby in the family.

Now babies are very special; They need lots of care when they’re brand new

But Sara is older and bigger -- And she is special too!

There’s a brand new baby at Sara’s house (x3) -- Baby in the family

2. Introduction

All: Barukh ha-ba b’shem Adonai

Blessed is he who enters in the name of the Eternal

(Minna and Fred): We have been blessed with the precious gift of a child. After so much waiting and hoping, we are filled with wonder and gratitude as we call you our son, and Sara calls you her brother! You have come into life apart from us, but now we hold you close to our hearts, lovingly cradle you in our arms, welcome you into the circle, of family and community, and embrace you with the beauty of a rich tradition.

God of new beginnings, teach us to be parents worthy of this sacred trust of life. May our child grow in health, strong in mind and kind in heart, as a lover of Torah, a seeker of peace. Ufros aleinu sukkat sh’lomecha -- Bless all of us together within your shelter of shalom.

All: We welcome your son to the world, to the people Israel, to our community, and to your family.

(Fred and Minna): As parents, we commit to being our child’s model and guide. By the way in which we live, we hope to teach our son to become a caring and loving person with compassion, strong Jewish identity, a sense of his own worth, and respect for that of others. (from Rabbis Dennis & Sandy Sasso)

And even as we become his guide, we commit to letting him be our guide -- in discovering the unique person he is and will become, the unique gifts he brings, and the myriad ways he will change our lives. May blessings rest on this child, now and always.

Your children are not your children

They are the sons and the daughters of life’s longing for itself

They come through you, but they are not from you

And though they are with you, they belong not to you

You can give them your love, but not your thoughts -- they have their own thoughts (x2)

You can house their bodies but not their souls

For their souls dwell in a place of tomorrow

Which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams

You can try to be like them, but you cannot make them just like you (x2)

(Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet, adapted by Sweet Honey in the Rock)

3. Foot-Washing

(Fred): When Abraham and Sarah dwelt at Mamre, three strangers appeared at the door of their tent. As a sign of hospitality, they offered these travelers water to drink and to wash their feet. It is said in the midrash that because they so eagerly welcomed their guests in this manner, God promised to reward their descendants by providing for them in their own desert wanderings.

(Minna): Sarah Imeinu herself entered the covenant through immersion in water (Me'iri on Yevamot 46a), as we noted at your big sister’s brit bat four years ago. Generations later, her and Abraham's descendants were blessed with special waters of sustenance for their journey through the wilderness -- waters which would feed every thirst, both physical and spiritual. The waters came from Miriam's Well, said to accompany the people in their journey.

(Fred): Water is a symbol of God sustaining us in our wanderings, sustaining us in our spiritual journeys as a people, and as individuals searching for meaning our lives. Water is a symbol of Torah, of the ultimate meaning of life, and of the promise of redemption. (adapted from R. Ruth Sohn & Reuven Firestone). And water is a symbol of sustainability, of that which connects all, interdependently. So in the same way that Abraham and Sarah welcomed the travelers, so do we publicly welcome our son into this world, with food and drink and the washing of his feet.[1]

(Minna): As you begin your journey through life, we pray that you will draw sustenance from the mayyim chayyim, the living waters, and the rich tradition of our people. We pray that you, like our matriarch Sarah, will offer random acts of kindness and hospitality, maintain your sense of humor, and see the big picture. And may you always act with integrity, even when it is difficult. We pray that you will use these feet to run towards the performance of mitzvot, and to run towards truth, and to run towards justice.

[Baby’s feet are washed]

(Minna and Fred): Brukhah at Yah, Eloheinu Ruach ha-olam, mekor mayim chayim

Blessed are you, Yah our God, Spirit of the universe, source of the waters of life.

Barukh ata Adonai, zokher ha-brit b'n'tilat rag'layim

Blessed are you, God, who remembers the covenant through the washing of the feet.

All: Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu ruach haolam, sh’hecheyanu, v’kiyemanu, v’higeyanu, laz’man ha-zeh.

Blessed are you, God, Spirit of the universe, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this moment.

4. Blanket Wrapping and Tallit Draping

(Minna): As your father and I stood under the shelter of this very tallit to commit to one another, so now do we encircle you within it as you enter the circle of our family. First, we offer up again the wedding prayer for the continuation of life and the expansion of family:

Barukh ata Adonai, Eloheinu Ruach ha-olam, asher yatzar et ha'adam b'tzalmo, b'tzelem d'mut tavnito, v'hitkin lo mimenu binyan adei ad. Barukh ata Adonai, yotzeir ha-adam.

Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Spirit of the universe, who has fashioned the human in your image, the image of your likeness; and has prepared people to perpetuate life eternally. Blessed are You, God, creator of humanity.

(Fred): Now, delivering on that prayer, we move another step closer to the fulfillment of the vision of our people, as we publicly announce and celebrate the arrival of our new son, welcoming him into this covenant that her mothers and fathers have guarded on our behalf for so long. (Adapted from R. Daniel and Hanna Tiferet Siegel)

(Minna): We wrap you in two blankets today. Each, like you, is one of a kind, connected to family and community. Your great-grandmother Pearl (z”l) made this yellow blanket for Abba when he was a baby. And this blanket with Jewish boys of every hue, embroidered with your Hebrew and English names, was commissioned by Adat Shalom’s board, through our gift shop’s Haya Laufer, and hand-crafted by congregant Alissa Stern. May your life be woven with the same love of family and community, the same creativity and attention, with which these were made.

[Beneath the Agam talit, we enwrap Gilad in Adat Shalom’s and Grandma Pearl’s blankets.]

(Fred and Minna): As we wrap you in these special blankets, so may your life be wrapped in comfort and joy, justice and righteousness, safety and love. As you are sheltered beneath this beautiful talit, so may you find shelter and beauty everywhere you go. As we and all of us embrace you today, so may you embrace your tradition and your people Israel, and all peoples, and all that make this Earth their home. (All: AMEN!)

5. Extended Family’s Blessings (adapted from R. Sandy Eiesenberg Sasso)

Jan: As your eyes are filled with wonder when you gaze at the world, so, too, may you be filled with wonder at the everyday miracles of life.

Gary: As you startle to the world around you, so may you remain ever open both to the happiness and to the pain of those you encounter in the world.

Walter: As you cry for food and comfort now, so may you one day cry out to correct the injustices of the world, to help clothe the naked and feed the hungry.

Aunt Carol: As your hand tightly grasps your parent’s finger, so may you grasp hold of learning, and grow in knowledge and in wisdom.

All (with other family members, standing): Thankful for the blessings of family, for the love and care that brings meaning and happiness to our lives, we rejoice with our children as they welcome their son, our grandchild, into all of our lives.

Barukh ata Adonai, m'samay-akh horim im hayeladim.

Blessed is the One who helps parents rejoice with their children.

6. Naming (and Explanation of the Brit Milah to follow)

(Minna): Thank you for being with us today, and for the support you offer. We are delighted to share our son with you in this whirlwind season. Having learned of Gili on Purim (a festival of deliverance, parallel to Hannukah, during which we learned of Sara!), we waited eight days from signing the papers that made him part of our family, to first share his name with you. And likewise, on this eighth day of having Gili home, we are honored to hold this welcoming ceremony (and the private brit milah for family to follow) during Pesach, the season of liberation.

(Fred): So now to elaborate on his name -- Gilad Martin Scherlinder – or in Hebrew, Gilad Meron. He can go by many names -- Gili, Gil, Gilad, Gil Martin, etc). As we said when announcing it, “among the many people and values we had in mind for his name were: first and foremost, Minna’s late beloved mom Gilda; joy; captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit (may both Gilads come home safely and soon!); Fred’s great-grandfather Max, and his father Henry Morton; Rev. Dr. MLK Jr.; exultation; nature; and mysticism…”

(Minna and Fred speak of the significance of his names ‘Gilad,’ ‘Meron,’ and ‘Martin.’)

(Minna): There were multiple Gilads in Tanakh (the Bible); one Gilad had a grandson, Tzelafchad, whose daughters – Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah – were the first advocates for women’s rights in our tradition. May you too be the ancestor or influencer of wonderful people, who join you in leaving a legacy of a better world.

(Fred): The prophet Elijah knew the kol d’mamah dakah / still small voice (I Kings 19:12), and upon returning he will “turn the hearts of the parents to the children and the hearts of the children to the parents” (Malachi 3) – and he was Eliyahu haGiladi, a man of Gilad (I Kings 17:1). May you too touch deep places, and help bring redemption.

(Fred & Minna): “Mine is Gilad” (Psalms 108:8) – may you be ever ours, yet fully your own person. “Lo you are fair, my friend… your eyes are as doves behind your veil, your hair as a row of the goats that have shone from Gilad” (Shir HaShirim 4:1) – may you embody beauty, inside and out. “Is there no balm in Gilad” (Jer. 8:22)? Yes, there is – your presence is a healing gift for us; may your long and happy days on this Earth be healing for us all.

Eloheinu v’elohey imoteinu v‘avoteinu, kayeim et

hayeled hazeh l’aviv u‘l‘imo --

Eternal our God and God of our mothers and fathers,

uphold this baby boy toward his parents --

V’yikare sh’mo b’Yisrael GILAD MERON

ben Chaya Rivkah v’haRav Shalom Ruach..

And let his name in the community of Israel be

Gilad Meron, son of Minna and Fred.

Zeh hakatan, gadol yih-yeh. K’shem sh’nichnas l’brit,

ken yi-kan-nes l’Torah ul‘ahava ulma’aism tovim.

This little one -- great shall he become.

As he enters the covenant, so may he enter a life

filled with Torah, loving relationships, and good deeds.

All: AMEN!

7. Blessings

(Minna and Fred): Yevarekhekha Adonai v’yishmorekha --

May God bless you and keep you

Ya’air Adonai panav elekha viy’kuneka --

May God’s radiance shine upon you, and be gracious to you

Yisa Adonai panav elekha, v’yasem lekha shalom --

Lifting up the Divine face to you, may you be granted peace

All: Kein y’hi ratzon! (May this be God’s will!)

8. Closing Song: "Everything Possible" (Fred Small)

We have cleared off the table, the leftovers saved -- Washed the dishes, and put them away

I have told you a story and tucked you in tight, At the end of your knockabout day

As the moon sets its sails to carry you to sleep, Over a midnight sea

I will sing you a song no one sang to me -- May it keep you good company:

You can be anybody you want to be; You can love whomever you will CHORUS

You can travel any country where your heart leads, And know we will love you still

You can live by yourself, you can gather friends around, you can choose one special one

And the only measure of your words and your deeds

Will be the love you leave behind when you’re done

There are girls who grow up strong and bold; There are boys, quiet and kind

Some race on ahead, some follow behind, Some go in their own way and time

Some women love women, some men love men -- Some raise children; some never do

You can dream all the day, never reaching the end, Of everything possible for you

Don’t be rattled by names, by taunts, by games -- But seek out spirits true

If you give your friends the best part of yourself, They will give the same back to you (chorus)

May God make you like Gilad Martin!

(per the Hassidic tale of Reb Zusya, afraid not of not reaching Abraham or Moses’ heights, but of not fully being himself)

(brought into baby naming ceremonies by Rabbis Elyse Wechterman and Jeremy Schwartz)

Additional Blessings for Gilad

Every person born into this world represents something new, something that never existed before, something original and unique. It is the duty of every person in Israel to know and consider that she is unique in the world, and that there has never been someone like her in the world. Every person is a new thing in the world, and is called upon to fulfill her particularity in the world. (Adapted from Martin Buber)

May the Shekhinah, the Divine presence, spread Her wings over you and protect you.

May you know great joy and fulfillment in your life; may you be unafraid to love, and to be loved.

May you walk with your people Israel with pride, and find in your community and your tradition wellsprings of meaning, fulfillment, and responsibility.

May you honor your parents, and continue to bring them great joy.

May you be blessed with a strong and healthy body; an intellect to be valued as a constant resource; and the stamina, patience, and energy to achieve your ambitions for good.

May you go from strength to strength, yet always be able to accept your own weaknesses and those of others. May you judge yourself and others with fairness and compassion, without undue harshness.

May you experience those inevitable moments of sadness and pain in a meaningful and positive way, letting them add value to your life. May you learn well from your mistakes.

May you have the courage to stand for the ideals which you believe; may you have the strength of character to know your own mind well, and yet remain open to a variety of ideas and people.

May you face life with an adventurous spirit, thriving on the diversity and complexity of humanity and the world.

May you allow yourself to dream your dreams and soar with flights of fancy and imagination.

May your ears be filled with music of every imaginable kind, and may the rhythms be of your own making. Allow yourself to march at your own pace and dance to your own beat.

May you live in a world blessed with peace and harmony, in part thanks to your presence in it -- and may your future be as bright and as hopeful as the world’s first rainbow.

And let us say: Amen! -- adapted from Joe Pintauro's "Earth Mass,"

and Rabbi Leila Gal Berner's "Blessing on the Occasion"

The Blessing of Tzedakah

These are some of the organizations we will be supporting in Gilad’s honor:

Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation ()— Specifically the Daniel Thursz Youth Fund, to help our young people acquire formative and fun Jewish educational experiences.

Adoptions Together ()— A non-profit agency whose ethical foundation, and work in the community, we respect tremendously, and to which we are incredibly and eternally grateful for helping us to build our family.

American Jewish World Service ()— The organization that is doing the most, within our own faith community, to fight poverty, hunger, and disease internationally.

Balm in Gilead ()— While looking up lyrics for the spiritual “Balm in Gilead” (the anglicized version of Gilad), we found this impressive organization which mobilizes African- American faith communities to fight health risks (especially HIV/AIDS) in Africa and the African Diaspora.

Greater Washington Interfaith Power and Light ()— A regional coalition (of which Adat Shalom is a charter member) that works across faith communities to bring environmental consciousness and sustainability to our congregations and their members, and beyond.

Jewish Multiracial Network ()— A national network of Jews of Color and of multiracial Jewish families like our own, that provides support for its members, and education on the diversity of the Jewish community.

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[1] This brit ben ceremony, paralleling Sara’s brit bat ceremony of February 2005, is Gil’s public welcome. It will be followed later today by a private brit milah (covenant of circumcision), which itself is preparatory to tevilah (immersion) and beit din (‘official’ entry into the people Israel).

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