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HELPING PARENTS
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CREATE A JEWISH HOME
VOLUME 0NE, NUMBER ONE
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PRENATAL ISSUE
Welcoming Your Jewish Child
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pples and Honey.
he birth of a baby is a time of celebration, of awe, of a sudden realization of the enormous responsibility of bringing another human being into the world. As a new parent, you face new concerns: how to welcome your baby in a way that affirms your beliefs and heritage and yet allows you to create your own family traditions and celebrations. In that spirit, we offer this checklist for you to think about while planning to welcome your child into the world. Consider this list a starting point for building the traditions for your new baby’s world.
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Sweet and nourishing, they usher in the Jewish New Year at Rosh Hashanah with the hope that the year ahead will be pleasant and fulfilling. Among Persian Jews, it is also the custom to offer a plate of apples, a symbol of easy labor and delivery, to young couples. We hope that Apples & Honey can guide you through the joyous, but often confusing, days of early parenthood. As parents concerned about how to raise your Jewish child, there are traditions of our faith and from our heritage to learn about and incorporate into your new life as a family. There are questions about how to observe customs and rituals: what they are, what they mean, and how to make them your own. Then, there is the most important question of all—how to raise a child who is connected to our heritage and who will learn to live a satisfying Jewish life full of tradition and full of love. In Apples & Honey, we hope to provide some information, some encouragement, and some advice to help you embark on what will be the most exciting, nourishing, and sweet time of your life. A PUBLICATION
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✔ How do we choose a name? (page 2) Hebrew and English names: options and possibilities for parents to consider in naming a child.
✔ What blessings are appropriate for the baby at birth? (page 3) Celebrating the extraordinary moment of your child’s birth.
✔ What is a brit milah (ritual circumcision) and how do we arrange for one? (page 4) Finding and choosing a mohel (circumcisor), and planning the ceremony. Birth Rituals: Easing a Mother’s Labor page 2 ✔ Should we have a simchat
ALSO INSIDE:
The Great Mitzvah of Birth page 3 Midrash page 3 Making a Wimpel page 6 Interfaith Parents Forum page 7 Parent Resources page 8
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bat or brit bat (naming ceremony) for our daughter, and how should we do it? (page 5) Possibilities for creating a welcoming ceremony for a daughter.
ROBERT E. LOUP JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER
Birth Rituals: Easing a Mother’s Labor
How do we choose a name?
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aming has always had great oday, there are no Jewish importance in the Jewish ceremonies related to labor tradition. It is so important or birth. The closest thing we that God gives parts of the world have is the Lamaze method that their names—sea, night, day. Later, many parents learn. You could try God charges Adam with the job of adding a Jewish aspect to the naming the animals of the world. repetitive breathing techA name is the tangible expresPOK! niques taught by childbirth sion of the life that has yet to be P K U ! born. Choosing a name that your educators to ease labor pain.
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mother, and the second daughter after her mother’s mother. Biblical names have always been popular; they provide a connection to Judaic heritage and a model of characteristics for the baby to emulate. Other customs include choosing an Israeli name that reflects a connection to Israel and Zionism, or names that represent popular hisRabbi Nina Beth Cardin U P K ! child will carry throughout life is torical figures. For example, Yoni describes in her book Out of the U K P ! a big responsibility. It is the first became a common choice in Depths I Call to You, A response to the death K P U ! way you shape Book of Prayers for the your child’s of Yonatan A FEW BIBLICAL NAMES KOP! Married Jewish identity. Among Netanyahu, the AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE Woman how Jews of Eastern heroic commander of Rachel love, beauty, lamb 18th century European descent a daring Israeli Army Eve life, the first woman women would (Ashkenazi), their rescue raid to free Deborah strength, courage, repeat these children’s names hostages in Entebbe leadership words during honor a deceased in 1976. Hannah gracious, faithful childbirth: Pok. Pku. relative; many You may decide on Ruth friendship Upk. Ukp. Kpu. Kop. The people still believe an English name. For Rebecca beautiful, Isaac’s wife word pok means get out or come out that to name a baby a Jewish child, the Adam the first man, Earth in Aramaic. It was thought that by after a living relative tradition is to select a Abraham father of a multitude repeating these six permutations, is to tempt death to second Hebrew name. of nations you would create a comprehensive take the young child This name is used Saul the first king of Israel energy so the baby leaves the and not the older during formal Jonathan friendship, loyalty womb easily. By saying every relative. Sephardic religious observances Zachary memory possible combination of the letters Jews, who came such as the brit milah Michael close to God, angel for get out, the baby has no other from Spain, Greece, or simchat bat and on of God option. and other MediterJewish legal Another birth ritual described ranean countries, name their documents such as the wedding by Cardin is an incantation recited children after living relatives, often contract. The Hebrew name of the in the final stage of labor. Those changing the name somewhat to child is connected with the name of attending the mother say this verse reflect a different generation (for the father, and among liberal Jews, from the Torah three times, example, Yosef Hayim is named for to the mother’s name. For example, forward and backward: Go forth his father Hayim Yosef). In the a child might be named Rachel bat from the ark, you and your wife; your Sephardic tradition, the first son is (daughter of) David ve (and) Naomi. sons and your sons’ wives with you named for the father’s father, the Sometimes parents use the Hebrew (Genesis 8:15). Cardin explains second son for the mother’s father, name as an opportunity to name a that the ark is the womb and the the first daughter for the father’s child after a relative. child is being commanded to come out with the words God used to command Noah to leave the ark. Just as God created the world by separating light from darkness and dry land from the sea, bringing forth a baby into the world requires separation from its mother.
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The Great Mitzvah (Commandment) of Birth: Partners in Creation
“With each child, the world begins anew.”
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Prayers for the Newborn
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his is a midrash, a wise saying from a collection of works that reveal ways of understanding the meaning of biblical passages. This midrash about birth is a reminder of the central importance of children in the Jewish tradition—and that the future of the world is in generations to come. The interpretations of the midrash serve to illuminate parts of the Torah and other sacred literature. The major collections of midrashic literature date from 400 to 1200 C.E. Today, midrash connects us with ancient tradition and help us understand traditional texts in a way that adds meaning to our lives.
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here is no traditional prayer for the birth of a child, but many Jews believe that if ever there was a time for a prayer of thanksgiving, this is the time. The Reform movement’s book Gates of Mitzvah suggests that the Sheheheyanu, traditionally recited at new occasions, is an appropriate prayer. This blessing is “Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech haolam, sheheheyanu, vekimanu, vehigianu lazman hazeh.” Translated, this means “Blessed are you, the Eternal, our God, Ruler of the Universe, who has given us life, sustained us, and helped us to reach this special day.” The Reconstructionist movement of Judaism offers this prayer: “How wonderful is this moment as we stand at the edge of the mystery of life. Our daughter/ son, how small and beautiful you are … Let our arms be your love cradle; our whispered prayer, your lullaby song … In awe and gratitude for this precious gift of life, we celebrate our partnership in the miracle of creation.” Blu Greenberg, a traditional Jewish author and feminist, suggests the blessing that accompanies any good news: “Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech haolam, hatov vehameytiv,” or “Blessed are you, the Eternal, our God, ruler of the Universe, who is good and does good.”
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o every expectant parent, there’s no question that what is about to occur is a lifechanging miracle. The birth of a new baby also fulfills a mitzvah. A mitzvah, often translated as a “good deed”, is defined as a commandment from God. The first mitzvah in the Torah (or the Five Books of Moses) appears at the very beginning of the book of Genesis, when God says to Adam and Eve “Be fruitful and multiply … and fill the land.” You may not have known it at the time, but when you conceived you fulfilled the first mitzvah in the Torah. The act of conception brings us into partnership with God in the creation of life. The concept of partnership is not only related to birth; Jewish tradition teaches that God made us a partner in the Garden of Eden when Adam was asked to participate in the act of creation by naming the animals. The partnership continues in the Bible with three separate covenants or partnerships between God and human beings, all of which speak directly to new parents. The first covenant was formed after the great flood that Noah survived. Afterwards, God tells him, “Never again will I destroy the world. The rainbow in the sky is my sign.” Noah, for his part, agrees to bear children and replenish the Earth. The second covenant is between Abraham and God. In return for Abraham’s promise of fidelity to God, God promises to make Abraham the father of a great nation. The sign of this covenant is circumcision, which to this day ushers every new Jewish baby boy into the covenant anew. The third covenant is between the Jewish people, through Moses, and God. God promises to make the
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Jewish people a distinct and holy people, and the people promise faithfully to follow God’s commandments. The symbol of this covenant is the Torah, which remains today the central focus of the Jewish people. This partnership with God continues after your child is born when you choose to have a brit milah or circumcision for your son or a brit bat for your daughter.
Welcoming a Boy BRIT MILAH OR CIRCUMCISION
A CHECKLIST FOR THE BRIT MILAH
❑ Steady table on which to perform the circumcision
the wine)
❑ Kippot (skullcaps or “yarmulkes” in Yiddish) for guests
❑ Kosher wine ❑ Copies of prayers for guests to recite if applicable
❑ Cotton balls, gauze pads,
ointment, diaper for baby (as specified by the mohel)
❑ Payment for mohel ready in an envelope
❑ Contribution for synagogue if a rabbi is involved
many brit milahs recommend using a mohel—they are specially trained and have usually done the procedure enough times to be extremely adept at it. The British royal family is said to use a mohel for its sons, too.
Choosing a Mohel If you have a choice of mohels for your son’s brit milah, ask a rabbi you trust for a recommendation. You can also ask friends who have been through the ceremony with their sons. If you have a choice of mohels—or even if you don’t—here is a list of questions to ask the mohel: ✔ What is your experience in doing the procedure?
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❑ Chair for Elijah ❑ Prayer shawl for the sandek ❑ Cushion for the baby ❑ Kiddish cup (for the blessing over
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hen a Jewish boy is circumcised, he is linked through countless generations to Abraham, whose partnership with God was marked by circumcision. This circumcision, in which the foreskin of the boy’s penis is removed, takes place on the eighth day after birth, with the day of birth counted as the first day, as long as the birth occurs before nightfall. It is a religious ceremony conducted most often by a mohel, who is a professional trained in the medical and ritual details of circumcision. This ceremony is called, in Hebrew, a brit milah—brit means covenant; milah means circumcision. The ritual is also often commonly referred to as a bris. Whatever you call it, the ceremony is most often a public one, with a quorum of ten Jewish adults in attendance. A rabbi may co-officiate with the mohel.
❑ A wimpel to wrap your baby in if you’ve made one (see page 6)
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Turning the Job Over to the Mohel
“You want me to cut off WHAT?”
The mitzvah (command) is for the father to circumcise his son, as Abraham did. To the great relief of fathers, the first act of a brit ceremony is to turn over the job to a mohel. Most communities have a mohel, and may have several, each with a distinctive style. If there is no mohel in your city (or in a nearby city or state— many mohels will travel great distances to assist you) consider a Jewish doctor, or any doctor who can perform the circumcision (with the ritual aspects performed by a rabbi). Those who have witnessed 4 ▼
✔ Will you be available on the eighth day after the birth? ✔ Can you explain what you include in the ceremony? ✔ How do you feel about parental participation with additional readings? ✔ What is your fee?
Preparing for the Brit Milah Most brit milahs take place at home, but some parents prefer to have the ceremony at a synagogue or a grandparent’s or friend’s house. Attending a brit is considered a mitzvah, so it is an honor to be included and an honor to come (non-Jewish friends may need some information about the importance of the ceremony). For this reason, invitations are not usually issued. Preparing ahead an invitation list of people to call with their phone numbers will make the job easier when the time comes. In addition to the person who is performing the circumcision, you
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Welcoming a Girl B R I T B AT O R S I M C H AT B AT
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ceremony in which the covenant between the Jews and God is reinforced. Some parents make the covenant more tangible by adding a ritual connection between the child and Judaism, such as lighting candles, which evokes the female role of lighting Shabbat candles, or the symbolic act of touching the child’s hand to a Torah scroll or washing her feet. This is followed by announcing the baby’s name, with the parents’ explanation of why it was chosen, and ends with a blessing over wine and prayers to mark the occasion. Finally, there is a celebratory meal. Because the brit or simchat bat is not circumscribed by ritual, you are also free to add touches that will make the event memorable and personal. For example, a sandek can wash the baby’s feet, evoking the Biblical rite of welcome, or wrap your baby in a prayer shawl. The brit bat has become as traditional as the brit milah in many congregations. If you belong to a congregation, your rabbi will likely have suggestions for creating a memorable ceremony.
PLANNING AHEAD THINGS YOU CAN DO BEFORE THE BABY IS BORN:
❐ Find/select a mohel and/or rabbi and have their phone numbers handy
❐ Choose a girl’s naming ceremony to use
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ewish birth rituals were traditionally boy centered. A girl’s birth and her name were announced in synagogue when a father was called to the Torah. While there is no tradition that requires a ritual to welcome a daughter into the world, these ceremonies are increasingly popular among American Jews. Some people feel girls should be treated equally and use a covenant ceremony on the eighth day of life, a ceremony commonly called a brit bat, or covenant for a daughter. More traditional Jews use the term simchat bat (rejoicing over the birth of a girl) for the ceremony. There are no specific, mandatory rituals, so new parents are free to create their own ceremonies. Most of these ceremonies, however, incorporate the naming of the baby. Prayers, songs, and inspirational poetry are all common. Many parents hold the ceremony at home, as they would a brit milah, although it is not uncommon to have the ceremony in a synagogue. When the ceremony is at home, parents often direct it. When the brit or simchat bat is held at a synagogue, a rabbi officiates. It is also customary to follow the ceremony with a seudat mitzvah, a festive meal.
Possibilities for the Brit Bat or Simchat Bat
Here are some ideas for celebrating the entrance of your daughter into the world. You may want to incorporate rituals from the brit milah. These include a chair for Elijah, and choosing kvaterim who will act as godparents. You can also follow closely the form of the brit milah by beginning with prayers, and following with a section of the
❐ Choose the sandek and kvaterim (honored participants in a simchat bat or brit milah; see articles on those ceremonies for more information)
❐ Make a list of guests to invite (with phone numbers)
❐ Remember to inform the hospital that you will have a ritual circumcision, not a hospital procedure
❐ Plan a menu for the festive meal: bake ahead
❐ Create a wimpel (see page 6)
When to have the Brit Bat or Simchat Bat Parents who want to echo the brit milah as much as possible may want to have the brit bat on the eighth day after birth. Other parents, still overwhelmed at the whole idea of having a new baby, may be thankful that there is no commandment to have the ceremony then, and choose to have it two weeks later, a month later, or on Rosh Chodesh, the first day of the next new moon. Other parents simply choose a convenient time on which to hold the ceremony. 5 ▼
FINDING A RABBI WHEN YOU DON’T BELONG TO A SYNAGOGUE
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f you do not belong to a congregation, and you would like the advice or participation of a rabbi at your brit milah or naming, you should feel free to seek out a rabbi’s expertise. Most rabbis will welcome your questions and will help you even though you are not a member of their congregation. It is common practice for rabbis to accept a donation to their synagogue or honorarium in exchange for their participation.
Welcoming a Boy (C O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 2)
feast, which celebrates the mitzvah just completed. Jewish tradition requires that celebrations be followed by a festive meal. It is customary to include braided challah, a special loaf of bread used for Shabbat and other holidays. The meal can be as elaborate or as simple as you wish.
Making a Wimpel REVIVING A JEWISH FOLK ART TRADITION
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must appoint someone to serve the honored role of the sandek, who sits and holds the baby while the circumcision is performed. Traditionally, the sandek is the baby’s grandfather. You may also want to ask a man and a woman—possibly your siblings, or close friends who are Jewish—to act as godparents, or kvaterim. They will be responsible for insuring that your son is brought up to understand Judaism.
the kosher wine, gives a drop to the baby, and then recites a long prayer in which the baby is given his name. Often, the parents then explain why the child was given his name. Finally, the celebration ends with a song, and segues into a meal, a seudat mitzvah or mitzvah
What Happens at a Brit Milah?
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n old Central European custom can provide 20th century parents with a keepsake from their child’s welcome into the world. Hundreds of years ago for the brit milah, a baby was wrapped in a long strip of cloth called a wimpel (banner in German or mappah in Hebrew). After the brit milah, the mother painted or embroidered the wimpel and then donated it to be used as a Torah binder in the synagogue. In this way, a connection was made between the child and the Torah from the moment of birth. In Germany and Italy, wimpels were elaborately embroidered with the prayer from the brit milah: “Just as he has entered into the covenant, so may he enter into the world of Torah, the marriage canopy, and the fulfillment of good deeds.” This text is illustrated with chuppot (bridal canopies) and Torah scrolls. In addition, the full names of the child and parents, the date of birth, and day of week are always given. Today, the tradition of creating a wimpel is reemerging. If you want to make one for your daughter or son, purchase enough
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Whether you hire a mohel or a rabbi, he or she will be ready to tell you the details of the ceremony. In general, most brit milahs take the same form. First, the baby is carried in with great fanfare by the kevaterim or godparents. There is also a custom of having the baby brought in by a childless couple, as it is thought to bestow wishes of fertility. The sandek is seated. There is also an empty chair for the prophet Elijah. The baby rests on a special embroidered cushion, often supplied by the mohel. The mohel recites a blessing. Then he removes the foreskin, taking care that there is at least one drop of blood. This is the most difficult time for parents, particularly new mothers. Most new parents are already at a level of emotional and physical overload, and sleep-deprived as well. To turn over your new, perfect baby and to hear his cries as he is unwrapped and circumsized is difficult for even the most pious parents. After the procedure, the parents or the father recite another blessing, followed by the guests’ recitation of acknowledgement that the baby has entered the covenant with God. The second part of the ceremony is the blessing over wine. The mohel takes a drink of
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cotton muslin or silk (heavy enough to embroider) to create a strip nine to 12 feet long and seven to eight inches wide. Hem the edges. Prior to birth, you can plan your design and begin decorating the wimpel (leaving space for the name and birth date). Decorative elements can be made with silk or cotton embroidery thread or permanent fabric markers and fabric paint, all found in hobby shops. Include these items on your child’s wimpel: English and Hebrew names, the English and Hebrew date and day of birth, place of birth, the names of parents and grandparents, and the reference to a life of Torah, marriage and good deeds. European wimpels often had the child’s sign of the zodiac, animal forms, biblical verses, and symbols relating to the child’s name, such as a harp or lyre for David, or a lion for Judah. Wrap your baby in the wimpel at the brit milah or brit bat. You might want to incorporate your wimpel into a prayer shawl you can present to your child at his or her bar or bat mitzvah.
INTERFAITH PARENTS FORUM The Biggest Challenge You’ll Face By Rabbi Steven Carr Reuben
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from the person they love. You must force yourself to break through this barrier if you find yourself avoiding the conversations that in your heart you know are inevitable. So how do you know whether you are making the right decisions? Most of the time, there is no one “right” decision to be made. There are no magic formulas for raising perfect children, there are only individual human attempts at doing the best you can for their safety, security, health, and emotional well-being. If parenting courses are available where you live, whether from a college or university extension or a synagogue, I strongly advise you to take them together. Somehow, “Parenting 101” was one of those many crucial courses left out of the standard high school curriculum, so most people have very little real information or helpful knowledge about how to be a good parent. They are simply thrown headfirst into the deep end the minute the child is born, and it’s sink or swim for everyone.
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nterfaith marriage represents perhaps the biggest challenge today’s parents face in successfully raising children with a strong Jewish identity. Every year new studies demonstrate that the rate of interfaith marriage in the Jewish community continues to rise. In fact, in most major centers of Jewish life today, Jews marry non-Jews at a rate of 50 percent or more! If no children were involved, 90 percent of the arguments and disagreements in interfaith relationships would disappear. Usually, adults are able to create relationships based on mutual trust, respect, and tolerance, regardless of their religious backgrounds, by adopting the attitude that they have their beliefs and the person they love has his or hers. Throw a child into the equation, however, and these same tolerant, flexible, supportive and understanding adults often turn into hard-core religious/cultural chauvinists, who come roaring out of their respective religious closets as defenders of whichever faith they happen to have been born to. Such parents often surprise even themselves with the depth of emotion they feel. Children bring out the sense of tradition in us all; they stir our ancient longings for immortality and remind us that we are part of a chain of humanity stretching back eons. Our sense of personal history is piqued, and we find ourselves reminiscing about our childhood and planning how to share all the exciting things from our past with our own children. In the midst of such reveries,
however, individuals suddenly realize that their partner may have very different ideas as to the childhood memories he or she wants to share with the same child. That realization begins the process, which for many lasts through the entire childhood of their children, of negotiating the religious lifestyle that will form the center of their children’s cultural identity.
Children bring out the sense of tradition in us all.
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Making these child-related decisions is often the single most difficult task that interfaith couples must face. Unfortunately, there are no easy answers, for the world of interfaith marriage is a relatively recent phenomenon, and most couples must struggle to find their way alone. Most couples simply make compromises that will work at the time and hope that things will get smoother as they acquire more experience with the decisions they are forced to make each day, month, and year. “How do we make child rearing decisions?” I am often asked. Couples who were raised in different religions often are so timid with each other about the issues of child rearing that, as with so many unexpressed feelings and emotions, they are loath to discuss how they really feel for fear of estranging themselves
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Reprinted from Raising Jewish Children in a Contemporary World: The Modern Parent’s Guide to Creating a Jewish Home. Rocklin, CA: Prima Publishing, 1992. Rabbi Steven Carr Reuben, Ph.D. is an author, lecturer, and educator who is widely known for his work over the past 15 years writing for and counseling interfaith families. He has also authored Making Interfaith Marriage Work.
Other resources for interfaith couples beyond parenting classes mentioned here by Rabbi Reuben include: ✔ Rabbis ✔ Support groups for interfaith couples offered by counselors, synagogues, JCCs, and other community agencies ✔ Books
Resources F O R E X P E C TA NT PA R E N T S
Books…
& Apples & HoneyTM is a publication of the Robert E. Loup Jewish Community Center, 350 South Dahlia Street, Denver, CO 80246. The purpose of Apples & Honey is to serve as an educational publication and outreach tool for expectant and new parents interested in learning about how to create a Jewish home. Lisa Farber Miller, Editor Sandra Widener, Managing Editor Hal Aqua, Design and Illustration Tamra L. Dollin, Judaic Consultant Bernice Tarlie, Bibliographer Dr. Jessica Pearson, Evaluation Consultant Risa Towbin Aqua, Calligraphy
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The New Jewish Baby Book: Names, Ceremonies & Customs: A Guide for Today’s Families by Anita Diamant. Woodstock, VT: Jewish Lights, 1993. A wealth of information on contemporary liberal Jewish practice for new parents.
Practical Parenting: A Jewish Perspective by Gail Josephson Lipsitz. Hoboken, NJ: KTAV, 1997. Thoughtful insights and advice for parents with each chapter exploring a specific parenting issue such as sibling struggles, adoption, discipline, and the December dilemma. Practical suggestions are offered at the end of each chapter.
The New Name Dictionary: Modern English and Hebrew Names by Alfred J. Kolatch. Middle Village, NY: Jonathan David, 1989. Over 10,000 names—traditional and contemporary—with meanings, definitions and an introduction explaining the origin of the names and the naming process.
The Jewish Baby Handbook: A Guide for Expectant Parents by Douglas Weber. West Orange, NJ: Behrman House, 1990. Brief, useful information on Jewish law and custom for expectant parents such as what is a brit milah, pidyon ha-ben, wimpel, naming ceremony, etc.
Online…
Jewish Family & Life!—the editors’ on-line magazine—may be reached at http://www.Jewishfamily.com. It is described as a source of “user-friendly, family oriented information and entertainment for a new generation.”
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Our Share of Night, Our Share of Morning: Parenting as a Spiritual Journey by Nancy Fuchs. New York: HarperCollins, 1996. An exploration, through interviews, of the transformative spiritual adventure that parents experience while raising their children.
Jewish Family & Life: Traditions, Holidays, and Values for Today’s Parents and Children. Edited by Yosef I. Abramowitz and Susan Silverman. New York: Golden Books, 1997. Lively and fun-filled guide with creative, thoughtful and practical ideas and activities for parents and children and includes a special section listing resources for books, music and videos.
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Robert E. Loup Jewish Community Center 350 South Dahlia Street Denver, CO 80246
LOOK FOR OUR NEXT ISSUE FOR PARENTS OF NEWBORN TO 3 MONTH OLD CHILDREN
Featuring: • Creating Jewish Family Traditions • Planting a Tree for Your New Baby • Jewish Childcare Options
The Jewish Parent Page at http://www. uahc. org/educate/parent and Shabbat Table Talk at http://www.uahc.org/ shabbat offer Reform perspectives on all aspects of Jewish life and traditions for the family.
Editorial Advisory Board Rabbi Daniel Goldberger, Dr. Ed Goldson, Rabbi David Nelson, Rabbi Raymond Zwerin
Individual subscriptions and bulk orders of newsletters are available by calling 303-3992660. There are 16 issues of Apples & Honey: prenatal issue; newborn to 3 months; 4–6 months; 7–9 months; 10–12 months; 12–18 months; 18–24 months; 2–2 1/2 years; 2 1/2–3 years; 3–3 1/2 years; 3 1/2–4 years; 4–4 1/2 years; 4 1/2–5 years; Fall Holidays (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot); Spring Holidays (Purim and Passover); and Winter Holidays (Chanukah and Tu B’Shevat). Apples & Honey was made possible by funds granted by The Covenant Foundation. The statements made and the views expressed, however, are solely the responsibility of the Robert E. Loup Jewish Community Center. © Robert E. Loup Jewish Community Center. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the Robert E. Loup Jewish Community Center.
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