CANDLE LIGHTING
Naomi:
Shabbat
When the sun sets
And the stars pull an evening blanket
Across the sky
Coaxing the world to rest and sleep
And us – to dream
We kindle lights
Eternal light
Remembrance light
Shabbat light
The light in children’s eyes
Hands cupped over candle’s flame
Drawing setting sun inside our souls
We build a memory and a home for light
We bless this moment
And give thanks.
Paused between day and night
We breathe a new soul into the world
We take a breath and sing.
(Sandy Eisenberg Sasso)
Sharon:
Your word is a lamp unto my feet, a light for my path.
(Psalms 119:105)
Ruth:
You are the One who kindles my lamp: The Eternal lights up my darkness.
(Psalms 18:29)
Sharon:
Arise, shine, for your light has dawned, the Eternal’s radiance shines
upon you!
(Isaiah 60:1)
Ruth:
May the Eternal continue to shine upon you and the Eternal’s brilliant
presence surround you.
(Isaiah 60:2)
Sharon:
Light was the first of the creations; as light appeared, it brought
with it the possibility of all wondrous things to follow. We too, kindle
lights – of hope, of understanding, of celebration, of countless new possibilities.
Naomi:
Ilana Miriam has already brought light into our lives. May she grow
to be a source of light to all those around her. May her radiance illuminate
the world. May the light of Torah and mitzvot be reflected in her shining
deeds. And may she help bring light to the world.
Naomi, Ruth, Sharon, Tova:
Baruch Ata Adonai Eloheinu Melech HaOlam
Asher Kidishanu Bmitzvotav Vitzivanu
Lahadlik Ner Shel Shabbat.
TORAH SERVICE
Parasha HaShavuah: Beha’alotecha
Rabbi Lisa:
Birkat Ha-Gomel
Baruch Ata Adonai Eloheinu Melech HaOlam
Hagomel l’cha-ya-vim tovot sheh-g’malani kol tov.
Blessed are You Adonai, Ruler of All, who does good and Who has dealt
kindly with me.
Congregation:
Mi shegmal’cha kol tov, hy yig-mol-cha kiol tov, seh-la.
May the One who has shown you kindness deal kindly with you forever.
NAMING CEREMONY
Joe:
Ilana Miriam was born on June 8, the fifth day of Sivan, Erev Shavuot.
We name her Ilana, which means “tree,” and Miriam which means “mistress
of the water.” She is named Ilana after my Great Uncle Irving (Yitzchak)
Sperling – A World War II veteran whose love of humor was surpassed only
by his love of family.
Naomi:
We choose the name Miriam to honor and remember three family members:
my
Great Uncle Max (Meshulam Vulf) Schottenfeld, my grandfather Murray
(Moshe) Pine, and Joe’s great grandfather Max (Mordecai) Sperling.
Uncle Mac always put the family first. He would drive anyone anywhere, and would take any job that would help the family. When Uncle Mac was the leader of our seders, he would ask me to make sure that no one stole the afikomen, and then, of course, he would forgive me - and reward me! - when I took part in the theft.
I never met my grandfather Murray, but I have heard him singing on my father’s old reel-to-reel tapes. He was a cantor with a wonderful voice and a love for the pursuit of knowledge.
Joe:
Although I was only 9 when my great grandfather Max died, I remember
his warmth, the respect my family had for him as a patriarch (we called
him “Pa”), and the way he sang, “Bim, Bim Bim” to me when I was very young.
He was a self-educated plumber who became a successful businessman.
Naomi:
We’d now like to invite some of our family members to read poems and
blessings for Ilana Miriam.
Aunt Ruth:
Blessed She Comes
Welcome Woman-Child
Newborn guardian
Of the sacred gift
Of cycles and seasons
Within and all around you
Be witness to the rhythms of
Surrender and renewal
Faith and love
Awaken intuition and knowledge
To the indwelling presence – Shechinah
We welcome you
Into the world
Into our family
Into your people
May you know from your early days
How we travel through the dance
Of dark and light
Slavery and freedom
Wandering and revelation
Planting and harvest
New moon and full moon
From the illumined place of now
The sanctuary in time – Shabbat
(Hanna Tiferet Siegel)
Aunt Sharon:
Ilana Miriam Wilensky: Who You Will Become
For your interest, Ilana Miriam,
I’m going to let you in on a little secret
I know who you will become –
Who Ilana Miriam will be
Past what the eye can see.
Although this ceremony, your naming, is a tribute to honor you now,
I’d like to honor who will you become instead.
Is that okay?
Sure, I could honor you now – Who you are now on the outside.
Your tiny feet and hands
Big blue eyes
Wilensky lips
Your squeaks, yawns and hiccups
But you are more than all that.
How do I know who you will become?
What is inside you - That will become you?
I know who you will become, Ilana, because I know who your mother and
father are.
You will become the good listener that your mother is.
You will become the independent thinker that your father is.
You will become the creative writer and intellectual mind -
You will become a caring, sensitive, loving, giving, courageous, honorable,
gentle, capable, determined, generous, and beautiful person –
Because Joe and Naomi are.
I know these things, Ilana Miriam, yes I do,
Because I was lucky enough to grow with them, too.
I tribute this day to you, Ilana,
Because you are already worthy
And already honorable -
You are already Joe and Naomi’s daughter - already Tova’s sister
Already my niece – a granddaughter, too.
You are already someone.
But who you will become
Is no secret.
Joe and Naomi, I honor you both on this day.
Grandma Diane:
Though you are new to the world,
Ilana Miriam, you are already wise.
Your eyes reflect the spirit of generations before you.
Your heart knows the joy of your mother’s song
Your body knows the gentle touch of your father’s arms.
And in your strong, tiny hands, you hold the mystery
Of who you are and who you will be.
Beautiful granddaughter,
May you be safe and welcome in the world,
And may you know, above all,
How very much you are loved.
Grandpa Bruce:
As I've done in the past for my wife & children,
I'd like to attribute a value or virtue of character for each letter
of Ilana's name —
To my "littlest sweetheart":
May the "I" be for INTEGRITY
As your grandfather I know your parents will instill in you the desire
to be honest, moral & ethical with everyone you encounter;
The "L" will be, of course, for LOVE
you'll receive an abundance from your family and may you return it
and pass it on to the people who are & will be in your life;
The first "A" should be for ACCEPTANCE
of the wealth of spirit & faith you'll find within the attention
& guidance
of those who love you;
The "N"... NURTURING
In your future. little Ilana, may you come to emulate your Mom &
Dad
who have set such a wonderful example of how successful true caring
& concern can be - your big sister, my "little sweetheart," Tova;
The final "A" -- may it be for ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
of the roles we will have all played in helping you
to grow to be what I know you will become:
a happy, healthy and giving human being.
Safta Honey:
May your eyes sparkle with the light of Torah,
and your ears hear the music of its words.
May the space between each letter of the scrolls
bring warmth and comfort to your soul.
May the syllables draw holiness from your heart,
and may this holiness be gentle and soothing
to you and all God’s creatures.
May your study be passionate,
and meanings bear more meanings
until Life itself arrays itself to you
as a dazzling wedding feast
(And may we all dance at your wedding).
And may your conversation,
even of the commonplace,
be a blessing to all who listen to your words
and see the Torah glowing on your face.
(Danny Siegel)
Safta Honey & Saba Henry:
Our God and God of all generations,
We are grateful for new beginnings, for the bond of new life and links
one generation to another. Thankful for the blessings of family, for the
love and care that brings meaning and happiness to our lives, we rejoice
with our children at the birth of their child, our granddaughter.
May they grow together as a family in health and in strength, in harmony,
wisdom, and love, their home filled with words of Torah and acts of kindness.
May we be enabled to share in the joy of seeing Ilana Miriam grow into
adulthood, a blessing to her family, her people, and all humanity.
Great-Grandma Adele:
What is greater in one’s life than to be blessed with children? And
then grandchildren? And then live to be blessed with great-grandchildren!
The joy and nachas in such gifts and pleasures are immeasurable! But this
has been granted to me! And I thank God again and again.
And this little beautiful baby, Ilana Miriam, who is being named here
today, in the presence of her mother Naomi, father Joe, and sister Tova,
and her extended loving family and ready-made friends has made it possible!
I pray to God to grant her a long happy and healthy life to share with
those she loves and love her.
Naomi:
With all my heart, with all my soul, and with all my might,
I thank the Eternal for the gift of Ilana Miriam.
I thank you for a healthy pregnancy, a safe delivery, and a speedy
recovery.
I pray for the continued health of our daughter.
I pray for her to be strong in mind and body.
I pray for her to become a person who greets the world with passion,
Courage, humility, and patience.
I pray for the ability to love and nurture her,
To provide for her, and to educate her,
To understand her, and to allow her the freedom to grow.
I pray that Ilana Miriam and Tova Gabrielle will together
Grow steadily in a home filled with the joy of sisterhood and friendship.
Joe:
You, our Ilana Miriam, are a question addressed to humanity.
You will be blessed with your own special talents and possibilities
And you must answer them for your own sake and for the sake of humanity.
With your birth, the great miracle within humanity is reborn.
You are a new light in our hearts and in our home
A new sister to Tova and a new love in our lives.
Naomi:
Fortunate the woman who knows the pangs of birth, for she has held
a star.
Joe:
Fortunate the man who fathers a child, for he has held eternity in
his arms.
Naomi:
We dedicate our daughter to Torah,
To a never-ending fascination with study and learning.
With a book, she will never be alone.
Joe:
We dedicate our daughter to chuppah,
To never-ending growth as a human being
Capable of giving and receiving love.
With a loving friend, she will never be alone.
Naomi:
We dedicate our daughter to ma’asim tovim
To a never-ending concern for family and community,
justice and charity.
If she cares for others, she will never be alone.
Joe:
We pray for wisdom to help our daughter achieve these things,
To fulfill the needs of her mind and body,
To be strong when she needs us to be strong,
To be gentle she needs us to be gentle,
But to always be there when she needs us.
Naomi and Joe:
Blessed are you, Ilana Miriam, in the newness of your existence.
Blessed are we, who have been and will be enriched by your life.
Yisimech Elohim k’Sarah, Rivka, Rahel, v’Leah.
May the One who blessed our ancestors
Avraham, Yizchak, and Ya’akov,
Sarah, Rivka, Rachel, and Leah,
Bless our daughter Ilana Miriam
And her sister Tova Gabrielle.
Saba Henry:
Kohen’s Blessing
Yivarech’cha Adonai v’yismerecha,
Ya-ir Adonai pa-nav eilecha vichunecha
Yisah Adonai pa-nav eilecha v’ya-sim l’cha shalom.
May the Eternal bless you and protect you.
May the light of the Eternal shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
May the presence of the Eternal be to you a source of the creative
harmony of peace.
All:
Baruch Ata Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha’Olam
Shehechiyanu V’kimanu V’higiyanu Lazman Hazeh.
Some of these readings were taken from The New Jewish Baby Book: Names, Ceremonies, and Customs, A Guide for Today’s Families by Anita Diament, from the Sim Shalom Siddur, and from readings gathered from friends and other simchat bat ceremonies.
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