Beth El Norfolk is one of the oldest Conservative Synagogues in the country. At over 160 years old, the congregation has a rich and beautiful heritage. Throughout its history, Beth El’s families have marked the passage of time and the holiness of our lives by commemorating special life moments through ritual. These milestones are recognized as an integral part of Jewish life. The ritualistic life reinforces our community and provides a link to our past, present and future. Our lifecycle events often signify times of major change in our lives. Beth El’s clergy, are available to guide you and your family through these changes, whether it is as joyous as a birth or a marriage, or as difficult and painful as the loss of a loved one. Please don’t hesitate to contact us—we want to be there for you to see you through all these times.
There are four major lifecycle events which we cover from birth to death not including others we like to celebrate with you like birthdays, anniversaries, etc. These four are Birth/ Baby Naming and Brit Milah, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Marriage/Wedding, and Death/Funeral.
- Birth/ Baby Naming/ Brit Milah – This ceremony marks the welcoming of a baby into the embrace of our people. A boy’s Brit Milah, ritual circumcision, is done at 8 days old and often a girl’s baby naming as well (although there are no strict guidelines or halacha to follow when it comes to timing for the baby naming ritual). Our clergy would be thrilled to assist you in navigating through this new adventure. Please make a call to us part of your “birth plan.”
- Bar/Bat Mitzvah: The recognition of a young man or woman as a full- fledged member of our Jewish community. This is such an exciting and crazy time, not only for the bar/bat mitzvah, but for the whole family! However, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!
- Marriage/Wedding: The uniting of a couple before God and the Jewish community is sacred. We are honored to share in this freilich and magical event in your lives. We hope you will allow us to be your guides through this journey as you begin to think about sharing your lives together and what that might look like through a Jewish lens. For a wedding at Beth El or offsite using Beth El’s clergy, this path includes several get-to-know-you sessions with the Rabbi, and also a meeting with the Cantor for any music selections and/or suggestions.
- Death/Funeral: When your loved one has passed on, we mourn with you. We know you are in pain and we know how much there is to do and to arrange. Therefore, we strive to make this process as smooth and easy as possible knowing the logistics are the last thing you want to deal with in this difficult time. Our Guide to Death and Mourning should answer many of your questions and we are always here to support you in every way we can.
We are here to help you connect and weave our beautiful Jewish traditions into the fabric of your life! Give us a call and we will be there to guide you through the next steps of your family’s Jewish journey.
