Rabbi for Baby (Girl) Naming?

[Anonymous]

Expecting my first daughter any day now. My parents really want us to do a baby naming when she arrives, at some point while they are here in November. We're not very religious and are not part of a Shul. If anything we are very, very reform.

Any suggestions on a Rabbi we could contact to do an at-home service for us?

[Anonymous]

Unless it matters to your parents, you don't need a rabbi for a baby naming. You can find diy naming services online or put together something meaningful for you (we used Anita Diamemts New Jewish Naming Book)

[Anonymous]

You can call your local synagogues and ask for a baby naming ceremony. It just takes a few minutes and can be incorporated into a regular service. We did this years ago, when my daughter was 6 months old. It gave us a chance to link with a synagogue, and eventually joined.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Expecting my first daughter any day now. My parents really want us to do a baby naming when she arrives, at some point while they are here in November. We're not very religious and are not part of a Shul. If anything we are very, very reform.

Any suggestions on a Rabbi we could contact to do an at-home service for us?

Being very Reform has nothing to do with not being part of a shul. If you really believe strongly in making decisions about Jewish observance as a matter of personal choice, and not Jewish law, you are very reform. If you think social justice is 90% of what it means to be jewish, you are very reform. If you prefer jewish services with organ music and all in english, you may be classical reform.

But being non religious, uninterested in Judaism, etc is NOT Reform.

Sigh.

[Anonymous]

Try Arthur Blecher. He does weddings.

[Anonymous]

Arthur Blecher married us. He was ordained conservative but does interfaith marriages and will co-officiate with other clergy. I'm sure he would do a naming ceremony. He is a nice guy and lives in DC, at least he did when we got married 13 years ago.

[Anonymous]

I think you can call a reform temple and ask if they have a rabbi who will do a short naming ceremony even though you're not a congragant (sp?).

[Anonymous]

I thought you were naming your baby girl Rabbi. Lol

[Anonymous]

Are both you and your husband Jewish? If so, rabbi Henesch is a mohel who will also do baby namings. He's done brises for both my sons. His ceremonies are lovely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are both you and your husband Jewish? If so, rabbi Henesch is a mohel who will also do baby namings. He's done brises for both my sons. His ceremonies are lovely.

I thought he retired.

OP - you don't need a rabbi. But if you want one... I would bet that the reform shuls can help you find someone. Maybe the junior rabbi or cantor if you call a big one?

[Anonymous]

You don't need a rabbi. I did ours myself (using the Anita Diamant book referenced above). I preferred that to having some random rabbi show up with whom we had no connection. At least with a bris you need the expert to do the deed, but not for a baby naming.

And plus one on the PP who corrected the misuse of "very reform."