Sha’arei Orah is pleased to support our members through all of life’s many milestones. Any important moment including birthdays, anniversaries, Yahrtzeits, publications, graduations, awards and achievements of all kinds can be celebrated communally through a Kiddush sponsorship.
Our community is also pleased to provide ritual and material support at other moments in the lifecycle. It is our hope that our members choose to mark their family lifecycle events in and with our shul and community.
Birth
Mazal tov on the birth of your new baby! Our community would love to support you in this transition by sending around a mealtrain. Please be in touch with the board president to include your exciting news and a sign-up link in our communications.
Brit Milah and Pidyon HaBen
Mazal tov on the birth of your son! Please contact Rabbanit Sarna for a list of local Mohalim, and she can also work with you to prepare for the ritual elements of the Brit Milah. Unfortunately, Sha’arei Orah does not currently have a permanent weekday space. Members of our shul often rent space from other local synagogues or host their child’s Brit Milah in their home.
If your son is a firstborn, Rabbanit Sarna is also happy to facilitate a Pidyon HaBen at the appropriate time. Sha’arei Orah’s Kohanim are delighted to participate in your firstborn son’s redemption, and the shul owns the necessary silver coins as well.
Simchat Bat
Mazal tov on the birth of your daughter! At Sha’arei Orah, baby girls can be named on Shabbat morning either when the father has an aliyah at the Torah, or with the Simchat Bat ritual found in the Koren Siddur. Families also choose to hold Simchat Bat celebrations at other times, but Sha’arei Orah does not currently have a permanent weekday space. Please contact Rabbanit Sarna to make arrangements.
Bar and Bat Mitzvah
Bar and Bat Mitzvah are opportunities for our shul to celebrate milestones in the life of every child and their families. As a community, we are committed to inclusivity, and we strive to celebrate each child in a manner that is meaningful and appropriate for that child and family, within halachic guidelines.
There are many options for celebrating a Bar or Bat Mitzvah with Sha’arei Orah. Some suggestions include:
- Deliver a Dvar Torah to the shul
- Make a siyum on a significant Torah learning accomplishment
- Lead a portion of Tefillah on a Shabbat, weekday or holiday
- Read some or all of a Torah portion, Haftara, or Megillah (on appropriate dates)
- Receive an Aliyah
- Do Peticha or Gelila
- Sponsor some or all of Kiddush
- Lead the shul in a chessed project
- Present a meaningful creative project to the shul and community
- For Girls, leading Tefillah, reading from the Torah, Haftara, or Megillah, having an Aliyah, and doing Peticha or Gelila takes place in a women-only service.
Sha’arei Orah encourages families to reserve a date when children are in fourth grade. Dates may only be reserved by members in good standing and for children in fourth grade or above. Families are encouraged to discuss their simcha with Rabbanit Sarna a year in advance or whenever the family begins to plan specifics for their celebration.
Weddings
Sha’arei Orah is delighted to host an aufruf/Shabbat Kallah weekend in advance of your wedding. The bride/groom or a family member is invited to give the Dvar Torah. A groom can be called up for an aliyah in the main service, and a bride can be called up for an aliyah in a Women’s Tefillah Mincha service on Shabbat afternoon. The family is also welcome to sponsor Kiddush. Rabbanit Sarna is available to officiate at local weddings/sheva brachot and provide other counseling and support.
Illness
When members or their loved ones are experiencing illness, our community provides material support as necessary (eg, meals), and Rabbanit Sarna is available for pastoral care. For support, please contact Rabbanit Sarna. We also pray for those in need of healing on Shabbat and Yom Tov mornings. For inclusion in those prayers, please contact the gabbai. When and if appropriate, our community invites men and women to recite Birkat Hagomel during Torah reading to celebrate their healing.
Death
We are so sorry for the loss of your family member. Please contact Rabbanit Sarna for logistical, halachic and pastoral support as you care for the departed and plan the funeral, burial and shiva. At this time, Sha’arei Orah does not have burial plots.
