Life Cycles
Temple Beth Orr is a full-service congregation that offers our members rituals and support for the diversity of life transitions: from joyous celebrations to those moments when you are in need of comfort. Our community is here for you, to help mark all the sacred moments and milestones in the life of you and your family.
Birth and Baby Naming
Are you looking for a Jewish name? Need to find a mohel for a brit milah (ritual circumcision) for your newborn son? Want to plan a brit bat (naming) ceremony for your daughter? We are available to help you plan your child’s celebration, and welcome your child into the covenant of the Jewish people.
Consecration
The beginning of formal learning is a simcha! All children beginning our religious school for the first time are invited to participate in our Consecration ceremony, to honor their entrance into the sweetness of Jewish learning.
Bat and Bar Mitzvah
Celebrating becoming a Bar or Bat Mitzvah is an important milestone in the spiritual growth of a young Jewish adult. It signifies that a young person has not only reached the age of thirteen, but is ready to assume greater responsibility in Jewish life. More information on preparing for this important stage of Jewish life can be found on the Bar/Bat Mitzvah page of our website, under the heading, “Education.”
We also offer Adult Bar or Bat Mitzvah classes, for those who did not have the opportunity to celebrate this milestone at the age of thirteen. Come learn about Jewish theology and history. Learn Torah and Haftarah reading and chanting, as well as the skills needed to study a Torah portion and conduct a Shabbat service.
Kesher/Confirmation/Post-Confirmation
Jewish learning and community continues with our special teen educational programs. Learning becomes more open-ended and discussion-oriented. As our teens grow in maturity, we focus on how to make Jewish choices in every possible aspect of adult life. Questioning and exploration of ideas are welcomed within an environment of mutual respect and caring.
Confirmation (10th grade) concludes with a beautiful student-led Shavuot service that is a highlight of our congregational year. Those who finish Post-Confirmation in 12th grade are celebrated at a special graduation ceremony during a Shabbat service.
Choosing Judaism
Everyone in the community is welcome to consult with Rabbi Rappaport for information about conversion and to undertake a course of study leading to formal entry in the Jewish faith community.
Weddings
Mazel tov on your upcoming wedding! We want to welcome you as you begin your Jewish life together. Weddings are performed by Rabbi Rappaport for couples associated with Temple Beth Orr who are looking ahead to a Jewish home and/or family. A conversation with our rabbi precedes setting a wedding date and a series of pre-marital counseling sessions to get you started on a stronger foot. We are an LGBTQ-friendly community.
Death and Dying
When someone you love is at the end of their life, you may not know where to turn. Our rabbi can guide TBO members and their families in a meaningful, supportive and spiritual way through the Jewish end-of-life rituals, and help you make arrangements for the cemetery and funeral.
Our rabbi leads a funeral/memorial service and/or shiva minyan for TBO members and their families and can lead an unveiling any time after the first month of bereavement.
We can best honor our loved ones through memory. Memorial plaques offer a permanent way to offer tribute to those who have passed away. If you are interested in creating a memorial name plate for someone who has died, or creating a tribute page in each year’s congregational memorial “Yizkor” book, please feel free to contact the temple office.
Contact our [email protected] for more information on any of these topics