LIFE CYCLE EVENTS

There are a number of life cycle events in Jewish life in which service members may require the services of a rabbi. When a Jewish chaplain is not available, you should help Jewish service members to make every effort to secure the services of the nearest rabbi.

Birth, Youth, and Confirmation Rites

Some of the life cycle events of Jewish service families may include the following rituals:

• Birth of a boy. According to Jewish law, a boy should be circumcised on the eighth day after birth. The Jewish lay reader or the chaplain should arrange to have the mohel, a specialist for this operation, perform the circumcision. When it is impossible to secure a mohel, a Jewish physician can perform the circumcision while a knowledgeable Jewish layman reads the appropriate blessings.

• Birth of a girl. When a daughter is born it is often customary for the father to go to the synagogue to have her given a Hebrew name and receive a blessing upon this important occasion.

• Bar Mitzvah. On his 13th birthday, a Jewish boy celebrates his Bar Mitzvah-his coming of age as a member of the congregation.

• Bat Mitzvah. On her 13th birthday, a Jewish girl celebrates her Bat Mitzvah. The Bat Mitzvah is the equivalent of the Jewish boy's Bar Mitzvah.

• Shevuoth. In their 15th or 16th year, Jewish boys and girls participate in a Confirmation ceremony held in the synagogue at the Shevuoth festival in June.

Other major life cycle events include weddings and funerals. We will look at both of these events in the following sections.

Weddings

Along with celebrating the birth of a child, marriage is the most joyous of all events in the Jewish life cycle. Marriage is considered to be a sacrament. Accordingly, various rituals, customs, and laws concerning marriage are observed by Jewish people.

A Jewish marriage must be performed by a rabbi. You should try to secure the services of a Jewish chaplain for premarriage counseling as well as for the performance of the marriage ceremony. You should understand that many rabbis will not officiate at a marriage between a Jew and a non-Jew. Many conflicts concerning interfaith marriages between Jews and non-Jews have had serious effects on the Jewish community. Whenever rabbis refuse to officiate at interfaith marriages, their position should be defended unquestionably. If you are asked about the religious legitimacy or appropriateness of an interfaith marriage involving Jewish persons, refer the persons to a Jewish chaplain or a civilian rabbi. A rabbi not having a personal dilemma with an interfaith marriages usually will change the content of the marriage ceremony to fit the situation.

The required objects for a Jewish wedding include a chuppah, or bridal canopy, a ring, and a glass of wine that the groom and bride will sip together. Among the rituals of the Jewish wedding ceremony is the crushing of the wine glass under the bridegroom's heel. The stamp of the shoe and the crunch of the glass signify that _{the ceremony is over.} The bride and groom are then congratulated and the guests are welcomed to the wedding feast.

Funerals

In Judaism, the Jews take their idea of death from Genesis, where God commanded the man he made, Adam, not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, though he could eat freely of the Tree of Life. When the temptations of the serpent had led both Adam and Eve to eat of the forbidden tree, God drove the pair from the garden. Their punishment consisted of pain in childbirth, the burden of toil for their well-being, and death.

In Judaism, mourning is observed elaborately. Technically, the death signals a yearlong observance. The purpose of the Jewish funeral and burial is both to honor the deceased and to provide comfort to the mourners.

Except in unusual circumstances, an autopsy is not permitted. Burial in the earth is required and should take place within 24 hours following the time of death. In Judaism, cremation is prohibited.

The funeral is simple and prescribed by Jewish law, and burial customarily takes place immediately, preferably within 24 hours after death. Following the

burial, the immediate family will observe the ritual of Shiva. Shiva represents a seven-day mourning period in which the members of the family will remain at home. During Shiva, other close relatives and friends may visit the family. Another tradition of mourning is the Kiddish, a special prayer, which is recited for 11 months following the death. The Kiddish expresses the thought that God is just and man should trust in all his acts.

SUMMARY

This chapter has demonstrated how worship in the pluralistic naval community, will affect the duties and responsibilities of all RPs. Considering the major liturgical refinement that has occurred in America, this chapter has tried to make you aware of the shifts you may encounter in both the form and the perception of worship.

The information in this chapter has also provided a foundation from which you can gain insight to the needs of specific groups of people and apply your knowledge and support to the acts of worship of all the major religions. We have also tried to encourage you to recognize and show your needs to develop an open understanding of your Navy chaplain's learned and personal styles, needs, and desires. Many other religious concerns we have mentioned are those involving naval and civic community worship, interfaith worship, inclusive language, lay ministries, changes in policies and doctrines, creative worship, major life cycle events, and the significance of history in the faiths practiced by Navy personnel.