Lifecycle Events
Rabbi Rigler and Cantor Marx are here to help you celebrate your simchas (joyous occasions) and commemorate the losses in your life. Whether for a baby naming, b’nei mitzvah, wedding, or funeral, our clergy are available to guide you through the planning and be with you for every step of the journey.
Baby Naming/B’rit Milah
Rabbi Rigler and Cantor Marx are happy to officiate a baby naming / b’rit milah (lit., “covenant of circumcision”), whether on the eighth day of life as is traditional or later in a child’s life. There are many rituals and readings that can be incorporated into the ceremony and they will work with you to create a meaningful ritual for you and your family. They can connect you with a mohel/et (one who is trained in the ritual of circumcision) if needed. A baby naming certificate is provided as well.
B’nei Mitzvah
B’nei Mitzvah services mark the passage of a young person into the first stages of adulthood. Temple Sholom offers a b’nei mitzvah program that is tailored to your child’s strengths and challenges. For detailed information on our b’nei mitzvah program, click here, or reach out to Cantor Marx.
Wedding
Both Rabbi Rigler and Cantor Marx offer wedding officiation to members and their children, and happily officiate for interfaith and LGBTQ couples. They are also available to officiate for non-members if you’d like to make a referral! Please reach out to the clergy to discuss your plans and check availability.
Funeral
When a loved one passes away, our clergy are available to officiate for a funeral if needed as well as shiva minyan services (a gathering held in the home after a funeral). We also have trained para-clergy who are available to assist with shiva services when the clergy are not available. Rabbi Rigler and Cantor Marx can walk you through the ritual options available for the funeral service and provide pastoral support in this difficult time.
Commemoration of Lifecycle Events
A wonderful way to commemorate important lifecycle events is by honoring your loved ones with a donation to Temple Sholom. Below we list a few of the most common ways to do that. Forms for the various donation opportunities are available in the Temple office.
Sponsoring an Oneg
Oneg literally translates as "Shabbat joy," and refers to the food and drink that we share as a community immediately following Shabbat evening services. Oneg sponsorship allows us to enhance our regular offerings, and your sponsorship is mentioned from the bima during announcements. Sponsorship forms are available in the Temple office.
Memorial Plaque
Many Temple Sholom families commemorate the passing of loved ones with a memorial plaque that is placed on the wall of our sanctuary as a sacred remembrance. Forms for the purchase of memorial plaques are available in the Temple office.
Donations to Clergy Discretionary Funds or Other Temple Funds
Donating to a Temple fund or a Clergy Discretionary Fund is a way to both support activities at Temple Sholom and honor a loved one or lifecycle events. It is customary following a lifecycle event that Rabbi Rigler or Cantor Marx officiated at to donate to their discretionary fund. There are many Temple funds listed on our Donate page, including the Rabbi's and Cantor's Discretionary Funds.