The family gathers, old friends reunite, and the house or hall is filled with the sounds of children laughing and the smells of festive foods. But arriving at that joyous moment requires much careful planning. Fortunately, help is available for busy people who want a great party yet also want to infuse the occasion with spiritual meaning and tradition. While some books offer background and insight on Jewish life-cycle traditions, others function as handbooks, rich in instructive detail.
Families planning a bar mitzvah or other event find both kinds of books indispensable.
The book even includes blessings to cover pregnancy, wedding anniversaries, the onset of menstruation and retirement. Jewish women are creating new rituals marking life stages not traditionally recognized, and many have also revived Jewish celebrations that long ago fell into obscurity. The book's appendix gives detailed instructions on designing a ritual. It explains the ritual of circumcision, offers ceremonies for girls as well as boys, gives party-planning advice and delves into Jewish naming practices, offering a short list of names and their meanings. The book provides charts and timelines for advance planning.