Yes!

According to Rabbi Greg, most of the time the answer is yes. If the child is raised in a Jewish home, or helped to develop a Jewish identity they are Jewish.

Different denominations and different Rabbis will give you different answers. To the Orthodox, if the mother is Jewish, the child is Jewish, even if Judaism isn’t practiced at home. To the Reform Movement, if the father is Jewish and not the mother, the child is Jewish if they are raised Jewish.

The bigger question is how do you want to raise your family? It is important for your family that the parents have an open discussion on the topic and work together to find a solution. I’m happy to help.

No. While some Rabbis claim that it is, the evidence in Jewish law supporting this point of view is not very strong.

Sadly, some Jewish communities are not supportive of families who choose not to circumcise. This is a private medical and spiritual decision.

I am not going to take a position on whether or not you should circumcise your baby boys. I’ll share what I know.

While I cannot offer medical advice, I have no judgement from a Jewish perspective. I can talk with you about what Jewish law has to say, and some of the practical implications one way or another.

The baby welcoming ceremony can be anywhere. I reside in the Bay Area, and officiate Jewish baby naming ceremonies in San Francisco, the Peninsula, the East Bay, North Bay, Half Moon Bay and the South Bay. This includes the cities of Palo Alto, San Mateo, Los Altos, Mountain View, Oakland, Berkeley Fremont, Alameda and Redwood City.

The traditional time for a Brit Milah, a circumcision ceremony, is on the 8^th day after birth. A baby welcoming ceremony generally takes place sometime before the first birthday.

Ashkenazi (European) tradition is to name the baby after someone who is no longer living.

In the Sephardic and Mizrahi traditions not only can you name a Jewish baby after someone who is living, there are specific customs about which person the baby is named after depending on birth order and gender.

In the United States, many Jewish families give a separate Hebrew name in addition to the English names.