JEWISH LIFE
LET ETZ CHAYIM BE THERE FOR YOU.
A Meaningful Jewish Life rests on a foundation of community & rituals that support us in our every day life and life's sacred moments.
As your synagogue community we want you to feel at ease, supported, cared for and spiritually satisfied. This is our promise to everyone who engages with Etz Chayim for anyone of the life cycle events you choose to have with us. Our clergy are available to provide guidance for every occasion and need.
If you know of someone who needs to speak with a member of our clergy, or if you want to add a name to the Mi Sheberach list/prayer for healing, please contact our office at 204-589-6305 info@etzchayim.ca and you will be connected.
PLANNING FOR THE BIRTH OF YOUR BABY
For questions about preparing for the arrival of your new baby, and specifically about how to welcome your little one into the Jewish community, please feel free to contact our clergy. Both Cantor Tracy and Cantor Kevin would be happy to speak to you about all of the possibilities for naming and welcoming your child into a meaningful Jewish life.
THE BIRTH OF A BABY BOY
A Brit Milah is the ritual which marks the covenant of entrance into the Jewish community for a baby boy. A circumcision, a religious obligation is performed on a male child.
According to our tradition the brit milah takes place on the eighth day of a healthy baby's life. The only times it may be postponed is in a situation of an illness.
There are many ways to go about organizing this sacred ritual and therefore you are encouraged to speak to the our clergy about an upcoming ceremony. We can put you in touch with a credible Mohel, the professional (or in some cases a physician) who performs the circumcision.
THE BIRTH OF A BABY GIRL
There are a plethora of ways to have a Brit Ha'Bat, covenant ceremony for a baby girl. There are various traditions as to when this must occur. Unlike the ritual for a baby boy you are not required to have this ceremony on the eighth day after birth.
There are personalized and creative ceremonies that can be held in someone’s home (or at the synagogue) with the support of the Rabbi or Cantor. In addition, there is also an opportunity to publicly announce the baby girl’s name on the Bimah during one of the days the Torah is read at the synagogue.
Whether you are having a boy or girl each one of these Brit or covenant ceremonies is accompanied by a s'eudat mitzvah, or celebratory meal.
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B'NAI MITZVAHS
The journey to become a Bar, Bat, or B'nai Mitzvah is an exciting learning experience for the whole family.
Congregation Etz Chayim has created a unique program intended to teach all of our children the synagogue skills necessary for them to feel comfortable while actively participating in synagogue services and Jewish life, as they become a B'nai Mitzvah and beyond. The B'nai Mitzvah program is designed as a two-year learning opportunity. For most children it will begin in Grade 6. Over the course of these two years, your child will attend weekly group classes where they will learn the skills necessary to read from the Torah, chant the haftarah, and lead services.
You can expect Congregation Etz Chayim to provide lessons, meetings with the clergy, and other support from our Life Cycle Events Coordinator, administrative team, caterer, and service team. You will experience a warm and supportive welcome from the regular congregants and Etz Chayim community when you celebrate with us at Shabbat morning services.
JEWISH WEDDINGS
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Mazel Tov on your upcoming wedding!
A wedding is a time for personal joy and celebration. Having a Jewish wedding involves a conscious choice on your part to link you & your Jewish partner to the Jewish people and God.
The clergy of Congregation Etz Chayim would love to be involved in this special and sacred time in your lives.
Did you know that our clergy officiate at the wedding of two Jewish partners regardless of gender and/or sexual orientation?
Central to the Jewish wedding experience is the start of creating a new Jewish home.
A Jewish wedding ceremony serves as a way for the couple and those they love to experience an intimate moment with a plethora of spiritual dimensions of meaning to a most significant personal event. In a very public way you are declaring your devotion to one another in the presence of your family, friends and God.
Our hope is that that you will contact a member of our clergy team if you are planning a wedding. Additionally, we encourage you to contact Cantor Tracy directly about pre-marital counseling process. Not only does this help set a foundation for an emotionally balanced relationship, it also serves to set up religious as well as spiritual standards that will be implemented into the home you are building. Furthermore, by meeting with members of our clergy a deeper relationship is achieved between the wedding couple and the person officiating at your simcha. Ask anyone who has attended a wedding where Cantor Tracy or Cantor Kevin have officiated, this personal connection elevates this sacred ritual enormously.
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FUNERAL PLANNING & BEREAVEMENT
ROSH PINA MEMORIAL PARK
HEBREW SICK BENEFIT CEMETERY
B'NAY ABRAHAM CEMETERY
The death of a loved one is a very disorienting time, and isn’t something many people think about until it’s actually happening to them. Understanding some of the traditions and the structured periods of mourning that Judaism offers may help provide some support in the grieving process.
Congregation Etz Chayim is humbled to provide funeral services at the synagogue, graveside at each of our three cemeteries, or at the Chesed Shel Emes community funeral chapel.
As stewards of our three cemeteries - The Hebrew Sick Benefit Cemetery, Rosh Pina Memorial Park, and B'nay Abraham Cemetery - we will be with you every step of the way from the planning to completion of each service. It is a privilege to ensure that our cemeteries and the preparations for each service are handled with care. Our clergy are present every step of the way and always welcome the opportunity to collaborate with outside clergy and create a meaningful service that best reflects the life that was.
To plan a funeral or for more information, please contact our
Funeral Coordinator, Margo Carr.
204.589.6305 ext. 103 or mcarr@etzchayim.ca
Prearranged Funeral Packages are available for purchase. Please contact our Funeral Coordinator, Margo Carr, to arrange for a meeting to discuss your options.
To request support in the form of a call or meeting with our clergy, click here for their bios and direct contact inforamtion. Thank you.
EXPLORING JUDAISM
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
Discover Jewish Life & Learning in a whole new way with our experienced clergy. Everyone is welcome!
Etz Chayim is proud to provide many opportunities for those curious about Judaism, interested in further exploring their own Judaism, or interested in conversion to Judaism.
Every Fall we offer a weekly class for those interested in pursuing the journey towards Judaism. It is an opportunity to explore Judaism. This course is open to those wanting to convert, however, it is only one component of the conversion process. The course is also open to anyone interested in learning more about the basic fundamentals of Judaism whether you are Jewish or not.
NEXT REGISTRATION DATE AND DETAILS COMING SOON!
For additional resources, visit exploringjudaism.org or enjoy the following article from USCJ: https://uscj.org/spotlight-on-exploring-judaism/