Cantor Sherman’s List of Helpful Suggestions:
- 1. If your baby has been born, call me immediately
at 1- 917-448-BRIS (2747) and leave a voice message.
- A bris takes place on the eighth day. The day of birth counts as the first
day so if the baby is born on a Monday, the bris will be the following Monday.
If the baby is born Monday after sunset (not midnight), the bris will be
the following Tuesday. Speak to me first to confirm the proper day of the
bris before notifying your guests — there are exceptions to the eighth day
rule.
- A minyan (quorum of ten) is preferred, not required.
- The baby does not go on the table.
- The food is served after the ceremony.
- The entire ceremony lasts about ten minutes; the actual bris takes under
thirty seconds and should never take any longer than that.
- Don't inform the honorees of their roles in the bris until right before
the ceremony in case someone doesn't show up and you have to rearrange the
honors.
- The English and Hebrew names do not have to correspond to each other.
Also, I strongly suggest that you keep the baby's names a secret until it
is announced at the bris.
- The best person with whom to speak to help you figure out the Hebrew/Jewish
name for your child is the mohel — no one else!
- Once you make a commitment to me and confirm the day and time for the
bris, please do not cancel.
- A bris is not a circumcision. A circumcision is a medical procedure; a
bris is a beautiful, religious ceremony.
- Use a traditional, properly trained, religiously observant, non-medical
mohel to do your son's bris.
- Photography and videotaping is not permitted on Sabbaths, Jewish holidays
and when the baby's diaper is off. Don't forget to charge the camcorder battery.
- A bris is a simcha and a mitzvah.