Life Cycle Events
Jewish Tradition and Customs
They help define the most significant rites of passage in life. From birth through death, ceremonies and rituals attend to the different stages in life. Our clergy are here to work with the community to make these moments of transition and celebration filled with purpose and meaning.
The first step toward preparing for any Life Cycle ceremony is to contact Reb David at 301-770-4648 or by email at rabbidavid@amkolel.org. After you have spoken with Reb David, please follow the appropriate link below where you will be able to provide additional details and pay for the event.
Please click the Life Cycle event(s) you are interested in below to learn more.
Birth and Naming Rituals
Welcoming your child into the community is an age old tradition. Am Kolel advises families of the traditions and also the ways in which a Brit Milah (for boys) or a Simchat HaBat (for girls) can be meaningful, joyful and inclusive.
Bar/Bat Mitzvah
Am Kolel provides guidance and wonderful resources for this rite of passage. The preparation for becoming a Bar or Bat Mitzvah is a special opportunity for the family to explore Judaism and appreciate our value culture more deeply. We plan the service together, blending traditional liturgy and song with contemporary readings and music. Jewish and non-Jewish family members all can participate in this important rite.
Wedding
Am Kolel recommends officiants and provides resources for marriages. We perform intermarriage ceremonies when there is a commitment to Jewish continuity.
Conversion
Am Kolel's staff offers guidance to anyone interested in becoming Jewish. We help create a curriculum, mentors and make arrangements for a Bet Din (rabbinic court) and Mikvah (ritual immersion).
Death and Mourning
We provide pastoral counseling for individuals and families confronted with end of life decision making. Am Kolel offers officiation at funerals, memorial services, shiva minyans and unveilings. Our community owns a section of the Garden of Remembrance in Clarksburg for burials.
Am Kolel Pardes at Garden of Remembrance
For more information about acquiring a burial plot(s), please call the office (301-770-4648) and speak with our administrative assistant about arrangements.