Life Cycle Events

"Know from where you have come and where you are going and before whom you will give an account". (Mishna, Avot, 3:1).

Each of us exists in this earthly incarnation for a brief, finite moment between birth and death; each of us seeks meaning and purpose in the life we are given. The way Judaism marks major transition moments in life highlights that meaning, for each of us as individuals and also for our families and community.

Emanuel is about the ways we can care for each other in community through these major events. For example, we can all sing and dance, sharing the joy of bride and groom, or celebrating the birth of a child. Also, when we read the prayer for healing in synagogue, we learn who needs a visit or other source of support. We hear the mourner recite kaddish and know who we must comfort. In essence, our passage through life gains meaning through our connections with others at their and our most significant transitions.