Carolina's Simchat Bat (Baby Naming)

לביאה

Carolina, your Hebrew name, Livia bat Atalia, literally translates to 'Lioness' daughter of 'God is Great.' Lions are ferocious, courageous, and strong. We find your name in the Torah in the book of Ezekiel, chapter 19, verse 2.

What does this verse mean?

Your mother was a standout woman in a sea of men. Surrounded by great beasts, she raised her children. This mother of Israel nurtured in a fierce, feminine way, unnoticed by the boring men around her, but celebrated in our Torah.

You, Livia bat Atalia, are already a fierce girl at only one year old. When you grow up, whether or not you identify as a woman, you have been blessed with the feminine qualities of this strong mother lion. As you grow, may you nurture with strength and show the silly lions around you who's boss.

עתליה

Your mother's Hebrew name, Atalia, is a part of your own. Your mom was the only child in her family to have a bat mitzvah ceremony and she chose this name, which means, God is Great, for herself, when she was just a few years older than you are now. Through your mom, you are a part of this covenant. I hope that you grow to choose Judaism just like your mom did.

Today, with this ceremony, you are joining God's covenant. In our family, the relationship to covenant and Judaism takes on many forms. One of the special parts of being in the Galin family is that we come from a long line of people supporting family members who do Judaism differently from one another. In your hands you have the scrolls of Torah that were in the set of tefillin that your great-great-grandfather, Leon, gave to your great-uncle, Scott, when he became a bar mitvah, a Jewish adult. I don't know much about Leon, but from conversations with his daughter and your great-grandmother, Glenda, from whom you get your English middle name, I know that he was not the kind of Jew that believed that God commanded him to wear tefillin every day. And yet, he was happy and proud to contribute to my father's Jewish life, even though it looked different from his own.

From your parents, you will gain wisdom and values. You will speak multiple languages and celebrate all sorts of holidays. You will grow up in a family full of love- a family that spans multiple countries and states, that connects with you virtually and in person, that will feed you endlessly.

Luis

Your father, Luis, will now share a few words about your grandfather, Luis, for whom you are named with the name Livia.

Welcoming Livia into the Covenant: A Ritual

Judaism is not a religion you can do by yourself. For most of our rituals, we need at least ten Jewish adults to be present and participating. As you enter this covenant, I will wrap us both in this tallit to symbolize the strength and love of the Jewish people.

Closing Blessings

Emma and Luis will now bless Livia with the traditional blessing for children, repeating each phrase after Rebecca.