May the Jew-by-choice replace Avraham and Sarah with the names of his or her actual parents, even though they remain non-Jews? verb לַהֲפוֹך. 50 Hebrew Baby Names Learn the meaning and origins of popular Hebrew baby names. Others have become part of the canon of Jewish names much more recently with the rebirth of the State of Israel-- names like Noam, Ari, Shira, and Maayan. Since the use of Hebrew names includes mention of the parents' Hebrew names, and the convert has no Jewish parents, it is common to add "ben Avraham Avinu," or son of Abraham, our Father. Hebrew names are some of the oldest in existence dating back to the Israelites. [7] A proselyte may therefore lead the worship service and recite any portion of the liturgy that speaks of “our ancestors,” because those are his or her ancestors as well. The sages say that one of the virtues of the Jews in their exile in Egypt was that they did not alter their names. If any of the numbers are links, you can hear a recording by clicking on them. The "ch" sound does not exist in Finnish. AALIYAH (עלִיָּה): Variant spelling of Hebrew Aliya, meaning "to ascend, to go up." Pronunced: TORE-uh, Origin: Hebrew, the Five Books of Moses. The Mishnah answers “no”: the ger may not recite the vidu’i because, as his ancestors were not Jewish and did not inherit the land of Israel, he cannot truthfully give thanks for “the land that God swore to our ancestors to give to us (Deut. Central Conference of American Rabbis Hebrew names are infused with meaning, open to beautiful illustration in Jewish paper cut art. Pronounced: AHVR-rah-ham, Origin: Hebrew, Abraham in the Torah, considered the first Jew. The Yerushalmi itself goes out of its way to reject the position enunciated in the Mishnah, citing a teaching by R. Yehoshua b. Levi that the, Resp. Lead her in the way of Your mitzvot [commandments]. A female convert named Miriam would be referred to as “Miriam bat Sarah Imenu” (“Miriam, the daughter of our mother, Sarah”). Conclusion. You can discover options for your Hebrew name on Kveller‘s Jewish name bank. If so, should we find Hebrew equivalents for her parents’ names? When a person chooses to become a Jew, he or she receives the name ben/bat Avraham avinu ve-Sarah imeinu, signifying the he or she is one of us and at one with us, a full partner in the community of Israel and its covenant with God. How disappointing, then, that for the person mentioned in our she’elah the name has become a cause of discomfort. It is true that the Torah warns us not to oppress the ger (Lev. Wendy Rose Gould. Reform Judaism BTW By. Updated on December 20, 2020 . It is true that the proselyte is obligated to render honor to his or her parents as an expression of love and of gratitude for all they have done to raise, care for, and educate their child. (Rabbi Gerald Raiskin, Burlingame, CA), Teshuvah One could respond, of course, that shame is in the eye of the beholder, that this Jew-by-choice would feel a sense of embarrassment when her Jewish name is read in synagogue, and that she is therefore entitled to alter that name. Girls. Blau, no. I knew that when I found the right name, it would click. Still other rabbis hold that all converts should be named Abraham or Sarah, the very names they were given when they “converted” to the service to God. When praying for someones health, it is their Hebrew … Onkelos, Hebrew scholar and translator, from ancient Roman religion; From Samaritanism. According to our tradition, therefore, the name ben/bat Avraham ve-Sarah is a powerful symbol of inclusion, of the proselyte’s full and equal membership in the covenant of Israel. I understand that the Hebrew equivalent is Micha. What is not the choice of converts is the identity of the parents. For example, Leah named her fourth son Judah (in Hebrew, Yehudah). [3] R. Asher tells us that the ger (convert) is called “the son of Abraham” because Abraham is called “the father of many nations” (Gen. 17:4-5). Hebrew names for "Thomas" Note: English names which are not derived from Hebrew names are normally represented by Hebrew names with similar underlying meanings. Of course if you're a convert, then you get to pick your minhag I suppose, so.. If needed, please consult Abbreviations used in CCAR Responsa. If so, the proper response is again a pastoral one. Oh, and you’re not the only one searching for them and their meaning, either. It is an important statement of our religious belief, of our understanding of the meaning of conversion and of the Jewish experience. All subsequent generations refer to their own father’s Jewish name, without the convert appellation. Rather the name reveals its essential characteristic. Sometimes the word ha’ger, “the convert,” is appended to the name. Just click on the links below for all English names … Adira: Adira means "mighty, strong." There must be a formal designation of the conversion that is plainly evident. Hebrew names have varying significance to different groups. Hebrew Translation. 19:33) and that the tradition understands this oppression as ona’at devarim, verbal embarrassment: that is, we must not scorn the proselyte by mentioning his or her Gentile origins. Open her heart to Your teachings. Converts have always selected Hebrew names that speak to them personally; Ruth has long been a favorite for obvious reasons. Still other rabbis hold that all converts should be named Abraham or Sarah, the very names they were given when they “converted” to the service to God. *That is converts with no Jewish ancestry. Alternately, her embarrassment may be rooted in external factors; perhaps the community has not been as welcoming and as accepting of her as it could and should be. A change of name for the convert, following that logic, signals the embracing of a new philosophy, a new identification, a purposeful, mindful statement of intent for the long future. telephone numbers), the feminine form is used. Boys. She objects to this name for two reasons. 355 Lexington Avenue verb לְהַמִיר. I don't know if it is in fact normative for converts today to change their names. Design possibilities are endless. Sold Out. Cardinal and ordinal numbers must agree in gender with the noun they are describing. The Old Hebrew and Old Greek languages had no special numbers. Hadassah (Hebrew for Esther) (Reference is generally made to the father–except in illness or in danger, when compassion needs to be elicited and the person is referred to as being the child of the mother.). All Rights Reserved. Hebrew names come up when you’re called up to read the Torah, when you need a prayer for healing, when you sign your marriage ketubah, and when you’re memorialized when you die. Copyright © 2002-2021 My Jewish Learning. Some male converts choose the Hebrew name Avraham as their new Hebrew first name and some female candidates choose Sarah or Ruth. Thu, 1 April 2021 = 19th of Nisan, 5781 There is no clearly defined list of all Hebrew names and the collection is ever growing-- so you have a lot of flexibility to pick a name … I can't believe this question hasn't occurred to me before and now that is has I'm curious to know how all the different denominations deal with this. Notwithstanding that in proper names the Hebrew letters 0, V), and tD are interchanged, the Hebrew word for snake is written with a 0, and the name Pinhas is written with a 0. Another option that was already mention by /u/ShalomRPh would be to pick the name of a Jewish family member. 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