Life Cycles Overview

Welcome to our Life Cycle Services section. We hope we can inform and be of service to you whether you are an Oraynu member or not.

Since time immemorial, throughout the world, and across all cultures and faiths, we have marked the passages of human life, from birth to death, by celebrating life cycle events. The rituals, symbols and ceremonies of life cycle events have evolved with our changing ideas, beliefs and needs.

Humanistic Jewish Life Cycle Ceremonies

In our ceremonies, we incorporate meaningful traditions and values from our rich Jewish heritage, and from other cultures. In creating our custom ceremonies we adopt or adapt existing ones to ensure that all ceremonies are egalitarian and do not include theistic language or worship. They are respectful and inclusive and serve the needs of Jewish and intercultural/interfaith couples and families, as well as the LGBTQ2S+ communities.

The more common life cycle events are baby namings, bar/bat/bnai mitzvot, weddings, funerals and conversions, but our Rabbis and Madrikhim can also help you mark and celebrate other meaningful life events. Our Rabbis also provide guidance and counselling for your Jewish and spiritual needs.  As a full service congregation we also offer burial and cremation plots at our cemetery.

Some purposes of Humanistic Jewish life cycle ceremonies are:

• enable individuals to feel important, valued and connected to family and community.
• validate and mark the individual’s growth and their meeting of life goals.
• support individuals or families in times of need, sorrow or joy
• reinforce Jewish identity, values and continuity

Our Rabbis/Officiants

Personal, poetic and meaningful ceremonies are created and officiated or co-officiated by our Rabbis and Madrikhim (contact Life Cycle Director Rabbi Eva Goldfinger) who are also licensed to officiate marriages/weddings in Ontario. Oraynu’s officiants will perform ceremonies in and outside the Greater Toronto Area or travel to the destination of your choice—national or international.

Contact Us

For more information please contact the Oraynu office by email or by calling 416-385-3910.