My boyfriend is Jewish, and his mom tell him to don't have a baby shower. Is this true?
2007-12-21 04:43:12 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
no question
2019-02-17 23:38:41 · update #1
In more liberal Jewish circles that attitudes are more relaxed it sounds like BF's mother isn't liberal.
In Jewish tradition, baby showers were taboo. Gifts for an unborn child are not forbidden by Halakha, or Jewish law, but custom effectively prohibits them.
Such gifts once were thought to draw the attention of dark spirits, marking the child for disaster. To this day, many Orthodox Jews will not so much as utter the name of a baby until that baby is born, for fear of inviting the evil eye.
2007-12-21 04:51:26 · answer #1 · answered by JS 7 · 7⤊ 0⤋
Well it depends on what "kind" of Jew. There are varying branches of Judaism just like there are Christianity. You certainly wouldn't expect a Catholic, Protestant and a Mormon to share the same beliefs. It is my understanding that it is a taboo against baby showers (like a superstition) not a part of the religion per se. However it isn't necessarily wise to try to go against family tradition.
However most Jewish babies will have a naming ceremony. You are probably familiar with the Bris(Brit Milah) during which male infants are circumcised. However circumcision is not, nor has it ever been universal among Jews. However girl infants also traditionally have a naming ceremony(Brit Bat?) and this, or other adapted ceremonies(Brit Shalom) are becoming more popular for boy infants as circumcision falls from favour.
Baby Showers and Jewish Custom:
http://www.jewfaq.org/birth.htm
http://www.jewishsf.com/content/2-0-/module/displaystory/story_id/20261/edition_id/413/format/html/displaystory.html
Circumcision
http://www.jewishcircumcision.org/
http://www.jewsagainstcircumcision.org/
http://www.notjustskin.org/en/religiousresources.html
Good Luck
(PS my mom caused a huge problem when she gave me my great-aunt's name for a middle name. My great aunt was not deceased and that is also a taboo. Much as I like my middle name it probably wasn't worth the trouble it caused and my father's side of the family isn't even very religious)
2007-12-21 05:54:37 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
This Site Might Help You.
RE:
Does anyone know if Jews do baby showers?
My boyfriend is Jewish, and his mom tell him to don't have a baby shower. Is this true?
2015-08-10 03:39:04 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The more observant among us have them after the birth- when baby is born, healthy and home. celebrating a life still unknown and not here is a bit like 'asking for trouble'. Once the baby is born and healthy, celebrate away!
We are a superstitious lot! And JS is right about something else, we do NOT 'name' our children before birth. We didn't even say any of our childrens name's until they were officially 'named' in the temple after several days of life (the shabbat following birth for girls, the eighth day for boys. Our last daughter we waited unitl the following new moon. Nobody- not even our other children and our parents- knew her name until then. It was several weeks.)
2007-12-21 05:09:20 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
From what I have understood they do not have any particle relating to the baby brought into the home before the baby is born and comes home. To bring a baby item into the home before birth and teh healty baby is kinda like jinxing it. They might have abby showers and leave all teh goods at a friends house until teh arrival or wait until after the arrival altogether to have teh showers!
2007-12-21 04:48:21 · answer #5 · answered by Mellisa J 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Perhaps she would rather see you two have a wedding shower and get married before a baby and baby shower.
2007-12-21 04:51:21 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 1⤋
The Jewish people I know enjoy having and going to baby showers. I guess it depends on if they are Orthodox or not.
2007-12-21 04:46:33 · answer #7 · answered by MamaSmurf 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I've attended 4 or 5 baby showers with Jewish moms including one who was Orthodox. Don't see the problem. What is his mother's problem is the real question.
2007-12-21 04:48:23 · answer #8 · answered by CarbonDated 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Yes a baby shower is fine, traditionally the couple just can't get the presents until after the baby is born. (They are just being suspicious).
2007-12-21 05:15:12 · answer #9 · answered by Kristy Lynn 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I'm Jewish and we *definitely* have baby showers.
2007-12-21 04:50:48 · answer #10 · answered by Mark S, JPAA 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋