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Home > Programs > Life Cycle

Life Cycle

Life Cycle support from DC Minyan

If you know of someone who is new in town, just had a baby, is suffering from an illness, or in any way could use some extra community support, please email mitzvah@dcminyan.org so that we can alert DC Minyan’s “Mitzvah Volunteer List” and include a listing on our Support Fellow Members page. You can also email mitzvah@dcminyan.org to sign up to be on the Mitzvah Volunteer List and receive occasional emails informing you of opportunities to help community members in need. Please also see the Bereavement page for more about how we can help those in the community experiencing a loss.

Celebrating with DC Minyan

We are pleased to celebrate lifecycle events with our members.

Announcing a Simcha

If you would like to announce the simcha of a DC Minyan member (including your own simcha!) in the weekly DC Minyan announcements, please email the Secretary at info@dcminyan.org.

Having an Aliyah

If you would like to have an aliyah in honor of a special event, email the Gabbai Committee at gabbai@dcminyan.org.

Bentching Gomel

Birkat HaGomel is a prayer recited during Torah reading by one who has recently survived a dangerous situation, including childbirth or a surgery. If you would like to bentch gomel, please email the Gabbai Committee at gabbai@dcminyan.org or approach one of the gabbais at the start of services on Shabbat morning and we will try to accommodate you. The gabbais can also provide transliteration and/or assist you in saying the prayer.

Having an Aufruf

Members of DC Minyan are welcome to celebrate an aufruf at DC Minyan. If you would like to celebrate your upcoming wedding with an aufruf at DC Minyan, please email the Gabbai Committee at gabbai@dcminyan.org. The aufruf typically will include aliyot and a misheberach (special blessing) for the couple. You and/or your relatives and friends may also want to read torah, read haftarah, have an aliyah, give a dvar torah, or lead services. You can discuss all of these options with the gabbais. If you would like to sponsor kiddush in honor of your aufruf, please email the Kiddush Coordinator at kiddush@dcminyan.org. We can provide candy to shower the couple after the misheberach, so please let the gabbais know if you plan to bring your own or will rely on DC Minyan to do so.

To help in planning, you can review DC Minyan's aufruf guide here.

Sponsoring Kiddush

If you would like to sponsor kiddush in honor of a special event (such as an aufruf, birthday, anniversary, yartzeit, or professional achievement), email the Kiddush Coordinator at kiddush@dcminyan.org.

Naming/Blessing a New Baby

If you would like to name a new baby at DC Minyan, email the Gabbai Committee at gabbai@dcminyan.org. You can also request to have a special blessing (misheberach) for the new parents, without naming the baby in synagogue.

Bar/Bat Mitzvahs

If you are a DC Minyan member and are interested in having a Bar or Bat Mitzvah at DC Minyan, email the Simcha Coordinator at simcha@dcminyan.org.

Further reading about Life Cycle events

We hope these documents help you think about and plan for events that arise. If you have any comments on or suggestions for additions to this material, please email lifecycle@dcminyan.org.

Fri, November 28 2025 8 Kislev 5786