Anita Diamant is the author of six books about Jewish life, includingiThe New Jewish Wedding, Living a Jewish Life,/iandiSaying Kaddish./iShe is also the author of three novels, includingiThe Red Tent./iShe lives in Newton, Massachusetts.brbrKaren Kushner is the director of Project Welcome, a San Francisco outreach initiative welcoming interfaith families, unaffiliated Jews, and spiritual seekers into synagogues. The co-author of four children’s books, includingiBecause Nothing Looks Like God,/ishe lives in San Francisco.From Chapter 1brbrbValuesbrand Goals/bbrbrJewish parents celebrate the birth of children with delight, with food, and with an ancient promise calledibrit/i–covenant. Brit is the way Jews conceive of their relationship with God: it is a contract renewed in every generation when parents gather family, friends, and community to say, “This child is now part of the Jewish people.”brbrThis covenant is “sealed” with rituals and celebrations (explained in Chapter 6). But the ceremonies are only the beginning of this “bargain.” At virtually everyibrit milah/i(covenant of circumcision) oribrit bat/i(covenant for a daughter), parents and friends recite a prayerwishpromise that constitutes the “fine print” of theibrit/i:brAs heshe has been brought into the covenant, so may heshe enter into Torah,ihuppah/i the wedding canopy] andima’asim tovim/i
