HEBREW NAME FOR A CHILD WITH ONE JEWISH PARENT

Question: What parental names should be used at the berit, naming, or later Jewish life-cycle events for an individual who has one Jewish parent and one non-Jewish parent and is to be raised as a Jew? (Rabbi Constance Abramson Memphis, TN)

Answer: On initial reflection we might turn for guidance to the analogy of the asufi and shetuki—foundlings whose parents are unknown or whose father is unknown. A family of an asufi or shetuki would use only his/her own name, and no name of a father would be used in any document which he/she might be called upon to issue Aruch, Even ha-Ezer 129.9; Solomon ben Adret, Responsa). This has been generally followed, but it would also be appropriate procedure to use the name of the maternal grandfather (Isserles to Shut- chan Aruch, Orach Chayim 139.3). If the name of that grandfather is not known, then the individual could simply be called ben Av- raha—as we are all children of Abraham (Isserles to Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 139.3). Peri Megadim asserted that we are careful to call such a boy the son of Abraham, our father, but not the son of Abraham the proselyte.

These citations are, however, not helpful as they take it for granted that the father is missing or unknown, and that he is presumed to be Jewish. In our instance, it is clear that the father or mother is not Jewish.

Let us look at the possibility of using only the mother’s name. This practice is sometimes followed in the sheberach of the Torah service recited for someone who is sick. This was based by the Zohar on Psalms 86:16, and on the notion that God would have mercy (rachamim) upon a child because he/she had come from the mother’s womb (rechem) (see Otsar Dinim uMinhagim, “Mi Shebarach.” I am indebted to my colleague, Louis A. Rieser, for this reference.)

This presents a precedent for using a Jewish mother’s name alone, although it comes from a crisis situation rather than the normal course of events.

We, therefore, need to augment this solution. The most appro- priate path would be to utilize only the name of the Jewish parent. It would be wrong to assign a Hebrew name to the non-Jewish parent; that would further blur the lines of identity. Of course, if the non- Jewish partner converts, then a Hebrew name can be inserted into any existing document.

It would, therefore, be appropriate that the name of the Jewish partner be used, and that name alone.

Walter Jacob, Chairman CCAR Responsa Committee

CCAR RESPONSA

New American Reform Responsa

119. Name Change of an Adopted Child After the Berit

QUESTION: A baby boy has been circumcised in the traditional manner and was given a name on that occasion. Now this child is to enter a new family, through adoption, and they wish to give the child a different name. Is this possible? What needs to be done in order to effect such a change, if it is possible? (Deborah Rosenthal, Salt Lake City UT)

ANSWER: The general problems of changing a Hebrew name and presumably in this case the common name has been addressed in a previous responsum “Changing a Hebrew Name” (W. Jacob Contemporary American Reform Responsa #33). We should begin by remembering that on several occasions God, himself, changed the name of Biblical figures (Gen 17.5, 32.29, 35.10) while other Biblical persons had their names changed for various reasons. In the Middle Ages names were changed principally in periods of serious illness in order to confuse the Angel of Death (Sefer Hassidim #363; Sefer Toldot Adam Vehavah I 28; Bet Yosef to Tur Orah Hayim 129). Furthermore, when a foster parent raised an orphan, which unfortunately occurred frequently in earlier periods of our history, often the name of the father who raised the child was added to the child’s name followed by the Hebrew word hamgadlo (Midrash Rabbah Shemot 46-end; Isserles to Shulhan Arukh Even Haezer 129.10). Here, we are not only concerned with identifying the new family, but also giving an identity to the child.

The child in this instance is a baby, has no memory of a former name and the process of adoption once formalized cuts all previous ties with his original natural parents. There would, therefore, be no reason to retain the original name nor would that be desirable. Furthermore, there would be no obstacle as in the case with adults whose names may appear on various legal documents (marriage, divorce, etc).

After the adoption is finalized and the given name has been changed in accordance with the laws of the state or province in which the family lives, then the child should be named in the synagogue and an appropriate certificate of naming should be issued. The previous name may then be ignored just as the previous common name. Such a ceremony would provide an opportunity for the parents to celebrate the adoption and to make the child formally part of their family.

August 1987

If needed, please consult Abbreviations used in CCAR Responsa.