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Starting a Family

A happy family of three smiling at the camera, with a child in the center between two adults.
In contemporary homes, starting a family is often a deliberate choice. The experience of pregnancy, the drama of giving birth, and the miracle of adoption are occasions for joy and wonder. These are also experiences that can be fraught with pain and struggle, reflecting the full spectrum of life and death. We offer prayers for those who are trying to conceive, prayers for pregnancy and childbirth, rituals for parents preparing to adopt, mourning ceremonies for miscarriages, blessings for those struggling with infertility, rituals to prepare for or acknowledge an abortion, and much more. 

Latest Rituals

“Help me love you in faith, not grief”

Silhouetted woman covers her face with hands against a dramatic, cloudy sky in black and white.

“becoming a parent is a significant lifecycle event and merits its own ritual”

A woman holding and kissing a baby indoors on a couch.

“May you never feel alone for you will always have each other”

Two children walk arm in arm down a leaf-strewn forest path in black and white.

“We wrote this ritual to mark the adoption of our son, who was weeks away from his 18th birthday at the time”

A family of three smiling together outdoors, with hills visible in the background.
“Blessed are You, Divine Presence, Healer of All Flesh and Maker of Miracles”
A woman sits outdoors with her hands together, appearing thoughtful or contemplative, surrounded by fallen leaves.

A prayer about infertility invoking the biblical Hannah

Person sitting by a window with closed eyes, hands clasped, and a book on the table.
A woman kisses a baby on the cheek while holding them in her arms, sitting on a couch indoors.

The Reconstructionist Network

Serving as central organization of the Reconstructionist movement

Training the next generation of groundbreaking rabbis

Modeling respectful conversations on pressing Jewish issues

Curating original, Jewish rituals, and convening Jewish creatives

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The Reconstructionist Network