Under their special hand-crocheted chuppa
(wedding canopy), Gordon and Leslie Oliva
hold a baby-naming ceremony for their
youngest child Chloe, who is being held by
her grandmother Gere Oliva of Southfield,
while grandfather Leo looks on. Gordon holds
older sister Sydney.

When Gordon Oliva's sister,
Barbara, married Norman Gross, their
wedding took place under the chup-
pa. Gordon's cousins Brian and Tracey
Brod of Royal Oak also used it when
they were married.
For daughter Sydney's naming, the
chuppa was used as a canopy.
The Olivas intend to embroider a
ribbon for each occasion, including
the date and the names of the partici-
pants, and then weave each ribbon
into the chuppa.
They look forward to seeing their
chuppa used for many more happy
occasions through the years.
"I hope we pioneered a new tradi-
tion," Gordon Oliva said.

Ronelle Grier is a freelance writer
from West Bloomfield.

A baby boy is traditionally named at his brit mila (circumsion).
No Jewish laws govern the naming of a newborn girl.
The first opportunity for naming a daughter is usually at the first Shabbat ceremo-
ny following her birth, or at any service where the Torah is read, which includes the
morning service on a Monday, Thursday or Rosh Chodesh (first day of the new
month). The latter is a festival traditionally associated with women.
When a baby girl is named during services, the father is honored with an all:ya (call
to the Torah), and the names of the newborn, her father and her mother are men-
tioned in the blessing that is recited.
Because the naming of a baby girl follows custom rather than prescribed law, there
is room for creativity and individuality on the part of the parents.
Many Jewish parents now host a baby-naming ritual for their newborn daughters
comparable to the brit ceremony held for their sons, right down to the heaping plat-
ters of bagels and lox for guests attending either life-cycle event.

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