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Jewish community in Grodno to perform first public upsherin

The Jewish community in Grodno is going to perform the first public upsherin (first haircut) on 22 August, BelTA learnt from Grodno rabbi Itskhak Kofman. As a Jewish tradition puts it, the first haircut is made on a boy who turns three. This haircutting ceremony is known as “upsherin” in Yiddish and “halaqah” in Jerusalem. The ceremony is usually attended by relatives and friends who snip off a lock of boy’s hair. Upsherin marks a male child’s entry into the formal educational system and the commencement of Torah study. A tallith will now be worn, and the child will be taught to pray and read the Hebrew alphabet. The haircutting ceremony will be held following all ancient traditions and will become a remarkable event for the child’s parents and the Jewish community of the town, the rabbi said. The Jewish community in Grodno makes part of the Union of the Jewish Communities in Belarus and the Federation of the CIS Jewish Communities. The Grodno community has been working hard to revive the Jewish lifestyle, organizing Jewish social, cultural and religious events. Over 500 Jews live in the oblast center.