Dear Parent (s):
The link at the bottom of this page will take you to the Aliyah form. Aliyah means to be called up to the Torah for the honor of reciting or chanting the blessings over the Torah. The form needs to be filled out and submitted at least one day in advance of the final rehearsal.
There are some things that you need to know in order to complete this sheet. First, anyone can be called for an aliyah to the Torah at Temple Isaiah so long as they are Jewish and have reached the age of 13 (a non-Jewish parent or grandparent can accompany the Jewish parent or grandparent when called up to do the blessing.) You may have two people recite the blessing at the same time, or, if circumstances genuinely demand it, three (in general, it is often best if one does it, but if you want more people to do the blessing, you may). Your son or daughter will be invited to have the honor of the third aliyah.
In addition to the aliyah to the Torah, family members may be honored by inviting them to open and close the ark doors both when the Torah is taken out and when it is returned to the ark. Each family may designate two people who may be called for this honor at each of those two times, for a total of four different people. Upon request, it may also be possible to invite one person to lift the Torah (Hagbah) and/or one person to dress the Torah (G’lilah). If interested, please discuss this with the rabbi.
The question is often asked, who should have an aliyah? Our response is that this decision is entirely yours, and might best focus on the generational or longitudinal family, meaning parents of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah, grandparents, and siblings of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah over the age of 13 (siblings under 13 may close the ark doors).
To complete this sheet, you will need to know your son or daughter’s Hebrew name and your Hebrew first name (i.e., the first name in Hebrew of the parent(s) of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah. If one of the parents is not Jewish, just use the Hebrew name of the Jewish parent.)
For each aliyah, you will need to have the Hebrew name of the person being called up, and the Hebrew name (first) of that person’s mother and father. For example, let us suppose that you decide to have your son’s grandmother do one of the blessings. Her Hebrew name is Chaya. You will need to find out what her mother’s and father’s Hebrew name is. Let us suppose it was Avraham (her father) and Sarah (her mother). Her Hebrew name, therefore, is Chaya bat (meaning daughter) Avraham v’Sarah.
Please fill out the sheet in English by transliterating the Hebrew to the best of your ability. Just write it in English as it sounds in Hebrew, and please, do not hesitate to contact one of the rabbis or the cantor for assistance. Also, space is provided for those who intend to have more than one person chant or recite the blessing. If this is the case, these individuals must practice together.
When you have completed the form, click the SUBMIT button. Your information will be automatically forwarded to the rabbis. Please note that there is no facility for saving a partially-completed form, so please gather all the required information in advance.