Spinoff Aias "Ajax" Thread

amother

Teal

Thu, Apr 23 2015, 9:39 am

I voted for myself. My Jewish name is my legal name. But my parents, husband, and most of my kids have secular names that I think are mostly Latin in origin.

Ruchel

Thu, Apr 23 2015, 11:20 am

amother wrote:

just like even Rebbes years ago had a European name.

Not years ago. Today.

morningsickness

Thu, Apr 23 2015, 2:05 pm

My mom's English name was Dianne April, which I'm assuming are either Greek or Latin.

My Hebrew name is my legal name, and is a word found a lot in the tanach though not as someone's name, but as a noun. My second Hebrew name is Batya, which is Egyptian? though has meaning in Hebrew as well- Daughter of G-d.

STMommy

Thu, Apr 23 2015, 2:29 pm

My name is a word (not a name, although it is also sometimes used as a name) in Greek, still used today.

amother

Seashell

Thu, Apr 23 2015, 5:38 pm

In this week’s edition of Letter & Spirit, in honor of Pesach, we present a letter from the Rebbe in which he underlines the importance of a Jewish name, and its fundamental role in our redemption from Mitzrayim. The Rebbe implies that having a Jewish surname is of significance as well. The letter was written through the Rebbe’s trusted secretary Rabbi Nissan Mindel, and was made available by the latter’s son-in-law, Rabbi Sholom Ber Shapiro.

This weekly feature is made possible by a collaboration between CrownHeights.info and Nissan Mindel Publications. Once a week we publish a unique letter of the Rebbe that was written originally in the English language, as dictated by the Rebbe to Rabbi Mindel.

*********

By the Grace of G-d

2nd of Shevat, 5740

Brooklyn, N.Y.

Mr.

Warwick Grove

London E.5 9LT, England

Greeting and Blessing:

This is in reply to your letter in which you write that you would like to change your surname to Davidson.

As you surely know, from the viewpoint of the Shulchan Aruch, there is a special significance to the given Hebrew name, but not to the surname, which could therefore be changed if desired. Especially in your case where you wish to change it in a way that would emphasize the Jewish aspect of it. Therefore, it is quite in order and may it be in a happy and auspicious hour.

The above has a special relevance to the Sidras which we have been reading lately, dealing with the golus and Yetzias Mitzrayim. For, as you surely know, our Sages declare that one of the merits of the Jewish people to make them worthy of the deliverance form Egypt was the fact that they did not change their Hebrew names, since thereby they not only preserved their Jewish identity, but also proclaimed it proudly.

There is no need to add that the essential thing is the everyday life and conduct in accordance with the Shulchan Aruch and I trust that your personal names, as well as your adopted surname, will always remind you of your obligations as well as privileges of being a Jew, a true son of our forefathers Avrohom, Yitzchok and Yaakov.

zaq

Thu, Apr 23 2015, 5:44 pm

Anyone here know why even the frummest Yekkes are makpid to have a secular legal name? And for the most part, this is the name they use in daily life?

octopus

Thu, Apr 23 2015, 7:43 pm

when alexander the great spared the jews they named their baby boys born that year after him. The name "sender" is from alexander but yidishized it is pronounced alecsender.

Ruchel

Fri, Apr 24 2015, 7:08 am

Cool, amother! So good bye Menachem mendel, Sheyna, Mushka... and some big gedolim need teshuva!!

Yes, Yekke, italians... often use(d) seculars. Why? Why not. No reason. Even many chassidim used to be Jacob and not Yaakov etc.

I've heard of some who keep the Jewish name for home so it's not used by the non Jews. It can sound a bit racist, like it would be sacrilegious or smthg.

PinkFridge

Fri, Apr 24 2015, 10:22 am

Amother of 5:38 who posted from the Rebbe about Jewish names. I assume someone wanted to change his surname, either because he was a convert or wanted to change it "back" to whatever it was before it was Anglicized.
I do think there is value in having and using a Jewish name. Does this apply to surnames also?
What of people with names that are the same as they were in the heim but were still names that might be found in the general public, say, Miller? Or should all Whites change their names back to Weiss? I also know of families where relatives will have different surnames as under the Czar it was expedient for them to do so. Do they change their names back if the new name is less Jewish? And how "Jewish" are surnames anyway? How far back do we have to go to be authentic?