When soccer and basketball teams need money, they turn to a generous sponsor โ and in return, add his name to the name of the team. An ultra-Orthodox couple appears to have adopted this methodโฆ for its future baby.
An unusual ad appeared last week in haredi newspaper Yated Ne’eman. “A prominent family is interested in naming its baby after a good person, for a fee,” the ad read. It was followed by a phone number in the central city of Bnei Brak.
The woman who answered the phone told us she had published the ad for her neighbors.
The surprising notice conceals an interesting story: A well-known Bnei Brak family facing financial difficulties has decided to have its newest member help pay its debts โ even before his birth. The mother is expected to give birth in the coming weeks, and in the meantime has issued a bid for her son’s given name.
Many families name their newborn after a deceased person. In addition to the nice gesture, some believe the child may preserve the late person’s good traits.
The haredi family decided to allow wealthy but childless people to commemorate their loved ones through its son.
“We are willing to name the baby after a person for a respectable fee, after checking who that person was of course,” explained the woman who published the ad. “The deceased must be a good person whose family has no one to name after him.
As for the requested price, the woman responded: “I don’t know, whatever they offer. There are wealthy families who are willing to pay.” The starting price was believed to be thousands of shekels.
The baby will be joining three siblings whose names were given in the conventional way. The neighbor, like a good mediator, explained that “this is a family of righteous people, a very good family with some debts.”
It appears that the highest bid has already been offered: When we called the number appearing on the ad once again, we were told: “It’s no longer relevant. A name has been found for the baby.”
Leave Israel work and get a job
mum someone from kinder who has all the cool toys told me I was named after his grandfather… *splat* mummy?
Go #15!!!! U made me smile!! (:
What about those children that are given a name just because the parents liked it?
There is absolutely nothing wrong if when the child asks who he is named after, his parents explain that there was a nice family that couldn’t have children and had no one to name after their parents, so he is named after them.
I know a prominent Rebbetzin that was named after a woman in her city, after the children of the nifteres asked her parents if they would name their daughter after their mother. To this day she has no idea who the woman was, or what the family name was.
First of all, not learning the gender of the child is a lubavitch custom that was established by the late lubavitcher rebbe (perhaps you have heard of him?). In which case learning the child’s gender doesn’t in anyway make them less charade. As for everyone else, there is no judging if what these people are doing is wrong or right. These people are in a difficult situation and they are doing what they feel is right to survive. We are all so quick to pass judgement (myself included), but when it comes to these situations we should all have a… Read more ยป
Sometimes people with children who are not {yet} observant
but they are will ask someone with many children if they
would name a son or daughter after them after 120 years and leave money for the child(ren). It’s a somewhat different
take on the same idea, and is perfectly legal halachicaqlly.
I lost my job and am living on unemployment. I am going
crazy with the bills. Thanks for printing this article. If my
wife agrees I’d like to do the same.
This is nothing new.
There was a Lubavitvh couple that was r”l childless and left money for a family that would name a child after them.
Please be positive and keep Moneyb as a Way to nfinance People who are in Financial Distress.I know many Jews are T
Haven’t you heard of Tzaddikim who gave a brocha “on condition” that child be named after them?? Is a brocha any different than gelt??? I admire their honesty, since most common names can be sold several times over (e.g. Moshe)
Did you not see that they are looking for a name of a person that was A GOOD ,DECENT PERSON so that the child can be proud of who he is named after!
More entrepeneurs. Just what the world needs.
growing up knowing his parents made money off him even b4 he was born is a bad idea.
not having an emothional tie to its name, just money is also unhealthy for the child. this kid will grow up feeling not special enough even for his parents to choose their own name. bad idea in my opion with consiquences later on that might cost them even more money later on!
its not ethical. a persons name is very very specail. to say heres a price on a neshamas name is not ethical.
besides this child already has a name.
u never heard of ppl say ohi was suppose to be named “x” and then last minute my parents changed it?
must say this title caught my eye, and the idea is quite an interesting one. ill leave all the arguing about the pros and cons of this to other commenters. All i want to say, on the lighter side of things- did they reserve 2 names, one male and one female, just in case? ๐
Mommy, why was I named chaim yankel todrus?
I hope it works out for them.
Why is it stupid? Maybe you never have struggled for money, or had to worry about bills ect. To raise a frum child, it cost alot of money, that we are happy to spend for our children. Do you know that there are so many frum families that literally have nothing to put on the table for their children to eat? Do not judge. PS. I am not judging you, I don’t know if you have struggled or not
at least the money is being made in an honest way!
I am now a middle aged Brooklyn women, and all my life I have heard of childless people looking for special frum families to name their loved ones after. As far as I can remember the wealthier ones would support the family for doing it for many years, and in cases even left all their wealth to that family. I know that this family named several of the supporters mutliple family members in exchange for support while the husband sat in Yeshiva and learned. So this is not a new shocking revelation, and it brings the two people into a… Read more ยป
They could give him even more than one name and raise even more gelt.
What planet are you from? There is not halacha against finding out the gender of the baby. Everyone in williamsburgh does it. Come on Get with the program.
sadly there are some families out there whom have never been blessed with children. I am not sure if you have children or how many, but if you do remember that moment a child comes into the world. If you dont then may you be blessed with many children who bring you nachos.This family is giving a brocho to some family out there. Sadly they are in need of financial help and as a nation we need to support them in any way we can. I have known many Charedi families find out the gender of the baby, often not… Read more ยป
yeah I dont know why this is news. a lot of people sell kibbudim, like to be a tzandik at the sons bris etc. names also are no exception of course, ok so they auctioned it thats something but not really news worthy im sure they are not the first i dont see anything wrong with it
….So whats its name
1. If they are indeed a Charedi family…how is it that they know the gender of the unborn baby. I am pretty sure it is common practice NOT to learn such details until the actual birth.
2. Prominent family…? I’m pretty sure no self respecting family would do such a thing. Not to make assumptions but maybe someone needs to get a job.
3. Instead of selling the name of the child why not just sell the child…t would certainly help the financial burden.
This is all OK.. They took a compensation for giving one an opportunity to name after a loved one, let them have nachas etc.
the only thing that is not OK, is why make a news story on collive about it
WELL THERE YOU HAVE IT……SURROGATE BABY NAMING!!
… when the mother gives birth to a girl ๐
i guess if it’s allowed then it’s great for both sides ๐