Sandek
Sign in to save250px|thumb|David Ben-Gurion, the first Prime Minister of Israel, honored with godparents in circumcision thumb|Rabbi Yaakov Aryeh Alter (the seventh [[Rebbe of Gur Hassidism) is honored as a Sandek.]] thumb|An ancient illustration of circumcision A sandek or sandak ( "companion of child", from ) is a person honored at a brit milah in Judaism, traditionally either by holding the baby boy on the knees or thighs when the mohel performs the circumcision or by handing the baby to the mohel.
~6 min read
Article
4 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- History
- Customs
- References
250px|thumb|David Ben-Gurion, the first Prime Minister of Israel, honored with godparents in circumcision thumb|Rabbi Yaakov Aryeh Alter (the seventh [[Rebbe of Gur Hassidism) is honored as a Sandek.]] thumb|An ancient illustration of circumcision A sandek or sandak ( "companion of child", from ) is a person honored at a brit milah in Judaism, traditionally either by holding the baby boy on the knees or thighs when the mohel performs the circumcision or by handing the baby to the mohel.
In Modern Hebrew, sandak is also the word for godfather; the film The Godfather is known in Hebrew as HaSandak. The role is distinct from that of the kvater, a Yiddish term for the person who carries the baby in Ashkenazi ceremonies.