Jews typically name babies for family members, almost always of the same gender, who have recently died. It's a way to keep the memory of the person a little more "alive," as well as to give the newborn a model to live up to, a link to another soul.
-- from "Naming the Living after the Dead: Oh Baby!" in All Set for Black, Thanks: A New Look at Mourning by Miriam Weinstein.
Weinstein's collection of essays offers touching but wry advice, based on her own experiences, on facing loss and mourning.
All Set for Black, Thanks came out last week. Check the author's website for readings and book events coming up in the next months.
Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by MizB at Books and a Beat, where you can find the official rules for this weekly event.
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