Sholom Zucher Invitation Wording (Yiddish, Hebrew & English)

What a Sholom Zucher invitation includes

• The heading: שלום זכר (Sholom Zucher).
• The parents' names, often with the grandparents' names underneath.
• When: Friday night (ליל שב"ק) and the parsha, plus the time.
• Where: the home or shul, with the full street address.
• Optional: a short line like "Mazel Tov" or "we would be honored by your presence".

Sample wording in Hebrew / Yiddish

Sample wording in English

Quick checklist

• Spell names exactly the way the family writes them (ר' / ב"ר / נ"י).
• Double-check the parsha and the time.
• Write the full address, and the building or apartment if needed.
• Send it out early on Friday so everyone can plan.

What a Sholom Zucher is, in a few words

A sholom zucher (שלום זכר) is the gathering held on the first Friday night after a baby boy is born. Friends, neighbors and family come to the home after the Shabbos seudah to wish the parents mazel tov, say a l'chaim, and eat a little something. Many families serve arbes (boiled chickpeas), beer, fruit, cake and kugel. There is no formal program and no ceremony, so the invitation is short and friendly. Its whole job is to tell people three things: that a boy was born, which Friday night, and where to come.

Because a baby can be born any day of the week, the sholom zucher invitation is often made in a hurry, on Thursday night or Friday morning, while the mother is still in the hospital. That is exactly why it helps to have the wording ready ahead of time. Below you will find several complete samples in lashon kodesh, Yiddish and English, an explanation of every line, a guide to titles such as הרה"ח, מו"ה, הי"ו and נ"י, and a list of the most common mistakes people make when they are rushing before Shabbos.

More sample wording in lashon kodesh (Hebrew)

This is a slightly longer version, in the style many chassidish families use. The baby has no name yet, so he is called "our son" (בננו) or "our newborn son" (בננו הרך הנולד).

A shorter version, for a family that wants just the essentials on the card:

When the sholom zucher is held at the grandparents' home, for example because the young couple lives in a small apartment, or the mother is still in the hospital, it is common to write it in the name of the grandparents:

More sample wording in Yiddish

Many heimish families write the whole card in Yiddish. It reads warm and natural, and older relatives often prefer it.

A very short Yiddish version, the kind people send on WhatsApp to the family groups:

More sample wording in English

For neighbors, coworkers and relatives who don't read Hebrew, an English card or an English line underneath works well. Keep the Hebrew terms people already know, such as Sholom Zucher, Parshas and Mazel Tov.

Line by line: what each phrase means

If you are not sure why a line is there, or whether you can leave it out, here is the meaning of each common phrase on a sholom zucher card.

• ב"ה / בס"ד / בעזהשי"ת at the very top. ב"ה is "ברוך השם", בס"ד is "בסייעתא דשמיא" (with the help of Heaven), and בעזהשי"ת is "בעזרת השם יתברך". Families have their own habit; any one of them is correct. Most people write only one.
• ברוב שבח והודאה להשי"ת — "with great praise and thanks to Hashem". This is the opening line of thanks for the birth. A shorter form is בשבח והודיה להשי"ת. In Yiddish: מיט א הארציגן דאנק צום אייבערשטן.
• הננו מתכבדים להזמין — "we are honored to invite". The standard formal opening. On a short card you may skip it and simply write the heading.
• את כל קרובינו, ידידינו ומכירינו — "all our relatives, friends and acquaintances". It tells people the invitation is open, which is usually true for a sholom zucher.
• לרגל הולדת בננו — "on the occasion of the birth of our son". Some add הרך הנולד (the newborn), or בכורנו if he is the first child.
• למז"ט — "למזל טוב", in a good hour. It usually comes right after the word for the baby.
• אשר יתקיים אי"ה — "which will take place, im yirtzeh Hashem". A sholom zucher is a masculine word, so יתקיים (not תתקיים) is the usual form. Many cards simply skip this phrase.
• בליל שב"ק פרשת ___ — "on the night of Shabbos Kodesh, Parshas ___". This is how you say "Friday night" in lashon kodesh. More on this below.
• אחר הסעודה — "after the meal". Most sholom zuchers start after people finish their own seudah at home.
• בביתנו / בבית הורינו / בבית זקנינו — "at our home / at our parents' home / at our grandparents' home".
• המצפים לקבל פניכם בשמחה — "who look forward to greeting you with joy". This is the line before the signature. In Yiddish: מיר ווארטן אייך מיט פרייד.
• ___ ומשפחתו — "___ and family". The father's name followed by ומשפחתו is a modest way to sign. Others write both parents: ______ וזוגתו.

Writing "Friday night" and the parsha correctly

The sholom zucher is on Friday night, which in Jewish counting is already Shabbos. That is why the card says ליל שב"ק (the night of Shabbos Kodesh) and gives the parsha of that Shabbos, not of the week before. If the baby was born on a Tuesday in the week of Parshas Noach, the sholom zucher is ליל שב"ק פרשת נח.

• ליל שב"ק — the usual heimish form. Some write ליל שבת קודש in full.
• ליל ש"ק — a shorter form you will also see.
• פרייטאג צו נאכטס — the Yiddish way to say Friday night, often written together with the parsha: פרייטאג צו נאכטס, פרשת ___.
• Double parshiyos. When two parshiyos are read together, write both: פרשת ויקהל-פקודי, פרשת אחרי-קדושים, פרשת מטות-מסעי.
• Yom Tov. If that Friday night is also Yom Tov or Chol Hamoed, families often write the Yom Tov name instead of, or beside, the parsha (for example ליל שב"ק חוה"מ סוכות). Ask the family or a rav what is customary for them.
• The Hebrew date is optional on a sholom zucher, since everyone knows which Friday it is. If you add it, write it in letters: ליל שב"ק פרשת ___, י"ב חשון. Check it against a luach, because the night already belongs to the next day.

A tip that saves many mistakes: open your luach, find the Shabbos right after the birth, and copy the parsha name exactly as printed. Do not trust memory on a busy Thursday night.

Time wording

A sholom zucher usually starts after the seudah and goes on for an hour or two. Because nobody writes on Shabbos, guests read the time on Friday afternoon, so make it clear.

In the winter, when Shabbos starts early, many sholom zuchers start at 8:00 or 8:30. In the summer, when the seudah ends late, 10:00 or even later is normal. Write what fits your neighborhood.

The address line

The address is the line people actually use, so write it clearly. On a Hebrew or Yiddish card most families write the street address in English letters, because that is how it appears on the building and in a map app. For example: בביתנו 123 Main St, Apt 4B.

• Write the apartment number, the floor, or "side entrance" if guests will look for it.
• If it is at the grandparents' home, say so (בבית הורינו, בבית זקנינו) and still write the address. Not everyone knows where the grandparents live.
• If the sholom zucher is in a shul or a small hall, write the shul's full name: בביהמ"ד ______, and the address.
• Think about walking distance. Guests walk on Friday night, so a location in the middle of the neighborhood brings more people.

Titles and honorifics: which one goes where

Titles are where most families stop and ask. There is no single rule that every community follows, and each family has its own habits, but these are the common uses on a heimish simcha card.

A few practical rules of thumb:

• The baby has no name until the bris, so on a sholom zucher he is "בננו נ"י" or "בננו שיחי'", without a name.
• The father is often written as הרה"ח ר' ______ הי"ו, or more simply ר' ______ הי"ו. Use whatever the family uses on other simcha cards, so they look alike.
• The mother is usually included as וזוגתו תחי' (and his wife), sometimes with her name.
• Grandfathers get the same titles as the father, and sometimes שליט"א for an older grandfather or one who is a Rav.
• Don't double up. הי"ו and שליט"א both go after a name; pick one, not both.
• Ask the grandparents. If you are unsure how a grandfather likes to be written, look at the last family invitation, or just ask. People notice their own titles.

The grandparents' lines

On most heimish cards the grandparents appear under the parents, either in one line or in two short columns, father's side and mother's side. Common ways to write it:

Some families add the great-grandparents (הסבים רבא or אלטע זיידע). It is a beautiful zechus to have them, and a small line at the bottom can include them. Keep in mind that every extra line makes the letters smaller on a phone screen, so a long list is usually better on the bris card than on the sholom zucher card.

If one of the grandparents has passed away, families do different things. Many leave that name off the simcha card; some write it with ע"ה or ז"ל. Both are common. Follow what the family did at earlier simchas.

Special situations

• Twins. Write לרגל הולדת בנינו התאומים נ"י, "on the birth of our twin sons". For a boy and a girl, many families write the sholom zucher for the son and mention the daughter with joy: לרגל הולדת בננו ובתנו התאומים.
• First boy after girls. Some families add a line of extra thanks. Keep it simple; the joy speaks for itself.
• Born on Friday or Shabbos. When a boy is born on Friday afternoon or on Shabbos itself, the family decides whether the sholom zucher is that same night or the following week. Ask your rav, and then the card follows that decision.
• Mother still in the hospital. The sholom zucher often goes ahead at home or at the grandparents' home without her. Write the location clearly so people don't go to the wrong house.
• Sholom zucher in a shul or hall. Some large families or kehillos hold it in the shul. Write בביהמ"ד with the shul's full name and address.

Common mistakes to avoid

• The wrong parsha. The most common mistake by far. The sholom zucher belongs to the Shabbos after the birth; copy the parsha from a luach.
• Writing the baby's name. He has no name yet. Write בננו נ"י, not a name you plan to give.
• Mixing languages in one line. A line that is half Yiddish and half lashon kodesh reads awkwardly. Pick one style for the main text; the address can be in English letters.
• Leaving out "after the seudah" or a time. Without it, some guests come at 7:00 and find the family still eating.
• A crowded card. Five lines of titles and a long list of names make the important lines tiny. Most guests read the card once on a phone.
• Sending too late. On a short winter Friday, a card sent at 2:00 PM reaches people when they are already busy. If you can, send it Thursday night or early Friday morning.
• Typos in Hebrew abbreviations. Use the straight gershayim the family is used to: נ"י, הי"ו, שב"ק. A missing quotation mark changes how the word reads.

Full checklist before you send

• Heading שלום זכר is on the card.
• Opening line (ב"ה / בס"ד) and line of thanks, if your family uses one.
• "Our son" with נ"י or שיחי', and no name.
• ליל שב"ק and the correct parsha, checked in a luach.
• Time: אחר הסעודה or an hour.
• Location: home, parents' home or shul, with street, number and apartment.
• Parents' names spelled the way the family writes them.
• Grandparents' names and titles checked with the grandparents.
• English version or English line, if you have guests who need it.
• One look at the preview on a phone before sending.
• JPG sent to the family groups; PDF printed for the shul board, if you want one there.

Make your Sholom Zucher card on our site, step by step

1. Pick the design. Open the Baby Boy designs and tap the one you like. The heading is already part of the picture, so you never type it.
2. Type each box. Every box has a label that says what it is for: the parsha, the time, the address, the parents and the grandparents. You can type in Hebrew, Yiddish, English or a mix. You can also tap a line on the card to jump straight to its box.
3. Choose a font and size. Each box has its own font picker and A− / A+ buttons. Many families make the parents' line a little bigger and keep the address in a plain font. No account is needed, which helps when you are making the card on a Friday morning in a rush.
4. Check the preview. The card updates as you type. Look at it once at phone size, because that is how most guests will see it. The preview has a watermark; the paid files do not.
5. Place the order and pay. The price is $15. On designs that have an animated GIF version, you can add the GIF for a small extra.
6. Download your 3 files. Right after paying you get a print PDF (letter size), a Full quality JPG for printing (2550 px wide, 300 dpi) and a Small – for texting JPG under 1 MB for WhatsApp, text messages and email. GIF orders also get the GIF and a small GIF. Save the page so you can download again later.

For how to send the small file to many people at once, see our guide to sending simcha invitations on WhatsApp or by text.

More complete samples for different family situations

At the grandparents' home, in Yiddish

Many young couples make the sholom zucher at a parent's home, especially when the baby is the first grandchild or the couple lives in a small apartment. Say clearly whose home it is.

Twin boys, in lashon kodesh

Yeshivish style, in English

In many yeshivish homes the card is in English, and the word is often spelled "Shalom Zachor". Both spellings are fine; use the one your family and friends use.

Which Friday night? A quick timing table

The sholom zucher is on the first Friday night after the birth. This table shows when it usually falls and when to send the card. It is common practice, not a ruling; for the Friday and Shabbos cases, ask your Rav.

Send the card well before candle lighting, so nobody has to read a message on Shabbos to find the address. For every simcha's timing, see our guide on when to send simcha invitations.

The rest of the week: vachnacht and bris

A sholom zucher is often the first of several cards in one busy week. The vachnacht comes the night before the bris, and the bris itself is usually on day eight. Use the same spelling of the parents' names on every card. Our vachnacht wording guide and bris wording guide have samples for the next steps.

Frequently asked questions

When is a sholom zucher held?

On the first Friday night after a baby boy is born, usually at home after the Shabbos meal.

Do I write the baby's name on a sholom zucher invitation?

No. The baby is named at the bris, so the card says "our son" (בננו נ"י) without a name.

What does ליל שב"ק mean?

It means the night of Shabbos Kodesh, which is Friday night. It is followed by the parsha of that Shabbos.

Should the sholom zucher invitation be in Yiddish or Hebrew?

Either is correct. Many chassidish families write in Yiddish or lashon kodesh and add an English line or a second English card for guests who need it.

Which title goes after the baby's name or "our son"?

נ"י (נרו יאיר) is the most common, and שיחי' is also used. Adult men usually get הי"ו after their name, and women תחי'.

How early should I send it?

As soon as you know the plan, ideally Thursday night or Friday morning, so people can plan their Friday night.

Can I make the sholom zucher card on Friday morning?

Yes. The card takes a few minutes: pick a design, type the parsha, time and address, pay, and the files download right away, so you can still send it well before Shabbos.

Which file should I send on WhatsApp?

Send the Small – for texting JPG. It is under 1 MB, so it opens fast and stays sharp on WhatsApp and on picture messages.

Should I write "Sholom Zucher" or "Shalom Zachor" in English?

Both are correct. Chassidish families usually write Sholom Zucher, and many yeshivish families write Shalom Zachor; use the spelling your guests know.