The dove that carried an olive branch to Noah on the ark, signifying the end to the great flood, has become a symbol of peace and spiritual renewal that crosses religious boundaries. In the Torah, the dove often symbolizes the Jewish people, especially in imagery that expresses spiritual yearning or calls to God for protection. In the Song of Songs, images of a dove evoke both God’s love for the people as well as romantic love. In the Sephardi Seder Zeved Bat ceremony, the Celebration for the Gift of a Daughter, this passage from the Song of Song also expresses a parent’s love for a child:

Oh my dove, in the cleft of the rocks,
Hidden by the cliff,
Let me see your face,
Let me hear your voice;
For your voice is sweet
And your face is beautiful.”
(Song of Songs 2:14)

Maria Bywater is the author of Sew Jewish available from Amazon.com and in PDF format from Etsy.