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April 2007
Does a mezuzah on the door and a menorah on the mantel make a home Jewish? According to Rabbi Noa Kushner, that depends on what being Jewish connotes to you and your family. Kushner, a rabbi at Congregation Rodef Sholom in San Rafael, says the most important part of making your home Jewish is “fleshing out what it means to you.” And that can vary widely. “Does it mean I go to Israel periodically, or I read the New York Times, or I belong to a Jewish museum or a JCC? Or does it mean “I say the Sh’ma at bedtime with my kids or I don’t turn on the lights on Shabbat? Each person needs to figure it out,” she says. Dawn Kepler, director of Building Jewish Bridges, a program for interfaith families of the Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East Bay, believes there are two answers to the question of how to make a Jewish home. The first, she notes, is what you see. Are there ritual objects like the aforementioned menorah and mezuzah, Jewish books or art? The second part is what happens in the home. “It can be as simple as having a white tablecloth and flowers on Shabbat, “ she says. Judaism is a communal religion and Jews do things as a community, whether it’s praying, celebrating life-cycle events or raising money for worthwhile causes. Thus says Kushner, if one decides to embrace a Jewish life, one of the key components is becoming part of a formal or informal Jewish group. “Do Jewish things in your home with Jewish friends,” she suggests. “If you belong to a Jewish community, your brain and heart will get stirred up.” Kepler proposes doing activities that connect through the five senses. For example, knead challah for touch, listen to klezmer music for sound, smell the spices of havdahlah or even the grease of frying latkes, watch the flickering lights of the Shabbat candles and savor the taste of noodle kugel or chopped liver. If you’re just beginning your journey towards making a Jewish home, there are many resources available to you. Jewish Community Information & Referral of the SF-based Jewish Community Federation can answer questions and provide a list of helpful individuals, groups or organizations. Contact JCI&R at 415-777-4545 or JewishNfo@sfjcf.org. « Previous Article |
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