with Janet Harris
How Do You Raise a Jewish Child?
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| A dad and child put coins in a tzedakah box |
If you have a question for our experts about raising Jewish children or issues about family life and relationships between people of different faiths, please email us at bridges@sfjcf.org.
There is no road map to raising a Jewish child. Each of us has to compose our own way. We have to figure out what works for our family in our diverse and non-Jewish world.
I believe the best way to raise a Jewish child is to have Judaism in your own lives, as adults, in whatever way is authentic to you. In other words, to teach by example. You may be halachly observant – that is, you strictly follow Jewish laws, or you may express your Judaism through social action or nature and spirituality. When you tie it to Judaism, it’s an authentic way to relate to being Jewish... [continued]
Sukkot: A Chance to Change Your Routines and Have Some Fun
By Jim Keen
As a Protestant, I have to admit I had never heard of the holiday of Sukkot until I met my Jewish wife, Bonnie. I'd be surprised if 10 percent of the non-Jewish population of our hometown of Ann Arbor had heard of it either. It's just not a holiday that gets a lot of press. This is really a shame, because, over the last decade, I have found it to be one of the most enjoyable holidays of either religion. It is a time to remember the Jews who wandered the desert for forty years, a time to celebrate the harvest, and a time to spend with family and friends.
1999 was a big year for my family. Not only was our second daughter born, but we also moved into a new house. Coincidentally, we happened to move in right before Sukkot. After getting the majority of boxes emptied and put away, I came across our disassembled sukkah... [continued] |
