AbouT BooKs
Lifesaver
About The Author
In 40 Things You Can Do To Save the Jewish
People (Alef Design Group), Joel Lurie
Grishaver offers parents guidelines on ways
to help and maintain their children's Jewish iden-
tities. Written in an easy, comfortable, and,
above all, positive voice, the book was includ-
ed in the new 100 Essential Books for Jewish
Readers by Rabbi Daniel Syme and Cindy
Frenkel Kanter. Among Grishaver's suggestions:
* Don't force children to attend synagogue or
JQeI Lurie Grishaver
temple services, but rather create reasons they
offers parenting tips
will want to go.
for- Jewish moms and
* Always insist that Shabbat come first —
dads.
before friends, sports,
movies, homework, anything.
* Make your home "smell" Jewish. So what if it's only gefilte fish in the
jar; it will create powerful memories.
* Sleep in a sukkah, don't wear leather shoes on Yom Kippur, and
have a great time on Simchat Torah.
In the following excerpt, Grishaver offers a bit of advice on what to do
for a holiday just around the corner, Purim.
Shelach Manot:
Try It — You'll Like It
Shelach manot is the mitzvah of
I giving gifts of food to friends and
family on Purim — it is an opportu-
nity which should not be missed.
;When it comes to mitzvot, shelach .
1manot is a slam-dunk.
The Story: After Haman was
;hanged, the Jews fought back and
:defended themselves against all
the pogroms that he had planned
for them. When the fighting was
lover, Mordechai, the new right-
: hand man of King Ahasheuerus,
sent a royal edict to Jews who
I lived everywhere from India to
Ethiopia. In this letter he command-
led Jews:
1. To tell the story of what hap-
: pened — which is why we read
Ithe megillah and do the grogger
:thing today.
2. To celebrate and have a
good time — which is why you'll
2/27
1998
84
see costumes, carnivals, parties
and even acceptable public drink-
ing.
3. To send gifts (of food) to
friends, which he called shalach
manot.
4. To give gifts to the poor —
which is why Purim is such a won-
derful tzedakah opportunity.
The How To:
(a) Make a list of family, friends
and other people important to you.
As you are working on your list,
remember teachers, Jewish teach-
ers, adoptive "grandparents" in
your neighborhood or congrega-
tion, the crossing guard who
always says hello, etc.
(b) Prepare a package of food
gifts for each person/family on
the final list. The official rule:
"These gift packages must include
at least two different kinds of
food."
Additional Purim Opportunities:
(c) Prepare a special container
1) Purim is a great time to do a
for the gifts. Use your imagination.
"hands-on"
gift of food to the poor.
On
or
around
Purim,
hand
(d)
2) If you are really in the Jewish
deliver all the gifts possible.
(e) Once this becomes a popular In-Crowd, you already know about
"Be Happy — It's Adar." I'll let you
custom in your circle of friends,
in on the secret. Adar is the
you can't wait to sit back and sort
Hebrew month in which Purim
your sweets the way other people
falls. The Talmud says, "When you
do on Halloween.
enter Adar, joy increases." This is
Remember to actively involve
a great insight — that anticipation
your children at every step.
of a good time increases joy in the
world. If you get your hands on a
The Point:
Jewish calendar, you, too, can
First, this mitzvah is fun. Second,
remind the world to increase its
it involves food.
1 happiness quotient at the right time
Third, it teaches a powerful les-
son — we are not alone. By mak- i of year.
3) Develop your own Purim pro-
ing the list and then making the
ject, sending treats to Jewish col-
rounds, shelach manot helps us
1 lege kids, old-age homes and
trace and celebrate the connec-
preschools. It's a little bit of Jewish
tions in our lives.
goodwill. Or just help out with the
community-wide Great Purim Parcel
The Generalizable Lesson:
Project, sponsored by Jewish
All mitzvot are, to quote my
Experiences for Families and The
mother's friend and teacher Rabbi
Jewish
News. Help make or deliv-
Gunther Plaut, "opportunities."
er shalach manot to Shalom Detroit
Some are easier to take advan-
1
newcomers, Jewish new
tage of than others. Some are
more powerful or more immediate, 1 Americans, Jewish Home and
Aging Services residents, Group
or have more direct impact than
Apartments for the Elderly of Jewish
others. A few of them are a lot of
Family Service, Kosher Meals on
fun. A lot of them are rewarding.
Wheels recipients and others.
Parcels will be made this Sunday,
Joel's Tenth Law:
I March 1, at the ASE building,
Always score the easy mitzvah
21550 W. 12 Mile Road in
points. Be smart — at least rack
Southfield. For information, contact
up your Jewish continuity points on
JEFF
at (248) 354-1050. El
all the Jewish stuff which is inher-
ently fun to do.
Excerpts from "Shelach Manot —
We know in our hearts that it is
I Try It, You'll Like It" reprinted with
always better to perform a mitz-
permission from 40 Things You
vah than not to do it. Every Jewish
tradition you observe is a check in I Can Do To Save the Jewish People
by Joel Lurie Grishaver. Copyright
the plus column. Your Judaism can
1993 Joel Lurie Grishaver and
certainly survive if you don't do
published
by Alef Design Group.
everything.
To order, contact Alef Design
But every time you skip one
Group, 4423 Fruitland Ave., Los
of the fun mitzvot or customs
Angeles, CA 90058; (213) 582
(like shelach manot), it is a real
1200.
waste.