zr:IEWISH JEWISH ,„ of M etropolitan Detroit LI- Tips For Teaching About Sin, Repentance • Know what you believe before embarking on a discussion with your kids. • Only tell your kids what you believe. If you believe that God is a process, rather than an all-powerful being, for example, don't tell the kids that God watches their every action. You might want to discuss different ways of interpreting God, in order to present alternatives, but be sure to say, "This is what I believe." • Don't give children any more information than they can handle, but at the same time, do not underesti- mate their capacity to grasp intangible concepts. "No human being is too young for introspection," says Rabbi Sheinerman. "Even preschoolers can understand the idea of right and wrong. We begin to teach them the concepts inherent in the High Holiday message when we talk to them about how we treat others." • Take part in a Tashlich service. Tashlich means casting, as in casting off sins. On the afternoon of the first day of Rosh HaShana, Jews tradition- ally gather by the nearest moving body of water. Families bring leftover bread, torn into crumbs, to toss into the water at the appropriate moment. The act of throwing the bread into the water symbolically allows us to cast away our sins, and they are borne away by the flowing water so that we can begin anew. • An easy family Tashlich activity: purchase some dissolving paper at a craft or magic store. As a family, write down things that each member — including the adults — wants to change or try to do better in the com- ing year. Bring the papers with you to Tashlich, and when the time comes to throw bread into the water, throw your papers into the water, and watch the "sins" dissolve. Even if there is no Tashlich service in your community, you can go together as a family to a nearby stream or brook and make up your own service. • Observe the 10 Days of Repentance. The 10 days between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur are the time during which we think about our relationships with each other, and with God. We make the effort to ask forgiveness from those we have wronged, and we resolve to try to do better in the coming year. Try to rake some time on each of the days to do something Rosh HaShana- or Yom Kippur-related. A little piece of trivia: the American tra- dition of making New Year's resolu- tions for Jan. 1 came from the Jewish tradition. • A family activity for the 10 Days of Repentance: Send "teshuva-grams" to each other. These are notes which ask individual members of the family for forgiveness about specific acts. An example: Dear Sarah, I'm sorry I lis- tened in on a telephone conversation you were having with your friend. I respect your need for privacy, and I won't listen again when you are on the phone. Love, Mom. • Read some great Jewish books together. Rabbi Scheinerman runs a terrific Web site with a wonderful, annotated Jewish book list. Two of her favorites for the season are "Yossl's Prayer" and "Even Higher." Check out the Web site: ezra.mts.jhu.edu/-rab- biars • Talk to your kids. You can begin the topic of sin and repentance by telling them something you did that you feel badly about (like the teshuva- gram). Admitting that you aren't per- fect opens the door to allowing the child to own up to things about which he feels badly. These kinds of conversations will also set the precedent during the year for honest and open communication among members of the family. • Stay home from work, let the kids stay home from school, and go to ser- vices as a family. At the end of Yom Kippur, invite one or two other fami- lies to join you for a break-the-fast meal — you will create long-lasting memories for your children, and for yourselves. E. TOteshes fie C 0122122 uni{y =tot rlivemp firczy you and ours ge inscri&of ano f seakof or a g000lyear. Jeffrey Garden Rabbi Lee Buckman President Dr. Helene Cohen Head of School Director of Academic Affairs "If you believe you can do damage, then believe you can repair!" Rabbi Nachman of Breslov Likutey Moharan II, 112 The Academy is an independent coeducational Jewish high school that offers a rigorous college preparatory curriculum integrated with an intensive Jewish studies program. The school welcomes families of all educational and religious backgroun ds The Jewish Academy of Metropolitan Detroit 6600 W Maple Rd. West Bloomfield, MI 48322 248-592-JANID (5263) Opening Fall of 2000 for the 9th and 10th grades. //may the Alew Yeae being to all our reiends and Patients - Health, Happiness, Peospektify and evekything good in lifer Dr. G Mrs. Barry Feldman Dr. E Mrs. N. Elyas Dr. Mrs. Bruce M. Kaplan Families and Staff Detroit Jewish News 9/10 1999 :'