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Fifth in a year-long series exploring Jewish Family Education and the ways in which your family can experience Judaism together.
"What does God do in the early hours of the morning? He teaches little little children." -Midrash
It often appears as if children have the unique ability to inherently believe in God. They
live life with the sense of wonderment that adults constantly attempt to achieve. It seems
as if children can easily teach adults about God—not the other way around. However, as
children age and their experiences evolve often questions about God arise. What is he?
encounter every day, an appreciation for God is naturally developed.
To facilitate this, create a "wonder corner" in your home. Encourage each member of the
family drawings, collages, and items from nature—anything that makes them think of and
appreciate God, in this corner. Once a week, bring the family together to discuss what they
contributed to the "wonder corner" and why it makes them think of God.
What does she look like? How can I talk to it? When addressing these issues and others,
ROADBLOCKS:
remind your children that there is not one prescribed formula for their relationship with
God—that similar to all the other relationships in their lives, that how they feel about
"How can I talk to my child about God, when I do not know
how I feel about God?"
and communicate with God can develop, progress and change with each new life
experience. God has the capacity to be the ultimate travel companion.
It is often difficult to allow children to see some of their
parents' insecurities. However, with this comes a great learning
FUEL TANK:
opportunity. Demonstrate to and with your child, that at times,
God, and how to talk to him, is definitely one of the tricky
ones. No doubt about it Fear nod There are numerous
you struggle with your relationship with God. You can begin to
clarify your feelings towards God, by answering some of the following questions:
resources to aid you in this segment of your journey.
• Thinking back as a child, I believe that God...
• Something More: Nurturing Your Child's Spiritual Growth,
by Jean Grasso Fitzpatrick, Viking Penguin, New York. 1992
• Teaching Your Children About God, by David Wolpe, Henry Holt and Company,
New York, 1993.
• My first view of God was....
• I feel closest to God when...
• I felt the furthest from God when...
• My idea of God is...
• When Children Ask About God, by Rabbi Harold S. Kushner, Schocken, New York, 1989.
"How can I ask my child to communicate with God (pray) when I do not
PIT STOP:
understand the prayers?"
Conversations between people and God need not be long, nor do they need to be ver-
bose. Judaism provides us with one succinct sentence, one blessing—the shehechiyanu--
to use to give thanks. "Praised are you, oh lord our God, who has enabled us to reach
this day." As a family, begin to welcome the words of the shehechiyanu into your home,
Prayer is one structured mechanism for communicating with God. When you are in services
with your child, read the translation together so that you both know what you are saying.
and into your routine: on the first day of school, on a family member's birthday, on
However, formalized prayer is not the only way to communicate with God. Encourage your
children to talk to God, (saying the Sh'ema at bedtime is one excellent way!) and to write
trying a new food. This demonstrates that the relationship between people and God can
be personal, and public and about the mundane as well as the unique.
letters to God. Prayer and God need not only reside at the synagogue—they can become
an integral component of your family's life as long you allow them in.
STOPS ALONG THE WAY
When the Israelites approached Mt. Sinai they said to God: "If You will give us Your Torah, we will offer You
our children."And God said "Since you offer Me your children, I will give you my Torah."
(an interactive activity for your family):
So...your kids may ask you "Who is this God character?" You may answer that
question in a multitude of ways, however, children often experience God through
- Song of Songs Rabbah 1:4
what they can see, hear and touch—the wonders with which they surround
themselves. If you can help your child to understand that God, in partnership
with human beings, is responsible for many of the magnificent things they
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"Take a Jewish Journey with J.E.EF." is a monthly addition to the Jewish News.