t
JEWISH
JOURNEYi
J.E.F.F.
TAKE
Ninth in a year-long series exploring Jewish Family Education and the ways in which your family can experience Judaism together.
"More than Israel has kept Shabbat, Shabbat has kept Israel." - Ahad Ha'am
Roadblocks:
When our children are questioned about their favorite Jewish holiday, we often receive
"While I very much value bringing Shabbat into our home, my children
are resistant They want Friday nights and Saturdays to be times that
answers of "Chanukkah," "Passover" or perhaps "Purim". However, rarely do we think
they can hang out with their friends."
about Shabbat as a holiday that has been given to the Jewish people to celebrate
Encourage your children to invite their friends to your home for
each and every week. Shabbat is the gift of time from G,od to the Jewish people.
Shabbat is a weekly ritual allowing for time--time to stop to assess one's life, time to
appreciate one family, time to rejuvenate one's soul. Ritual, in general, is a gift that
Friday night dinner. This not only shows them that Shabbat is
parents give to their children day after day. It is a crucial element in effectively
something to be shared, but it also conveys the mitzvah of
chanasat orchim (welcoming guests). Work with the other Jewish families in your
raising children in today's constantly evolving world. Shabbat puts the notion of ritual
neighborhood to build a community that encourages Shabbat, thereby allowing your
into a Jewish context.
children to maintain their social connections without forfeiting their Jewishness.
Baggage:
• In the springtime, form a Shabbat baseball league, which can have its games in
your neighborhood on Saturday afternoons.
We know that making Shabbat in the traditional sense is often
• Do Havdalah with other families.
• Institute a "Shabbat Club" with your neighbors that takes turn hosting Shabbat
dinners and lunches.
a time-consuming activity for which many individuals feel as if
they do not have the time. However, Shabbat need not always
be about the traditional matzah ball soup and roast chicken.
You can make Shabbat accessible for your family by trying to
do something each and every week to enhance your family's Shabbat observance:
Fuel Tank:
• Eat on your fine china
• Set your table with a white table cloth
other resources available which will enable your family
Besides your synagogue and J.E.F.F., there are countless
to enhance your Shabbat experiences:
• Dress a little bit nicer for dinner
• Pick up raw challah dough at the bakery and bake it at home (the smell of
• www.jewishfamily.com--a website which strives to help
families apply Judaism and Jewish values to their
baking challah will definitely make your home feel like a Shabbat place!)
• Spend some time on Saturday afternoon reviewing the events of the previous week
everyday lives by providing user-friendly, family-oriented
information and entertainment.
• Bradley Shavit Artson, It's A Mitzvah!, Behrman House, 1995
• Ron Wolfson, The Art of Jewish Living:The Shabbat Seder, Jewish Lights Publishing, 1985.
• Read Shabbat stories
Stops Along the Way
(an interactive activity for your family):
The arrival of Shabbat is often said to be accompanied by the Shabbat
Queen. She enters ones home as Shabbat begins and enhances the
beauty of Shabbat by her presence. Regardless of the gender of your
child, playing the Shabbat Queen or King, Prince or Princess can be a
fun and unique way to usher Shabbat into your home.
• Have dress up clothes available for your children so that they can
—r--
"Shabbat complained at creation that everyone had been created with a mate except
Shabbat. God said: `1 will give you Israel as your mate.'"
— Genesis Rabbah 11:8
Written by: Amy Wagner, M.A.J.C.5
wear appropriate royal garb
• Make crowns together as a family prior to the start of Shabbat
• Set up your dinner table as if it were a palace
• Have each member of your family serve another member of the family —
no one should have to work to serve him/herself.
6735 Telegraph Road, P.O. Box 203 I
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48303-2031
Phone (248) 645-7860 • FAX (248) 645-7867
e-mail: jeff©ajedetroit.org • www.ajedetroit.org/jeff.htm
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2001
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A Department of the
Agency for Jewish Education
WE'RE PART OF THE TEAM
agency for
,Jewi s h education
"Take a Jewish Journey with J.E.F.F." is a monthly addition to the Detroit Jewish News.