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jEW
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12/28
2001
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(248) 354-5959
the A,B,Cs — or in this case, the aleph,
bet, gimmels. But don't just learn the
basic mechanics; learn the mysteries
along the way (believe it or not, even the
aleph-bet is filled with them).
Despite the seemingly exhausting his-
tory of examining and reexamining the
Torah, the vast commentaries, the dis-
cussions that continued for days, our
most famous book is actually filled with
the inexplicable — and they are more
intriguing than the best mystery novel.
(Perhaps you might even be the one to
solve one of them.)
Or ask your rabbi about the codes in
the Torah, how by reading backward
and forward, at equal intervals, one can
come across many incidents throughout
history.
Celebrate.
To some, the idea of celebrating a Jewish
holiday is about as exciting as watching
"I Dream of Jeannie" reruns.
Certainly, no one can call Pesach
cleaning fun. But don't focus on just the
work. Instead, make the holiday fun.
Cover your table with "plagues," like
plastic frogs and ping-pong balls (that's
the hail).
On Purim, fill your home with bal-
loons and streamers. On Tu b'Shevat,
buy a tree at a nursery, then plant it in
your yard, and make leaf-shaped cookies.
Eat Jewish.
Food does a great deal more than fill the
stomach. It can fill the heart, as well.
Even those most detached from
Judaism tend to speak warmly, even lov-
ingly, about the Jewish food they ate
growing up. Was there anything like
Mama's chicken soup, or the corned-
beef sandwich at the Fifth Street Deli, or
Mrs. Berger's homemade gefilte fish?
If most of your meals consist of on-
the-run burgers, or even tofu with veg-
etables, try eating Jewish for awhile.
Miracles And Coincidences.
Our days are so consumed by dreary
details — is the laundry done, did we
return phone calls, did we make it to the
bank, get gas, pick up a carton of milk,
complete the report — that it's easy to
overlook the real wonder of life. But it is
precisely these moments that keep us
grounded, which really bring meaning
to our existence.
So how do you find them again? It only
takes five minutes a day.
Consider a mysterious coincidence in
your life that still leaves you breathless.
Maybe you inexplicably left work exactly
15 minutes late — though normally
you're right on time — then learned that
a devastating accident occurred on your
very route exactly 15 minutes earlier. Or
perhaps you picked up the phone and
called an acquaintance that you hadn't
heard from in years, only to learn that
her mother had died that very day and
she was desperate to speak with a friend.
Are such incidents just chance? Not in
Judaism. We should regard them, •
instead, as little presents from God, who
is showing Himself in our lives.
Also, take time to remember the seem-
ingly ordinary, which are, in fact, mira-
cles that bloom around us every day: the
endless array of living creatures in the
world (do you know how many species
of butterfly exist?) and the mystery of
birth (imagine that two tiny specks, an
egg and sperm, contain all the genetic
programming not only to create eyes
and ears and a heart, but reason and
emotion and love).
Learn Your History.
There's a reason genealogy is all the rage:
Our history tells us who we are.
It will tell our children who they are,
as well.
Begin a family scrapbook. Speak with
relatives, collect photos, make a family
tree. The interviewing process is especial-
ly important, so make a list of ques-
tions in advance. The key is to be
specific. Don't just ask your great-
aunt, "\Xtrhat was Chanukah like
when you were little?" Instead, say,
"Did you have a menorah of your
own? What did it look like and
where did you get it? Who made
the latkes? Do you still have the
recipe and if so, what was it? Did
you eat latkes with applesauce or
sour cream? Did family come for
the holidays? If so, who? Do you
remember seeing menorahs in the
windows of neighborhood homes?"
Make A List.
Everyone can think about some
aspect of Judaism and Jewish histo-
ry that makes him proud. Maybe
it's the fact of Israel's continued existence
in the face of overwhelming odds; if you
haven't lately looked at map, take time
again to compare the size of Israel to the
size of its enemies.
Or maybe you're still amazed by
Jewish contributions to science, or the
world of medicine.
Whatever it is, write it down. Then
add to your list, every day if possible.
Ask your best friend to add to it, as well,
and your spouse, children, a teacher or
parent.
Make Jewish Learning Fun.
In a favorite room post a large sheer of
paper or chalkboard. Every day, chal-
lenge yourself, or family members, to
come up with a fun and unusual fact
about Jewish life or Judaism or Jews.
(Did you know that \X/yatt Earp's
.wife, Josephine, was Jewish? Or that
American-born artist, Jacob Epstein
[1880-1959] was knighted by Queen
Elizabeth II? Or that fans of Emma
Lazarus, most famous for her immortal
lines on the Statue of Liberty, included
Walt Whitman and Ralph Waldo
Emerson?)
Look Into The Future.
Try to envision your family 25, 50, 100
years from now What would you hope
to see? Based on your life, what do you
think you will see? -
Parents tend to wish a great deal, and
sometimes wishes come true. The only
way to guarantee the future, however, is
to live it.
If you care that your children will live
a Jewish life when they become adults,
show them how to do it now. If you
want your children to be part of a Jewish
community, then show them how to do
it now If you want your children to be
compassionate, to be involved, to be
show them
interested, to be learned
now do it now.