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SALES...1NSTALLATION...PARTS & SERVICE

46 May 31 •2007

events has turned into a mad
scramble to wolf down a (kosher) hot
n my book Inside Intermarriage:
dog, locate shin guards, stretch shin
A Christian Partner's Perspective,
guards over sticky legs, search for
I devoted a whole chapter to
cleats, remind kids that they really
how our family loves to celebrate
need to store cleats in laundry room,
Shabbat. I wrote that even though I
put cleats on feet, take out earrings,
am Protestant, I was pleasantly sur-
fill water bottles, run out of house,
prised as to how my wife,
run back into house, grab
daughters and I had gotten
field hockey stick, load
into a rhythm observ-
into minivan and drive to
ing the Sabbath for a very
respective fields. Obviously,
long string of consecutive
there's not a lot of time for
Fridays.
the HaMotzi.
Shabbat has been some-
Don't get me started
thing that our family has
about Saturday morning,
enjoyed for years. However,
either. This is game day for
lately, we've been a little
the Ann Arbor Recreation
Jim Keen
remiss in our dedication
Department. It's also the day
Colu mnist
to it. Now, I actually find
that our daughters go to reli-
myself feeling guilty and
gious school.
wanting to return to our special
After raising Jewish kids for the
Friday-night dinners.
last 11 years, I've begun to feel that
In the early days of our marriage,
Jewish parents have it harder than
my Jewish wife, Bonnie, asked that we
most. I think that much of the non-
observe Shabbat as often as possible. I Jewish world doesn't know that it's
had no problem with it, so we agreed
Shabbat. At least when I was a kid
that we'd try to fit it in when we could. and had hockey on Sunday mornings,
Before we knew it, we were lighting
everybody at the rink knew that we
the candles and saying the blessings
were all skipping out on church. We
nearly every Friday evening. I had
still ate donuts after games, just like
really grown to enjoy the quiet, peace- we always did after Sunday school. I
ful cool-down at the end of our busy
could tell, however, that keeping us
workweeks.
filled with Bavarian cream wasn't
In addition, as our daughters began
what was important. I saw how my
their journey through the JCC Early
mom and dad agonized over what to
Childhood Center, they'd come home
do.
and surprise us many Fridays by recit-
Leave services early or be late for
ing the blessings themselves. It was a
the game?
pure joy to watch them take part, and
Now, I am the adult and am trying
my love of Shabbat grew in a whole
to balance crazy sports schedules and
new dimension.
religious observances with my own
family. I love watching my daughters
Friday Night Sports
play soccer and field hockey, but I do
Enter youth sports. As our kids
miss our Friday night Shabbat din-
advanced through elementary school,
ners.
they began playing soccer and field
I don't necessarily want their sea-
hockey.
sons to end because they are having so
Everything was fine, as long as
much fun. However, it would be nice to
their practice nights were on week-
rekindle Shabbat. Is it wrong to pray
nights not starting with the letter F.
for rain once in a while?
This year, that all changed. Molly's
soccer practices are on Friday eve-
Jim Keen is author of the book "Inside
nings. Gabby's field hockey was on
Intermarriage: A Christian Partner's
Wednesdays, but her college student
Perspective on Raising a Jewish Family"
coach picked up a class that night and (URJ Press) and a contributor to the book
moved practice to — you guessed it
"The Guide to the Jewish Interfaith Family
— Fridays at 6.
Life: an InterfaithFamily.com Handbook"
You can image what shape our
(Jewish Lights). He is a columnist for
Friday evenings look like. Our once
InterfaithFamily.com . His e-mail address is
peaceful respite from the week's
jckeen@umich.edu.

I

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