Before becoming a parent, I tended to think of Judaism as something I’d share with my kids once they’d reached nursery or Hebrew school age. Holidays and traditions just seemed like something better left to the potty trained and temperamentally-stable set. Yet our older daughter Sydney, still a few months shy of two, has taught me that I was entirely wrong.
In the last six months, Sydney, my husband and I have covered ourselves with flour and raisins at challah-making class; danced, sang and stared in wonder at a guitar at Tot Shabbat; and read and re-read My First Shabbat Book (a gift from the fabulous PJ Library) more times than I care to remember. Sydney might not understand exactly what Shabbat commemorates, but she knows that it is celebrated with a special bread named challah, that we light special candles and that we drink wine from special cups (the word Kiddish is a bit beyond our vocabulary at the moment). And the best part? She thinks it’s all so wonderful and special, which of course it is.
Turns out you don’t have to understand the nuances of the Torah to understand the importance of a holiday – there’s plenty of time for that. I love watching Sydney discover her religious culture and traditions one step at a time. Can’t wait to see what the next step is – in the meantime, the “Shabbat book” is calling….
Growing up, Chanukah was always one of my favorite holidays. I’m a life-long lover of presents, so no shocker there. But as I’ve aged and the presents have waned, Chanukah remains one of my favorite times of year. It’s an opportunity to spend time with family, embrace the holiday spirit and create new traditions with our daughter.
This year, my husband and I have taken to lighting the menorah and singing the prayers nightly, hopeful that our 17-month-old bundle of energy pauses long enough to notice the flickering flames. We delight in watching her rip into presents, play with dreidels and nosh on latkes. She most likely won’t remember kicking off the holiday with Gima & Gramps on Friday night (when Gima decorated the house for the first time in some 20 years) or closing it out with Nana & Papa later this week, but somehow that doesn’t matter. What does matter is that we’re doing it – and creating traditions along the way. So much of my Jewish identity revolves around family traditions and cultural memories – I love the idea of sharing them and creating new ones with our daughter.
One wonderful thing about starting traditions is that they can easily be amended to your interests. A budding foodie? Kick off annual latke making. A devoted shopper? Encourage the munchkins to share in the delight of gift giving by helping pick out presents for parents, siblings and cousins. A big reader? Dig into any and every kid-friendly Chanukah book out there and retell the story in your own words with your toddler, tween or teen. Artists can create their own menorahs or decorate the house with homemade decorations. Channel your instincts and interests and let the fun begin.
On Dec 10, The Open Tent partnered with Birthright Israel to present a Hanukkah Soiree at South Beach’s Burger & Beer. Highlights included performances by Michelle Citrin and Jacob Jeffries, an open bar and Hanukkah nibbles. Relive the fun with the photo recap below.
Miami Beach’s second Sleepless Night swept through the island with force from 6pm Sat, Nov 7 to 7am on Sun, Nov 8 and The Open Tent was a proud participant in the festivities. Our presentations for the evening included Oy-Le!, a Klezmer and Flamenco musical extravaganza at Lummus Park, and Lip Schtick, an interactive author presentation co-sponsored by Books & Books and Design Within Reach. See below for a photo slideshow recounting both of the events…
Food has been a part of my Jewish life since I can remember. Challah on Fridays, matzah balls on Passover, Sephardic meat patties year-round. Eating and preparing the treats were (and continue to be) a wonderful way to share traditions, learn new skills and simply hang out with my mom, grandmothers and extended family.
Now, as a mom of one (and one on the way) I’m excited about sharing Jewish traditions and culinary treats with my daughter. I love watching her nosh on a bagel at our favorite deli and can’t get enough of her slurping chicken soup and matzah balls. At a recent Shalom Tots workshop she “learned” to knead challah while my husband and I chased behind her cleaning up the flour-y mess.
The kitchen is a perfect entry into Judaism for our growing family. Recently, our daughter and I “cooked” a kugel together. I measured, poured and prepped the ingredients then she stirred the noodles. All along the way we talked about what we were making, how mommy got the recipe from nana and how we were going to eat the kugel with daddy later. We practiced new words, worked on fine & gross motor coordination, soaked up some of our Ashkenazic heritage and had a great hour together. As she gets older I know our culinary sessions will become more interactive, fun and educational – for both of us. And one day my daughter will have the same generational Jewish memories that I have.
Interested in starting a few traditions of your own? Click here for the Open Tent’s list of favorite food blogs and recipe sites. Have a recipe you’d like to share? Please comment below…
My first year as a parent has ushered in countless “firsts.” First extended conversation about diapering, first 2am pumping session, first (of many) shopping trips for endless baby supplies, first time watching my daughter take a step and first time considering my family’s Jewish affiliation.
Before Sydney, my husband and I were “twice a year” temple people – Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur. We celebrated Passover with our extended families and lit Chanukah candles with our nephews before digging into mounds of gifts. I think we spent a total of 10 hours max at temple in 2007.
Lately, things seem to have changed. Sydney and I visit temple weekly for interactive (albeit non-religious) mommy & me classes; I happily sit on the tots committee of the Open Tent; and I’ve been asked to write this first tots blog post. Over the past year, my husband and I have participated in Mitzvah Day and committed to attending Tot Shabbat and regular Open Tent activities at the Miami Children’s Museum. Rabbi Pomerantz is now in my address book. We’ve met wonderful families and learned a ton about introducing Judaism into our homes. We’ve lit menorahs, blessed challah and had our first Seder with Sydney.
Perhaps most importantly, we’ve begun to incorporate religion into our regular existence. It’s not something we think about twice a year anymore. Judaism doesn’t dominate our lives or dictate our weekends, but we are continuously enjoying the cultural and religious aspects of being Jews in 2009 in Miami – Shabbat on the Beach, matzah pizza making with Chef Michael Jacobs, family outings with new friends and more. We look forward to many more experiences throughout the year and hope you join us!
About the Author:
Valerie Schimel is a freelance journalist specializing in parenting, health and lifestyle. She is the founder and editor of MiamiMunchkins.com, Miami’s leading destination for events, products and information for moms, dads & kids 4 and under. Valerie lives on Miami Beach with her husband Adam and their daughter Sydney.
