We’re looking forward to welcoming you to our new Blessing of a Skinned Knee discussion group. All are welcome to our weekly discussion groups with Rabbi Gayle Pomerantz. All sessions will be held from 9:15-10:15am in Temple Beth Sholom’s Welcome Center. Please note updated dates below & see the flyer for additional info:
Hope to see you there!
The Open Tent and the ReThink and ReUSe Center of Miami are joining forces to celebrate Tu B’Shevat this month at the Miami Children’s Museum. Bring the whole family to the museum Sat, Jan 24 at 3pm for storytelling and more – see the flyer below for details…
Beginning Wednesday, January 13 join Rabbi Gayle Pomerantz for a four-part parenting discussion series revolving around the Jewish classic, The Blessing of a Skinned Knee. All sessions run from 9:15-10:15, see flyer below for details.
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.
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.
