TEMPLE TALK

In a recent conversation with a congregant, he
observed that his daughter, who is preparing for her
Bat Mitzvah, probably knows much of the Shabbat
morning service simply because she attends
regularly. As I observed in last month’s article, I
learned the High Holiday Shacharit service simply
by coming to shul early in the morning each year
and listening to Maurice Shaw daven.
This led me to think about how true it is that
one of the best ways to learn about Jewish practices
is by repetition. We daven three times a day, we
have Shabbat services each week, we say HaMotzi
and Birkat HaMazon after each meal, we bless our
children each Friday night, etc. All these repetitive
actions help reinforce the customs and traditions of
our individual families and our religious heritage.
When children are routinely exposed to these
things, they begin to internalize them and hopefully
will continue these observances themselves and
pass them on to the next generation.
Our ancestors said Na’aseh v’nishma – we will
do and then we will listen – when receiving the Ten
Commandments. Mitzvot are best understood and
appreciated through experience.
If we want our children to continue our
traditions, we must constantly expose them to the
rituals and have them observe us living a Jewish
Kadima & Chaverim
Join Chaverim (4th and 5th
graders) and Kadima (6th and 7th
graders) for an exciting night at a
Phantoms Ice Hockey game on
Sunday, January 20, at 4 pm.
There’s no school the next day,
so there’s no excuse to miss it!
Space is limited, so sign up
now. The cost is $30 and
includes bus transportation from
TBS, the Phantoms ticket, a slice
of pizza, a pretzel and a soda.
For more information or to
sign up, please contact me at
267-253-4584 or
ssaidel2000@yahoo.com.
Sue Saidel,
Advisor
Ritual Committee
Teaching Our Children
January 2008 TEVET/SHEVAT 5768 Page 10
life. Whether it is involvement in the synagogue,
giving to worthwhile causes or doing good deeds,
if our children see us making these things
important in our lives, they, too, may absorb these
concepts into their lives. Then it becomes second
nature to continue along this path.
Most of our holidays involve home rituals.
Think of the Pesach Seder, building a Sukkah,
lighting Hanukkah candles, lighting candles and
reciting Kiddush before our Shabbat dinners, so
our children are exposed to the smells, sights and
sounds of our traditions in the comfort of their
homes. They should be encouraged to ask
questions (the Seder requires this!) and, hopefully,
we can supply them with meaningful answers. If
we want Jewish customs and traditions to
continue, we must perform them, have our
children observe us, and participate themselves
and then learn the reasons behind and the
meanings of these traditions. Jewish education is
a life-long endeavor, starting with our preschool,
elementary, BeST Hebrew High programs at TBS,
then attending our community Midrasha, then
taking Judaic courses in college and, finally,
Adult Enrichment courses throughout our adult
lives. Practice produces continuity.
Alvin Stern
GIFT CARD CORNER
A TBS member and his family stayed at a Marriott Resort
recently, and paid for it with SCRIP cards, and TBS earned
$900!
When several other members took their families to Disney
World and paid for their trips with SCRIP cards, TBS also
earned a profit.
A few members going to the movies earned $27 for us. Some
amounts may seem small, but when we add them up, TBS
has the potential to earn big dividends while you are out
having fun!
When looking for that special gift, order SCRIP cards from the
retailers on our SCRIP list. Order forms are available online at
www.tbsonline.org or at the synagogue
office.
This program takes very little effort but can
result in big returns, so give it a try! For info
call Sandy Agus at 489-3221 or Beverly
Glass at 424-3689.