L'Shana Tova - Happy New Year!

Yesterday my son and I attended a "Torah for Tots" program for the second year in a row. Given that my son is an active 3 year old, this short program for children often stands in for my own formal programming at this time of year. (Next year I really need to sign up for childcare and find a spiritual home).

The teacher did a fabulous job with 2 and 3 year olds and this year the program included talk about tashlikh - the throwing away of one's sins for the new year, done symbolically by throwing bread crumbs into a moving body of water. The teacher asked if anyone had ever made a mistake and my son quickly raised his hand. I smiled, wow, such an honest boy! (Never mind the fact that the next day he asked me what a mistake was.) Another little boy in the audience volunteered the fact that his brother made a lot of mistakes, bringing laughter for all of the adults in the room.

The teacher unfolded a "river" at the front of the class and asked the children to come and sit around it. I asked my son if he wanted to go and he said yes, and before I could stand up, he wove his way between adults sitting in children's chairs and other little children to find a spot on the river bank. I smiled, proud of his confidence in trying something new. He chatted with a mom sitting near by and did a good job of listening and waiting for his "breadcrumbs" (little bits of paper) and throwing them into the river at the right moment. Not once did he look back at me. He them navigated the sea of children and knees and found me again. (Joshua begins preschool next week and I have to admit to thinking his confidence and curiosity meant he was indeed ready for preschool and hours without mom.)

The children also received torahs and then marched around the room. Again, Joshua was up for this activity and patiently waited his turn to receive the torah, and again waited patiently to return it.

Joshua is observant - and asked me why everyone was "wearing hats." I explained that the men and boys were wearing kippahs (yamakas) and he indicated that he wanted one too. I told him we would get him one, forgetting to tell him he already had his very own kippah given to him at a bar mitzvah. Wow, my little man, already establishing his Jewish identity!

After the program it was time for the playground - something my son sees as an integral part of visiting the synagogue. It was a beautiful day, and as we talked while he played I watched a couple of teenage boys also playing on the playground equipment. (No doubt enjoying the fact that there were few adults around to tell them otherwise.) I wondered if that would be my son in another decade, leaving service to talk to pretty girls (as other boys were) or challenging a friend to follow the leader over playground equipment?

Another fond moment - walking back to the car with grandma with Joshua saying, "Wow I have a breeze" as one kicked up, shaking the leaves in the neighborhood. He then noticed that grandma had a breeze, and then that Mommy did too. Like I said, he is an observant young man!

Where is God?

One day recently I asked my son who God was. He responded with a sentence about Shabbat, lighting candles and not blowing them out, and juice for God - but don't drink the juice he reminded me! He then asked me, "Where he (God) is?" Oh wow, I thought to myself, these questions are starting now? I'm not ready! Oh well, I thought as I replied, "God is everywhere." He seemed satisfied with that.

Later that evening when we were reading before bed, he asked me again, "Where he is?" I gave him the same answer as earlier, "everywhere." He then said, "I think God wants to go outside and look at the stars and the moon." I smiled, saying, "I bet he does!"

Recently my two-year-old niece showed her mother a picture she was drawing. My niece proudly told her it was a picture of God. Better keep that picture!

I like the idea that as we adults pride ourselves on trying to understand the world, it is the youngest ones amongst us who really do.

Keeping Kosher at Preschool 101

Preschool is just around the corner now, and I am learning something new with each piece of mail. What was new to me, but really shouldn't have been, was the fact that the preschool keeps Kosher. I knew that from my first research of the school, but I was thinking that meant no meals that mixed meat and dairy. Of course it means that, but so much more. While children can purchase lunch at school, for those who bring their own, it must be dairy only. Then my mother-in-law had to educate me. My home is not Kosher, thus the meals I prepare are not Kosher. When I cook meat, it is not Kosher. To be sure that Kosher is kept, children are asked to bring only dairy meals from home. I felt a little silly having had to relearn what I thought I knew about this. (But didn't a wise person once say we should learn something new each day?) With so many children coming from different backgrounds (both Jewish and non Jewish), the school needs to make sure that everyone follows the same dietary standards when at school. I wonder how hard that is?

What that means for "brown baggers" is a dairy lunch is OK, as is one with tuna and fish sticks. And then, of course, the usual, fruit and vegetables, drinks, etc.

For birthdays, the school encourages families to ask teachers for suggestions for a book or game that the birthday child and their family can donate to the class, in lieu of a birthday treat. If treats are brought in, they must be prepackaged and carry the Kosher symbol. I love the idea of teaching my son to give to others on his birthday, and even with his having a summer birthday, I plan to help him celebrate it early and before school ends for the year with a gift to his class. As for birthday treats, I have months to mull that one over!

Summer Break

I haven't posted in two months. I have worked full time in the summer the past few years, and it was the same for the summer of 2010. The work I do (summer residential camp) is intense, and takes weeks of prep work and then wrap-up so I haven't had much time to post. I have to get better about that next year, think ahead and do some writing to sustain me over the summer.

As I have thought about this, it sadly mirrors my own Jewish learning over the summer. Not much new on that front. Pushed aside for other things. Now that things have slowed down a bit, I find myself thinking about things more. Probably a lot of reasons for that - High Holy Days, Jewish preschool starting, a bit more time to contemplate life. I wonder if that happens with others - a religious summer break, in a sense...

How to You Correctly Pronounce the Word God?

One of the traditions my husband and I have started with our son is reading The Bedtime Sh'ma by Sarah Gershman each night as the final book before bed. It is a nice way to bring a peaceful setting to the night, and I always find myself thinking about the words. The book starts off with the lines, "What have I done today? Did I hurt someone else? I ask for forgiveness. Did someone hurt me? I try to forgive." It is a good way to review my own actions ans words during the day.

Naturally, the word God comes up a lot.

Last week while reading the book, after hearing me say the word God, my son said, "No, mom, its God." I looked at him and tried to say God exactly the way he did, but he was not satisfied with my attempt. He corrected me again (in his mind at least, as my ears heard no difference in our pronunciations.) Is there really more than one way to say God? And am I really being corrected on this by a three year old?

Preschool Thoughts

When I had my son, I never gave much thought to preschool. I was so busy learning everything a new mom needs to, that preschool seemed light years away. Then I started my Mother's Circle class and it introduced me to the idea of Jewish preschool and the idea really grew on me.

Many of the mother's in my class had sent/were sending their children to Jewish preschool and they had a lot of good things to say about it. As a MOJ (my newly coined term meaning Mother of a Jew), but not a Jew themselves, they liked the idea of having their children learn about Judaism in friendly environment, and by those more versed in Judaism than themselves. Many of the moms felt that they learned right along with their children and that their children's preschool experiences were helping them create a more Jewish centered home. Even the occasional "How come we don't say this prayer at home, Mommy?" encouraged conversations between the moms and their Jewish spouses. Jewish preschool seemed like a good way to not only help your child learn all things Jewish, but for the family to as well.

Can you see where this is going?

My husband and I are sending my son to a Jewish preschool in the fall. I am excited and nervous, as any mother would be sending her child to school for the first time. Will he make friends? Will he enjoy it? Will he miss me? Will I make a good Kosher lunch? Will I remember to check my calendar each week to remind myself that there is no preschool on Jewish holidays, some of which I have never heard of? Will I stand out as a non-Jewish mom? Do preschools have room mothers? Do you have to be Jewish to be a Jewish mom? =)

Noah and the Ark - Totally Jewish!

Recently a friend and I were shopping at Costco and we stopped at the children's book area. We were there quite awhile and took turns showing my son different books to keep him occupied while we shopped. My friend handed him car books, then dinosaurs books, then grabbed a Noah and the ark book. Before she handed it to him though, she stopped and said, "Oh, you wouldn't be interested in this!" I knew immediately what she meant - she thought Noah was not an appropriate book for a boy being raised Jewish. I smiled and said, "Oh Noah and the ark? He's totally Jewish!"

I came home thinking about that and smiling, it is not the first time I encountered someone thinking a story they know as a Christian was not a Jewish story. When you are raised in one religion I don't think there is usually a lesson in which you learn that some religious figures are "shared" by other religions. There should be, because I think it would go a long way in helping people understand different religions. Of course, now I want to be the one to write that book, but I have a lot to learn before I can do that. Perhaps a brochure entitled, "Totally Jewish" to be given to interfaith families, to help those raised as Christians know there is a lot of shared history? Look for it at your nearest bookstore.... some day!