Spending too much time taking pictures and videos with our phones turns us into observers. It’s more important we be lifelong learners and participants. Passover, like life itself, requires involvement and collaboration. So let’s put down our phones and remember the Exodus is our story.
Summer nights meant ice cream on the porch. We provided the porch; my grandparents provided the ice cream. My grandfather also taught me about the importance of learning and wonder.
Our concept of what it means to “win” has changed along with an increased emphasis on “coming out on top.” Too many parents put exorbitant pressure on their children to be number one. Perhaps we need to remember that true success comes from self-improvement and what we give to others. Not a single Commandment says, “Thou Shalt Win.”
My grandmother, Nana Sarah, was a determined fireball when my grandfather became sick. She did everything possible to ease his final days. Where did she get her strength? Nana Sarah looked outward to God and inward to find pull the best of herself. Like the Maccabees, she understood prayer was not enough. She combined inner resolve with faith.
I have fond memories of a Cape Cod walk I took with my daughter. I will never forget her spirit of adventure and desire to try a new path. How glorious to embark upon a journey without relying on Google Maps or Google Reviews! Modern technology has benefits but can limit imagination. What does the Jewish faith say about personal exploration?
Why are people so angry? Angry people abound on the road, in the supermarket, even on vacation. My husband and I witnessed this anger while in a beautiful, Caribbean resort. But was it anger? Perhaps it was entitlement. And what kind of example does this behavior set our children?
My two great-uncles, Joseph Ford and Abraham Shapiro, helped found Brandeis University. They asked Albert Einstein to be the first president. He refused. His reasons led to a long-running debate in my family. Should we stick to what we know or strike out in new directions?
My grandmother, Nana Evelyn, loved to share her thoughts and stories from her past. Her indecipherable expressions (“Nana Evelyn-isms”) sometimes blended with people I never heard of, such as Yakob, the shoemaker’s son. Nana Evelyn believed Yakob’s inability to think for himself, led to his downfall. Similarly, when Moses disappeared up the mountain, the Israelites, now forced to think for themselves, made disastrous choices. It is important for parents to encourage independence and proper decision making so we don’t create another Yakob.
Why do so many people only talk about themselves? Why do they lack interest in others? I call these people “The Great I Ams,” and they are running wild. Inter-personal connections are impossible when we can’t see beyond ourselves. So how can we raise a child whose middle name is not “Self Absorbed”?