December 2008

Dear Friends,

With the month of December fast approaching, the Festival of Hanukkah is not far away. This year, Hanukkah falls at the same time as Christmas, as it does from time to time, and this offers us an even greater opportunity than otherwise to reflect upon our experience as a minority-faith-community living in a larger world. While we are fortunate beyond measure to live in a society in which our festivals are respected and wherein we can practice our faith freely, Christmas affords our children and families certain challenges and opportunities that we would be wise to note as we navigate this time of year, whether as parents or grandparents of children being raised as Jews.

Whether we are “in-married” or “inter-married”, parents or grandparents, more observant or less observant, those who have chosen to raise children to be Jewish face questions and concerns from children whom we love that strike to the core of the challenges and opportunities, at this time of year. And, whether the issues involve the many Santas at the Mall, holiday songs at school, or who gets more or fewer gifts, there are two fundamental variables that impact at least as much as any other how Jewish children process the larger world of Christmas within which they experience their own world of Hanukkah; (1) the depth of the pride in being Jewish that our children learn from us as their adult-role-models, at this time of year and all year round, and (2) the extent of the tolerance of, and interest in, other faiths, cultures, and traditions that their friends and neighbors are a part of, that they learn from us, as well. In a diverse, larger community, such as our own, both of these variables are vitally important, if our children are to feel comfortable and content with their own celebrations while championing those of their friends and neighbors. While I realize that this is the ideal, the ideal, in this situation, is often achievable, though none of us can do it alone; indeed, such an achievement demands our time and attention, and it does truly take a village! At Ner Tamid, we provide for one another, in many ways, just such a village.

As with so many learning opportunities and experiences that lead our children to define their assumptions and dispositions about themselves and toward others, how we live our adult lives, in December and throughout the year, at home, with our community, and in the larger world, will teach and influence our children far more so than what we might tell them verbally. When there is a general consistency between the lessons we live and those we speak, our children will tend to learn with an equal measure of consistency that which we would hope for them to learn. When active involvement and participation among a community of people who share these values and ideals is a part of our children’s lives and our own, the chances of their being learned and cherished is increased all the more so.

On Tuesday morning, December 16th, from 9:15 am to 10:30 am, in the Conference Room at Ner Tamid, I will lead a session for parents of our preschool, and any other parents of children among those of our synagogue who wish to join us, during which we can share, discuss, and consider approaches to addressing specific issues or concerns that arise at this time of year, whether for ourselves or for our children. I encourage you to please call the synagogue to RSVP to attend this session. In the event that you cannot make it, or should you have a specific matter that you’d like to discuss with me, please feel free to call me at my synagogue-study. We can speak by telephone or meet in person, whichever works better for you.


May this Hanukkah be filled with God’s greatest blessings of Light, for all of us and for the entire world.

B’Shalom – With Blessings of Peace and Wholeness,

Rabbi Isaac Jeret
Spiritual Leader