If I Had A Hammer.....

I often read and hear about "building Jewish Community", but what does this mean? Does this mean building a place where all Jews come together to pray? Socialize? Meet? Discuss? Learn? Perhaps all of these and more. But what I am seeing more and more as I reach out, connect, and get to know our Jewish families in the Greater Palm beaches is that, while everyone is worried about building this place or places for the Jews, something already exists---here, in the great, big virtual world.

There are Jewish events and activities listed on calendars, webpages full of worship listings and Jewish educational links galore. You can take Jewish college ocurses online and even learn to play Jewish music. Social media allows us to reconnect with friends from Jewish camps, Jewish day schools, and youth groups. Baby pictures are shared, play dates and girls night out planned and recipes are swapped.

The naysayers would argue that an online community is not the same, as when pepople meet in person and I do agree. But, when we look at how Jewish families use the worldwide web to learn about and to connect to their local Jewish community, we can agree that there is something there. Nothing, of course, can replace a syanagogue sanctuary, a JCC gymnasium, or a school classroom. What I am saying is that now we have even more ways to be "Jewish" and to better ourselves.

So whether you enter a Jewish online parenting chat site, or participate in a Temple committee, or give to a Jewish organization (this can be done online too!), or provide your child with a Jewish education, realize that this is ALL part of your "building" a Jewish community.

Sharing BIG News

I have exciting news to share. Do I send out a press release, call everyone I know, post a billboard on Military Trail? Maybe. But, my first thought was to write a BLOG. Why blogging? Because it is not something I do very often. Maybe it will get more attention. I email all day long, post things on Facebook a few times a week, but blogging is something I save for when I have something important to say. This got me to thinking (I'll get to my big news later): "How do we share news?"

I have seen baby announcements (with hospital photos) on Facebook. I have been invited to graduations and Bat Mitzvahs in an email. I guess they all make sense. Certainly, lots of people get the message, really quick. But it sometimes, I wonder if everyone needs to get "our news" and if our BIG news will be jumbled into everyone's daily "news". When clicking a "to" box instead of addressing an envelope, do we end up "over sharing"? And, what do we want in return? Will friends send you a baby gift from a hospital room tweet? Do we expect someone to mail a check or gift back from an E-vite?

We all have lots of news to share, all the time. Not that I haven't sent an E-vite or posted events on Facebook, but as I sit here today with BIG news, I 'm not quite sure how to share it or where to start. In the end, I suppose I will do it all: the press release, the Facebook, the blog, and the viral emails. I guess nowadays you have to do it all. But, I wonder, how many more people will really get it?

For what it's worth, here's the scoop:

We here at the Friedman Commission for Jewish Education have been chosen to pilot The PJ Library program, PJ Goes to School. This new program (we are the FIRST to have it!) will provide professional development training for our Jewish preschool teachers in both Judaic content and literature based curriculum skills. Using the PJ Library materials, including the books (the SAME ones our PJ families get at home), these teachers will integrate PJ lessons, values, and rituals into the rhythm of daily life. So, if you have a 3 or 4 year old in a participating PJ Goes to School classroom, look for some familiar stories and lessons in your classroom environment and to be shared with YOU, the parent for your homelife as well. We are so blessed to be able to enhance and enrich our already stellar Early Childhood Centers with this program. So, go ahead, forward this to friend, copy it to a neighbor or just tell everyone you know: "We have BIG news!"

How To Put Being Jewish On Your Radar

As a parent, you have twenty million things on your brain each day. And, I am sure "being Jewish" or "doing Jewish stuff with the kids" is on the list. But in the real world, it is easy for some things to get push to the bottom. So, I am here to share with you some of easy ways I have found to put being Jewish on your radar.

1. Try incorporating Jewish words/topics into your daily conversations with your kids. For example, instead of saying "TGIF" when you pick up the kids from school on Fridays, greet them with "Shabbat Shalom"----even if you know you will not have time that night to lights candles. Or, in the morning, wake your sleepy head with "Boker Tov" (Hebrew for good morning). And, when your child does something helpful around the house or treats a sibling with kindness, praise them by calling them a "Mensch".

2. Out of sight, out of mind------don't hide all the "Jewish things" you got at as a wedding gift. Put them on display in your home and let your children see them in a place of honor. Let them and everyone who visit your house that you live in a Jewish home. A great idea from my boss is to even make sure your ritual objects are at "kid level"---whatever height your child is currently.

3. Do a "drive by". Find an excuse to drop by your local synagogue (even if you are not a member) on your way to baseball, soccer or a music lesson. Drop off coins in their tzedakah box, donate can foods for their food drive, say hello to the rabbi or cantor. Anything that works for you to show your kids that this is "their" temple and it's fun and easy to visit.

4. Give responsibility to someone ELSE--now that your candlesticks are at kid level, why not give your child the "job" of pulling them out each Friday morning before s/he leaves for school? It will remind you when you come home that evening to light them. How about another job of polishing the kiddush cup, or bringing home the challah on Fridays from school or from a bakery? Kids love "jobs", especially when rewarded with a sticker on chart or even a special hug for a job well done.

These are just some ideas, I hope they help. It's not hard to put Judaism on you radar, sometimes you just need to be a little creative.

Beyond the Books

Almost everyday I am thanked for "the books". Part of my job as the Director of Jewish Family Life is to oversee the The PJ Library program in the Greater Palm Beaches. The PJ Library program sends FREE Jewish books and music to children ages 6 months-6 years. So, to over 1200 children (about 1000 families) I am "the book lady". The reality is that, the books come from a centralized distribution center in Western Massachusetts via the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. Most of the books, I never even get to see. In my own household, my youngest daughter receives the age 6 year old books which we adore.

So, while I am appreciative of these emails, calls and stops in Publix to thank me for the "books", it is the "beyond the books" stuff that really gets me excited. It's when I hear how a family's connection to a story has enticed them to start celebrating a Jewish holiday at home or looking into Jewish preschools for their child. The PJ Library is truly a family engagement program that acts as the start of family's Jewish journey. It's hearing these types of stories that really tell me that we are a success.

So, as I help families go "beyond the books", new challenges and opportunities have come up. How do I serve all these institutions and families from Boynton Beach to Martin County by myself? How can I be everywhere? Have no fear, there is a plan, and it is good. We here at the Commission for Jewish Education will soon be unveiling a major initiative to best serve young Jewish Families in our community. It is exciting, it is BIG and of course, it is costly. But most importantly, it is what is truly needed. So, I feel confident that the same kind of true philanthropists and forward thinkers who helped make the PJ Library program a reality for us will make this possible too.

At this time, I challenge our families to continue to reach out to the Jewish Family Life department here at the CJE and to stay tuned for what will be the NEXT BIG thing in going "beyond the books" for you and your family.

Amy Bergman

a.bergman@cjepb.org

561.209.2608

Hanukkah Appreciation

I am on Hanukkah overload and the first candle is not even lit yet! There are so many Hanukkah happenings to chose from.......decisions, decisions. This has actually reminded me of a couple of conversations I have had with PJ Library parnets who, with their families, have moved away from South Florida. They call me and tell me how "different" Jewish life is in other parts of country like Tennessee or South Carolina. They are finding themselves actively seeking out Jewish things to do with their kids and places where they can connect with other Jewish families. They report to me how much they took for granted when they lived here in Palm Beach, often even skipping events because it took a little effort.

One mom arrived in her new city to find the local PJ Library community there was "on hold" due to lack of funding. So, the precious books her kids had been getting for almost a year (thru PJ Palm beach) wouldn't be coming to their new address. Now, here's a miracle: instead of getting angry or upset, she decided to be part of the drive to help get the program funded in her new city. She used her experience as a PJ mom to speak to others about what the program can do for a child and for a family.

All I am saying is, that I am beginning to see how easy it can be take things for granted when you live in such a vibrant Jewish community. Yes, there are a dozen places to go to see a Hanukkiah be lit. Yes, there are even more places to go to eat delicious latkes and spin the dreidel. And this Hanukkah, I will proudly light my menorah and take FULL advantage of all the Hanukkah events/dinners/gatherings I can. I hope to see lots of friends there. For events listing, see the JFL calendar at http://www.cjepb.org/.

Latke recipes for you to try: http://allrecipes.com/recipes/holidays-and-events/hanukkah/latkes/main.aspx

To make your OWn applesauce: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/applesauce-recipe/index.html

Just Say Shal-oooohhhm!

I am in the final stretch of preparations for our four sessions of the Shabbat Ima workshops. So basically, I have been doing nothing but thinking about Shabbat for the past few weeks. I've been scanning the survey results from moms telling me what they want to learn about Shabbat, how they want their family experience to be and also their absolute fears about how to make this happen.

This has really challenged me to step outside my box and to see Shabbat from a different perspective. Throwing together a Shabbat experience for my family (no matter how brief) may come easy for me, but may be completely daunting for others. So, my challenge has been, how do I create a workshop that is non-threatening, informative and fun for women at all different levels of comfort? How do I bring to the room the excitement I feel about Shabbat and what it can do for a family? How do I empower these women to take home just ONE new idea and try it out? After much thougth and planning, I think I have found the way, I am excited about meeting these fabulous women who have already registered for a workshop. Who knows? maybe I'll even make some new friends along the way........ Have YOU signed up yet? Call today at me 209.2608.

Enjoyable High Holiday Services for Your Family

An interesting fax came across my desk this week (yes, some people still do fax things). In it was a short blurb, "How To Make Your Synagogue Experience More Meaningful". It listed some good ideas:

1. If a particular sentence or paragraph touches you--linger a while. Allow the words to touch you.

2. Five minutes of prayer said with feeling understanding and personal connection to the words and their significance means far more than five hours of lip service.

3. As you sit in your synagogue on the High Holidays, you are joined by millions of Jews all over the world.

These were some good ideas, but they got me thinking about how I (really, we, my husband does play a large role in this) make our synagogue experience meaningful for us and for our chidren.

Here's some of what we do:

1. We begin talking about each holiday BEFORE it happens. We do this mostly with great Jewish story books at bedtime (I have a connection). We listen to holiday kids music (there are a lot of great ones out there, even on YouTube). If they bring home a holiday related craft project or drawing from school, we hang it up as decoration on the refirgerator or even laminate it as a placemat to use at all meals. We talk about listening to the shofar blown during the service and what other things could happen.

2. We sign up for everyone to attend a serice that is age appropiate for them. For us, we take advantage of childcare at temple during the adult services and then attend the family service all together (including the grandparents!) in the afternoons. When the kids were younger, we went to the tot program together. Pictured above is my daughter practicing blowing shofar on the bimah. Some temples have childrens services that invite the kids up to particiapte. Take advantage of this opportunitites, it gets them excited. And as my rabbi always says, a good 15 minute temple experience for your child is better than an hour of you hushing them and making them sit down.

3. On the way home from synagogue and at the table for lunch, we discuss what happened and the themes in the service. We ask them: What did you pray for during the silent meditation? Why do you think we went outside and tossed bread into the canal? Who would like to help fill up this empty shopping bag with cans for the food pantry at temple?

It sounds simple, but I know that it does take some effort to make services a more meaningful experience. Think about your own synagogue experience as child. For me, I remember my parents "patting down" my brother before each service to make sure he wasn't smuggling in a toy or even food (on Yom Kippur, no less!) in his suit or in his socks. This makes me laugh now but at the time, I saw how stressful it was for my parents. I want my children to have a spiritual life of their own, a connection to G-d and their religion. And I think positive synagogue experiences are good start.