hoosier mama
By
Farrah
Alexander
A
Give Back This
Holiday Season
S I’VE EXPLAINED to my two small children, different
households celebrate different holidays during winter. Many
households welcome Christmas and our home welcomes
Hanukkah. I grew up in a house that celebrated Christmas,
but as I became an adult I found myself on the path to Judaism.
Because I don’t come from a Jewish family with generations of deeply held
holiday traditions, it’s up to me as a parent to make my own.
This has been really fun.
Every night of Hanukkah, (which is eight nights, just like the Adam Sandler
song), I light the candles on the menorah along with my children, and they put
the little felt candles on the menorah we display on a wall in our living room.
Then, the moment they really get excited about – presents!
Each night, the kids get a small gift after we light the menorah and it officially
becomes the next night of Hanukkah. It may be a book, a set of new pajamas or
maybe even a toy they have been asking for every single time we go to Target.
One night of Hanukkah always falls on Shabbat, which is the Sabbath or
Jewish day of rest on Friday night. This is a particularly special day during
Hanukkah. Although Hanukkah is a holiday that comes around once a year,
Shabbat is a holiday we celebrate every week.
So, on this night I bring out a gift, show it to my son and explain that it’s
not for him.
My children, like so many of ours, are very fortunate and blessed. They live
in a safe, climate-controlled home with a loving family. They have access to
food whenever they’re hungry. They have clothes and puffy coats to keep them
warm when the weather gets chilly. They’re so blessed that they even get gifts
that they want for Hanukkah!
On Shabbat during the days of Hanukkah, I remind them of this. I teach
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them the uncomfortable truth that there are many people, including children
like them, that are less fortunate and have significant needs.
This is my way of incorporating the fundamental concept of tzedakah in our
holiday traditions. Tzedakah is a Hebrew word that basically means charity
in English but is actually derived from a Hebrew root meaning r