August 2009
Red Ribbon - Bendel
Submitted by Administrator on Sun, 08/16/2009 - 19:55
We offer the red ribbons with the image of the 3 angels on it and a card explaining the tradition of the Bendel or the red ribbon to tie on the baby crib. Also a good item for fund raising.
Aleph Bet Cubes
Submitted by Administrator on Sat, 08/15/2009 - 11:46Make Aleph Bet Cubes-
Learn and Play Letter and Word Games!
(download the pdf of the template to make 4 mini cubes)
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Yom Kippur Sept 17-18
Submitted by Administrator on Sat, 08/15/2009 - 07:32
Starts with Kol Nidre and ends with the loud blast of the shofar. Yom Kippur marks the day to reflect, to redeem and to start over.
New Drivers Ceremony - New Tradition
Submitted by Administrator on Fri, 08/14/2009 - 07:58Our teenagers taking on the responsibility of driving is a major transition in their lives. Rabbi Janet Marder at Congregation Beth Am in California has written a special prayer for parents to use when "presenting the keys" to their new drivers. It is a beautiful ceremony with much meaning.
Shoes
Submitted by Administrator on Thu, 08/13/2009 - 22:01When someone dies they used to take their shoes out into the woods and throw them in all directions. I remember my mother telling me the shoes of a dead person should not be worn again. Today, we would not want to liter the woods with shoes, but some still will destroy or throw them away rather than giving them to someone to wear.
Don't put the hat on the bed
Submitted by Administrator on Thu, 08/13/2009 - 22:00While it is not certain that this is from Jewish origins, it seems the superstition comes from a time when people believed that evil spirits lived in the hair. This could have been believed from the static electricity that would discharge in the air when taking a hat off in a warm, dry environment. It is also believed that you don’t lay your hat where you’re going to lay your head because evil spirits spill out from hats. Another view on this custom is one of sanitary origins. Keeping the hat off from the bed also meant keeping lice from infesting the hat or the bed.
Adolescence: First Menstruation for Girls
Submitted by Administrator on Thu, 08/13/2009 - 21:49
I found a wonderful site with many different rituals and customs for this life cycle event. An Askenazi custom (minhag) for mothers to slap their daughters in the face on this occasion. The reasons varied from 'slapping sense' into a newly fertile girl so she would know not to disgrace the family to helping to bring a healthy flush to her face because of the bleeding. This is more of a superstition than a tradition and is also said to keep the evil spirits away.
Protecting the Babies... Superstitions
Submitted by Administrator on Thu, 08/13/2009 - 21:47Garlic and red ribbons were placed on the baby's crib to protect it from the evil eye, or demons. Lilith, one such demon, is specifically suspected of stealing small children for herself, since, as legend has it, she is forever bitter about her own inability to bear children.
Jewish amulets contain verse from Psalms to ward off evil spirits, especially the verse, "The sun shall not smite thee by day, neither the moon by night." (Psalm 121:6).
Superstitions relating to keeping the "evil eye" away...
Submitted by Administrator on Thu, 08/13/2009 - 21:34To change the name of a sick person in order to fool the angel of death
If a baby is named after a person who died young, also give a name after someone who lived long
Not to complement- say the opposite- so as not to attract the evil eye
Saying kein an ahore
My mother did a warding gesture- thumb between index & middle finger
Red bendles- especially around a newborn- this was way before the new interest in Kaballah
When fisrt entering a new home, bring salt, sugar & bread
Thanks to Elaine Belkind for these superstitions.
Yiddish Fun
Submitted by Administrator on Thu, 08/13/2009 - 11:35
Yiddish is the rich language of our heritage. Sounds of Hebrew, Russian, German and its own evolution make this wonderful language of expressions! See more of these Yiddish expressions
