Life Cycle
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.
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).
Salt - An Old Tradition Becomes ReNEWed
Submitted by Administrator on Thu, 08/13/2009 - 07:58Salt -
It is customary that salt is one of the first items we bring into a new home along with bread and wine. As salt is one of the essential ingredients in a good meal along with bread and wine for celebration!
Blessings and When and Where for a Tallit
Submitted by Administrator on Wed, 08/12/2009 - 17:01Details - Old and New Traditions for the Tallit
When praying or reading Torah, the custom is to wear a prayer shawl with tzitzit (fringes). There are different customs as to when this is done.
It is the tiny details and reasons that make so many of our traditions unique and interesting.
Here are just a few:
Most will not wear a tallit before the age of bar or bat mitzvah. It is part of the ritual when one first reads Torah to start wearing a tallit when praying and reading Torah.
Red Ribbon - Protect the Babies!
Submitted by Administrator on Tue, 08/11/2009 - 23:00Tie a red ribbon on the babies carriage or crib for protection.
This comes from a very old superstition and folklore about keeping the evil spirits away from the children. There is "magic" in the color red and the quote from Psalm 121 and the the 3 angels Sanvai, Sansanvai and Semanglof. All which is represented in the ribbons we offer!
A Pen for A Bar Mitzvah
Submitted by Administrator on Mon, 08/10/2009 - 22:23
Why a Fountain Pen for Bar/Bat Mitzvah?
OK so it is almost a joke now to give a Fountain Pen. It has been said:, "Today, I am a fountain pen," instead of "Today, I am a man."
A Bowl of Mitzvot
Submitted by Administrator on Mon, 08/10/2009 - 21:54Teaching children about mitzvot can become a fun family tradition. Make a special bowl that has age appropriate mitzvot on small papers to pull out once a week as a reminder to do something good for someone else.
You can download 30 "easy" to do mitzvot here.
Cut them up and put them in a pretty bowl or container. Each week on Shabbat you can pick a different mitzvot reminder to do the following week.
