1 SHAMASH.ORG /usr/www/wwwhc/listserv/archives/scj-parenting January 1996 2 23 20_Re: Boys name with M15_Georganne Burke19_nbcnet@inforamp.net29_Sun, 31 Dec 1995 18:16:39 GMT504_- In article <4c0jqu$r89@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, lkes@aol.com (Lkes) wrote:

> My wife & I seek suggestions for Hebrew/Biblical names beginning with the > letter "M". Any suggestions besides Moshe, Micha, Mendel, Menachim, > Mordachi, Menache or Meyer?

Melech, Motti ... That's about all I can think of ...

Georganne Burke

* This post reflects the author's opinion; the moderators' opinions may differ. * Always check medical and halachic opinions with appropriate authorities. 26 25 21_Re: Selecting a Mohel14_Robyn Kozierok26_robyn@rice-chex.ai.mit.edu28_Mon, 1 Jan 1996 01:35:13 GMT450_- In article , Seth Grimes wrote: >The only thing is that I shouldn't have let my mother get >any where near the events with a camera.

There's a part on the videotape from that day where Charles and I are shouting at my brother, who was wielding our video camera at that time, to SHUT IT OFF NOW! (He did) There are just certain things we didn't want explicit photographic memories of. [...] 52 23 32_Re: Play food challas and matzas10_MichelleFG18_michellefg@aol.com28_Mon, 1 Jan 1996 17:06:42 GMT383_- Louise,

I have this set and my son Max has enjoyed it for many hours - pretending to prepare Shabbat dinner and a Seder. Its lasted so far for 2 years with little evidence of use.

Have fun,

Michelle

* This post reflects the author's opinion; the moderators' opinions may differ. * Always check medical and halachic opinions with appropriate authorities. 76 32 21_Re: Selecting a Moyel13_Louise Miller22_miller@louise.ucsd.edu29_Fri, 29 Dec 1995 21:24:58 GMT315_us-ascii Another point to discuss with him:

If your bris should occur on Shabbat or a holiday, will he be able to come? We had a Shabbat bris, and we paid for a hotel room for the mohel and his family to stay in our neighborhood over Shabbat. We did this happily, because we wanted him and no one else. [...] 109 44 36_Re: Chanukah songs (for adults only)12_Sophie Miron21_soph@ocf.Berkeley.EDU29_Sat, 30 Dec 1995 00:50:04 GMT463_US-ASCII



> dana siegel (dana.siegel@zhora.com) wrote: > > At a Chanukah party at our local temple, this evening, the Cantor had > > several more verses to "I Had A Little Dreidel", and we all thought they > > were cute. Here they are:

I loved these lyrics!

The other day, Jawxillion and I were making up lyrics. I'll just share a sample. Warning, you won't want to repeat the second set of lyrics in front of toddlers or older. [...] 154 74 33_Re: Jews and Christmas in America15_Georganne Burke19_nbcnet@inforamp.net29_Sun, 31 Dec 1995 18:22:45 GMT631_- Nancy:

Unfortunately what you have described is the attitude of many Jewish families in North America and apparently around the world too (even Israel). The need that they have to celebrate a Christian holiday tells me that they have not quite gotten the point of their Jewish upbringing. As I have said before on this newsgroup, my children enjoyed seeing the Christmas lights, the trees in non-Jewish friends' homes, watching the classic Christmas movies, etc. But they never felt that this was something they wanted in their homes. They understood that this was essentially a Christian religious holiday and their [...] 229 79 21_Re: Selecting a Moyel19_Robert L. Abramczyk18_rla5d@virginia.edu29_Sun, 31 Dec 1995 00:56:50 GMT605_- latauber@aol.com writes: > I am a first time mom looking for a moyel and would like sugestions for > questions to ask when interviewing moyels. Any help would be appreciated! > > Leigh Tauber > Leigh Tauber > > * This post reflects the author's opinion; the moderators' opinions may differ. > * Always check medical and halachic opinions with appropriate authorities. > -- > This forum discusses issues specific to childrearing in a Jewish context. > Submissions: scjp-submit@shamash.org ** Pre-Review: scjp-advice@shamash.org > Want the FAQ? Send the message "send scjp-faq" to faigin@shamash.org [...] 309 26 20_Re: Boys name with M11_Alan Houser15_troop24@emf.net29_Sun, 31 Dec 1995 21:56:50 GMT369_- Lkes (lkes@aol.com) wrote: : My wife & I seek suggestions for Hebrew/Biblical names beginning with the : letter "M". Any suggestions besides Moshe, Micha, Mendel, Menachim, : Mordachi, Menache or Meyer?

Well, we have a Matthew/Mattityahu. And there is Michael.



Alan R. Houser Father to Ari (16), Jonathan (13), Matthew (13) troop24@emf.net [...] 336 56 21_Re: Tzedaka Practices15_Georganne Burke19_nbcnet@inforamp.net28_Mon, 1 Jan 1996 00:18:39 GMT559_- My daughter and I were in Chicago last summer and had just enjoyed a lovely dinner at Annies in the Congress Hotel. We were walking back to the Sheraton along Michigan Avenue, when we were approached by one of the many street people who populate Michigan Avenue in the evening. He asked for money. I am always concerned about simply giving money, not really feeling comfortable about how it will be used. But I had a styrofoam container of chicken, rice and vegetables left over from our dinner. My daughter was going to eat it the next day for lunch. [...] 393 22 11_Purim books0_32_Meredith_Warshaw@charlesview.com28_Mon, 1 Jan 1996 03:36:00 GMT395_- I know this is a little early, but I was wondering if anyone had suggestions of a good Purim book for a child of about kindergarten age.

Happy New Year to all, Meredith Meredith_Warshaw@charlesview.com mother of Keith, 4 1/2

* This post reflects the author's opinion; the moderators' opinions may differ. * Always check medical and halachic opinions with appropriate authorities. 416 53 24_Swedish Jews & Christmas14_Maynard Gerber26_100732.1234@compuserve.com28_Mon, 1 Jan 1996 11:53:36 GMT617_- I am an American, who has been serving as the cantor of The Great Synagogue of Stockholm (Sweden) for the last 20 years. I read with great interest Nancy Brodzki's comments in the SCJ-Parenting forum, about a Jewish family celebrating Christmas. I have recently started a group for inter-married couples and of course the question about celebrating both holidays came up. It was pointed out by several people in the group, that Christmas does not necessarily have to be a religious celebration in Sweden - it's part of Swedish "culture", and therefore there's nothing wrong with celebrating both Christmas and [...] 470 27 21_Re: Selecting a Moyel0_32_Meredith_Warshaw@charlesview.com28_Tue, 2 Jan 1996 14:15:00 GMT293_- One more suggestion. The mohel who did Keith's bris gave us a detailed hand-out describing post-bris care, how things should and shouldn't look, etc. with his phone number on it and, in big letters, "PLEASE CALL WITH ANY PROBLEMS - THAT'S PART OF MY JOB" (or something to that effect). [...] 498 60 30_Re: Fooling Around with Prayer15_Marjorie Peskin24_mpeskin@lynx.dac.neu.edu29_Sat, 30 Dec 1995 03:23:50 GMT574_US-ASCII > > Marjorie Peskin (mpeskin@lynx.dac.neu.edu) wrote: > > However, he is playing with 'silly words' during the b'ruchot on > > Shabbat, and now for Chanukah. I know I should just ignore this, but > > it pushes about every button I've got. I really really HATE it. > > Although I agree with Eric Simon's approach (ignore it, if it doesn't > draw a reaction, he'll soon stop), my assessment of the cause is > different. > > Nathan (nearly 2y8m) does the same thing, though it isn't limited to > prayers. He plays vowel-shift and consonant-substitution games any [...] 559 139 28_Play food challas and matzas0_14_dinitz@tss.com28_Tue, 2 Jan 1996 23:23:15 GMT385_- I think facsimile challot and matzot make wonderful props for imaginative play, along with facsimile kiddush cups, Shabbat candles, shofarot, hand-washing cups, sefer Torah -- the works.

As long as we're on the subject of challah, I'll put in a plug for the real thing. We've been making challot with Nathan for nearly a year now (since he was about 1y10m). He loves it. [...] 699 291 47_Our Bris/Naming Ceremony, Part II, the ceremony12_Sophie Miron21_soph@ocf.Berkeley.EDU28_Wed, 3 Jan 1996 02:07:12 GMT319_US-ASCII The following is the ceremony we used to welcome our son into the covenant. Please read the intro I wrote in part I first. Much of this material is copyrighted by other people and I'm too lazy to look up what I got from what source, so keep that in mind. Many of the blessings are grammatically feminine. [...] 991 106 38_Our Brit/Naming Ceremony, part I intro12_Sophie Miron21_soph@ocf.Berkeley.EDU28_Wed, 3 Jan 1996 01:44:46 GMT559_US-ASCII Hi,

Several months ago I mentioned the ceremony I had put together for my son's bris and since I got several requests for it (and since a new request for creative ceremonies has come up) I'll post it to the group.

I'd like to preface the ceremony itself with a slight introduction to how I came up with it and what were the important points I considered. About two years ago, I spoke on an academic panel (I'm a grad student in Jewish Studies) on The Role of the Mother in Circumcision. Much of my questions and thinking have been [...] 1098 17 20_Re: Boys name with M11_Tova Stabin21_tova@u.washington.edu28_Mon, 1 Jan 1996 18:12:07 GMT203_-

my son's name is Mayim.



* This post reflects the author's opinion; the moderators' opinions may differ. * Always check medical and halachic opinions with appropriate authorities. 1116 36 20_Re: Boys name with M11_Ruth Heiges21_heiges@post.tau.ac.il28_Tue, 2 Jan 1996 05:58:52 GMT475_US-ASCII

> > In article <4c0jqu$r89@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, lkes@aol.com (Lkes) wrote: > > > My wife & I seek suggestions for Hebrew/Biblical names beginning with the > > letter "M". Any suggestions besides Moshe, Micha, Mendel, Menachim, > > Mordachi, Menache or Meyer? > > Melech, Motti ... That's about all I can think of ... > > Georganne Burke > Mendel is the Yiddish of Menachem, and Motti is the diminutive of Mordechai (via the Yiddish Mottel for same). [...] 1153 40 57_Re: Gift giving to children at Jewish Holidays in Israel?15_Fred Rosenblatt34_Frederic.H.Rosenblatt@jpl.nasa.gov28_Tue, 2 Jan 1996 21:22:22 GMT592_US-ASCII In article <4bvld4$h77@wolfe.wimsey.com>, Arlene Rimer wrote:

> An Israeli mother, temporarily in North America, told me that in Israel > there are many periods of gift giving frenzy in Israel around different > Jewish Holidays. One of them was Rosh Hashana. I don't remeber the > others. > > Does anyone know about the background of this gift giving custom in Israel > , what kind of gifts are given, when and to whom? Why has this not > crossed the seas to North America? > I believe the RAMBAM (Maimonides) in his laws of Yom Tov (holidays) writes [...] 1194 52 33_Re: Jews and Christmas in America14_Robyn Kozierok26_robyn@rice-chex.ai.mit.edu28_Wed, 3 Jan 1996 20:32:02 GMT572_- In article <4c5t2h$ni9@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, NLKBrodzki wrote: >Chanuka is a Jewish holiday. My children (10, 7 and 1 1/2) have >never felt "left out". Why? Because they have a strong and secure Jewish >identity. We are not particularly observant Jews. But my children go to >synagogue (Conservative) and Hebrew School and Sunday School. The holidays >are special in our home. Jewish families need to understand that if your >children know that their own Jewish holidays are special and meaningful, >they will never feel left out of anything [...] 1247 65 18_X-mas and Hannukah14_Scott-Thoennes17_sthoenna@PEAK.ORG28_Wed, 3 Jan 1996 23:14:39 GMT559_US-ASCII

I think Robyn made a good point, that even if we do everything right our kids *are* still going to feel left out sometimes. I believe that not only is that inevitable, it is also healthy (especially in our "Have it all" culture) to recognize at an early age that we *can't* have everything, that by choosing one thing we exclude others. Our elder daughter, Elana, is 2 1/2 now so this is the first year we've really had to deal with X-mas. She was fascinated by the lights, trees, etc. in stores and on neighbors houses. We explained to [...] 1313 48 33_Re: Jews and Christmas in America18_Isabel D Silverman27_isilverm@umabnet.ab.umd.edu28_Thu, 4 Jan 1996 20:56:35 GMT407_US-ASCII

I was really glad to read other responses, because I was beginning to wonder where I was failing my kids - they ALWAYS say they don't want to be Jewish, or that they also want to be "goyim" at Christmas time. I think in our society it's inevitable. My kids (2 out of 3) go to Jewish pre-schools, and we are an observant family, and they still are taken in by the lights and the media. [...] 1362 35 22_Re: X-mas and Hannukah7_SUBMAIL18_JFOX@MACC.WISC.EDU28_Thu, 4 Jan 1996 20:22:54 GMT587_- In sthoenna@PEAK.ORG writes:

> Jews shop here too?" she asked once). Then one day she came up to us > and said "When we're Xian, we'll put up Xian lights." "You're right," > I said "If we were Xian we'd celebrate Xian holidays, so we'd decorate > our house for X-mas. But then we wouldn't have apples and honey and > hear the shofar for Rosh HaShana, we wouldn't have a sukkah, or light > the hannukiah, or dress up in costumes for Purim." Elana looked a little Watch out for this argument when she is older because there [...] 1398 99 28_Re: Swedish Jews & Christmas15_Georganne Burke19_nbcnet@inforamp.net28_Tue, 2 Jan 1996 05:15:41 GMT652_- In article <960101115336_100732.1234_EHV64-2@CompuServe.COM>, Maynard Gerber <100732.1234@compuserve.com> wrote:

> I am an American, who has been serving as the cantor of The Great Synagogue of > Stockholm (Sweden) for the last 20 years. I read with great interest Nancy > Brodzki's comments in the SCJ-Parenting forum, about a Jewish family > celebrating Christmas. I have recently started a group for inter-married > couples and of course the question about celebrating both holidays came up. It > was pointed out by several people in the group, that Christmas does not > necessarily have to be a religious celebration in Sweden - it's [...] 1498 29 17_CTTS Re: G-d talk13_Louise Miller22_miller@louise.ucsd.edu28_Wed, 3 Jan 1996 18:11:23 GMT375_us-ascii My niece is growing up in Israel multilingual. Her parents are very strict about not mixing languages, in order to keep her English English and her Hebrew Hebrew.

So it was no wonder that when she started asking questions about G-d she asked about "The Shem."

(Hebrew word HaShem, literally "The Name," a very respectful way of referring to G-d.) [...] 1528 25 32_Re: Play food challas and matzas13_Louise Miller22_miller@louise.ucsd.edu28_Wed, 3 Jan 1996 18:42:39 GMT319_us-ascii What a great idea! Will it work for the cooking-impaired among us? What sort of bread maker would I need to buy? (Are they expensive?) Want to share your recipe? Any other advise for those of us who think that making Kinneret frozen challas is baking?

Louise (well if Nathan can do it.....) Miller [...] 1554 44 21_Re: Selecting a Moyel14_Howard Gershen18_howard@boxhill.com28_Thu, 4 Jan 1996 16:25:51 GMT560_-

I don't know if these points have been raised in the discussion so far:

1. Always have a backup.

When we were planning my now 4 m.o. son Adam's bris, we thought our shul was unavailable due to space limitations (just before the new school year), and so we arranged with a neighboring shul for space. We picked a mohel, and all was well until about 2-3 days before the big event and then it all fell apart (the planning). First we lost the 2nd shul because of a misunderstanding, then we had to reschedule the mohel because we were [...] 1599 36 23_CARASSO: TIRED -- WIRED19_Roger David Carasso12_rdc@best.com28_Tue, 2 Jan 1996 06:47:11 GMT427_-



Tuesday December 26th (3rd of Tevet 5756), at 1:29PM PSD, my wife Bonnie gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, putting things in perspective.



Tired Wired ----------------------------------------------------- Internet Life Web Pages Baby Home Page Birth Certificate Computers Nature Levi Jeans Oshkosh B'Gosh Modern Rock Rabbi Shlomo Carlbach Installing AOL's CD Making a Mobile from AOL CDs [...] 1636 27 24_Swedish Jews & Christmas14_Sheldon Gordon12_flash@io.org28_Fri, 5 Jan 1996 03:46:21 GMT573_- Some interesting observations on Swedish Jews in the original posting. I have a Jewish cousin in Sweden who is married to a non-Jew and has two young sons. When I asked her how they would be raised - Jewish or Christian? - she replied that they will be whatever they decide to be. That seemed to me rather naive. In a society as overwhelmingly Christian as Sweden is, the odds are heavily in favour of their becoming Christian, albeit perhaps non-observant Christians, unless their parents make a particular effort to have them raised as Jews with a sense of Jewish [...] 1664 42 16_choosing a mohel14_Maynard Gerber26_100732.1234@compuserve.com28_Wed, 3 Jan 1996 07:22:31 GMT521_- I am not only the cantor for the Jewish Community of Stockholm, I am also the only lay-mohel in Sweden. There are two Jewish doctors in Stockholm, who do circumcisions, but they are not observant. There is an observant Jewish doctor on the west coast, who is a mohel, but it seems that I'm the only one traveling around Sweden, doing britot. I even travel to Norway a few times a year. Even though I more or less have a monopoly, and only do about 40 britot a year, people have a lot of faith in me. I consider my [...] 1707 61 33_Re: Jews and Christmas in America0_29_carltech_blp@usa.pipeline.com28_Fri, 5 Jan 1996 16:23:14 GMT345_- I had the same problem with my 13-year-old son. We finally stopped the complaining by asking him just who he thought would give him Christmas presents (it helps that he was too old to believe in Santa). However, it didn't stop his feeling of loss--particularly poignant because he was adopted so his what-might-have-beens are quite real. [...] 1769 29 20_Re: choosing a mohel7_Cheetah16_afn15089@afn.org28_Fri, 5 Jan 1996 16:46:47 GMT312_US-ASCII

I agree...

I recently attended the bris of the son of my best friends. The Mohel not only drove the point that they should call him any time of day if they had any concerns, but he gave them a pager number to use on Shabbat should they need to contact him. The bris was on a Friday. [...] 1799 29 33_Re: Jews and Christmas in America15_Robin Netherton15_robin@dgsys.com28_Fri, 5 Jan 1996 18:58:43 GMT412_- Robyn Kozierok (robyn@rice-chex.ai.mit.edu) wrote: > Are you so sure they *never* felt left out. I think it's inevitable for > kids with exposure to Christian society to sometimes feel left out of some > of the fun traditions they have. That's not to say they necessarily think > Christians have a better deal than them overall, just that there are some > fun things Christians do that we don't get to... [...] 1829 41 22_Re: X-mas and Hannukah0_32_Meredith_Warshaw@charlesview.com28_Fri, 5 Jan 1996 15:15:00 GMT392_- Scott-Thoennes wrote: <> [...] 1871 24 46_Need suggestions for parent programs at YM-WHA0_16_CBroches@aol.com28_Tue, 2 Jan 1996 18:48:24 GMT465_-

I'm interested in setting up a once-a-month program at our local YM-YWHA for nursery school parents while their children are in school. I'm interested in topics young families would be interested in. Program would run approximately 1hour and would include Jews by birth, Jews by choice, & mixed marriages raising their children Jewish. What would you be interested in attending? Speakers you would like to hear? Thank you for any input you may have. [...] 1896 28 14_Challah Recipe0_14_dinitz@tss.com28_Fri, 5 Jan 1996 17:32:27 GMT294_- Louise Miller writes: > What a great idea! Will it work for the cooking-impaired among us? > What sort of bread maker would I need to buy? (Are they expensive?) > Want to share your recipe?

I don't want to clutter the list with the recipe, but I'm happy to email it upon request. [...] 1925 37 51_Re: creative ideas for brit milah/naming ceremonies12_Rose Sennett22_rsennett@brainlink.com28_Sun, 7 Jan 1996 03:04:56 GMT592_us-ascii I'm working out my daughters Brit Bat right now...so please send responses to me as well.

Thanks,

Rose Sennett (Proud Ima of Emma) rsennett@brainlink.com





Dennis Grinberg wrote: > > Our (first) baby is due on February 12 and we are now in the process of > thinking of the brit milah/naming/brit bat ceremony that will take > place. (We plan on an 8th day ceremony boy or girl if health permits.) > We know the stuff in Anita Diamant's book and in the First Jewish > Catalog and we have some stuff from some friend's ceremonies and from > the [...] 1963 77 33_Re: Jews and Christmas in America15_Georganne Burke19_nbcnet@inforamp.net28_Sun, 7 Jan 1996 03:11:26 GMT564_- As I said way back at the beginning of this discussion in October, we have been using the Sukkah lights for years. Our kids think it is great that we bought them after Xmas on sale (75% off) and that we use them for a *Jewish* purpose!

I have one other comment that will prbably get some of you really annoyed, but I can't help myself. What I am hearing throughout this discussion is some unresolved envy that is perhaps being projected on a child expressing normal curiosity about a phenomenon which occurs outside his/her field of experience. I am [...] 2041 34 15_Re: Purim books12_Derek Fields13_derek@ona.com28_Mon, 8 Jan 1996 00:37:09 GMT572_us-ascii Meredith_Warshaw@charlesview.com wrote: > > I know this is a little early, but I was wondering if anyone had > suggestions of a good Purim book for a child of about kindergarten > age. >

The CWhole Megillah (Almost) written by Shoshanna Silberman is a good family typ Purim book. It's probably above Kindergarten age, but gives good ideas for discussions. There's also the series of "A Taste for Noah" (good passover book) which has also has a Purim book who's title I can't recall at the moment, but have at my office (Which is snowed in currently). [...] 2076 38 50_Re: Need suggestions for parent programs at YM-WHA15_Marjorie Peskin24_mpeskin@lynx.dac.neu.edu28_Sun, 7 Jan 1996 21:40:09 GMT502_- CBroches@aol.com wrote:

: I'm interested in setting up a once-a-month program at our local YM-YWHA for : nursery school parents while their children are in school. I'm interested in : topics young families would be interested in. Program would run : approximately 1hour and would include Jews by birth, Jews by choice, & mixed : marriages raising their children Jewish. What would you be interested in : attending? Speakers you would like to hear? Thank you for any input you may : have. [...] 2115 21 31_BAR MITZVAH PLANNING SOFTWARE??0_11_Jeff@ns.net28_Sun, 7 Jan 1996 23:14:04 GMT448_- I seem to have had a copy at one time of an interesting Bar Mitavah planning shareware program. It has disappeared right when we need it and can't be found. Does anyone, per chance, remember seeing such a shareware program and, hopefully, able to share it? Thanks!

Jeff



* This post reflects the author's opinion; the moderators' opinions may differ. * Always check medical and halachic opinions with appropriate authorities. 2137 16 11_Girl's name5_JLNeh13_jlneh@aol.com28_Sun, 7 Jan 1996 01:19:18 GMT271_- What is the correct romanized spelling of a girl's name ?Nehama or Nahama? and does the name mean anything?

* This post reflects the author's opinion; the moderators' opinions may differ. * Always check medical and halachic opinions with appropriate authorities. 2154 89 33_Re: Jews and Christmas in America15_Richard A. Ifft20_raifft@ix.netcom.com28_Mon, 8 Jan 1996 20:01:29 GMT381_-

> >On Jan 04, 1996 13:45:31 in article , >'Isabel D Silverman ' wrote: > > >> >>I was really glad to read other responses, because I was beginning to

>>wonder where I was failing my kids - they ALWAYS say they don't want to >>be Jewish, or that they also want to be "goyim" at Christmas time. I [...] 2244 74 21_Re: Selecting a Moyel12_Sophie Miron21_soph@ocf.Berkeley.EDU28_Mon, 8 Jan 1996 22:34:48 GMT580_US-ASCII Some things to look for/ask:

1)PROCEDURE:

a. What sort of clamp do they use? Orthodox Mohelim use either a traditional shield or a Mogen Clamp. This procedure is very quick. Reform Mohels who tend to be doctors often use a Gomco Clamp or Plastibell Device. These take longer and are not considered halakhic by some sources. If the use the longer procedure, do they do all the "prep work" beforehand in some other room? (none of the Reform mohels I spoke to who used this method were willing to do a long procedure in public as they were concerned that [...] 2319 35 46_Videotaping a Bris (was Re: Selecting a Mohel)12_Sophie Miron21_soph@ocf.Berkeley.EDU28_Mon, 8 Jan 1996 23:56:51 GMT438_US-ASCII > >The only thing is that I shouldn't have let my mother get > >any where near the events with a camera. > > There's a part on the videotape from that day where Charles and I are > shouting at my brother, who was wielding our video camera at that time, > to SHUT IT OFF NOW! (He did) There are just certain things we didn't > want explicit photographic memories of. > > --Robyn (mommy to Ryan 9/7/93 and sprout due 6/14/96) [...] 2355 60 26_Re: Hanukkah and Christmas10_Marc Davis15_mdavis@infi.net28_Sat, 6 Jan 1996 03:30:00 GMT416_US-ASCII

Chanukah and Christmas I am very interested in the christmas and chanukah ideas also. We have two sons who attend hebrew day school in a very christian area (Virginia Beach, home of Pat Robertson and CBN). We have always shown our children christmas lights and have taken them to see Santa. One of my sons is not even interested in going to see these things and the other is intrigued by them. [...] 2416 33 5_Halla19_Cheryl Birkner Mack27_dd279@cleveland.Freenet.Edu28_Fri, 5 Jan 1996 15:48:36 GMT436_- {Moderator's Note: I have accepted this post, as it is a follow-up to another post, but please note that after an answer or two to this question, all other responses regarding Halacha should be moved to the s.c.j. list. Thank you}

Regarding Rick Dinitz' beautiful remarks about baking halla with Nathan--I thought we were not obligated to "take halla" unless we were making large quantities (something like 5kg) Just wondering. 2450 22 15_Re: Girl's name15_Georganne Burke19_nbcnet@inforamp.net28_Tue, 9 Jan 1996 01:01:19 GMT448_- In article <4cn72m$788@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, jlneh@aol.com (JLNeh) wrote:

> What is the correct romanized spelling of a girl's name ?Nehama or Nahama? > and does the name mean anything?

The spelling can be Nechama or Nehama (less common). It means "comfort".

GB

* This post reflects the author's opinion; the moderators' opinions may differ. * Always check medical and halachic opinions with appropriate authorities. 2473 28 15_Re: Purim books13_Marsha Paiste25_mpaiste@emerald.tufts.edu28_Tue, 9 Jan 1996 16:34:20 GMT409_- Derek Fields (derek@ona.com) wrote: : Meredith_Warshaw@charlesview.com wrote: : > : > I know this is a little early, but I was wondering if anyone had : > suggestions of a good Purim book for a child of about kindergarten : > age. : >

My kids have enjoyed Queen Esther by Tomie De Paola (Harper & Row, 1986). The story is simple, illustrations are beautiful, and it includes puppets to cut out. [...] 2502 29 15_Re: Girl's name11_Ruth Heiges21_heiges@post.tau.ac.il28_Tue, 9 Jan 1996 17:10:07 GMT385_US-ASCII > Date: Sun, 7 Jan 1996 01:19:18 GMT > From: jlneh@aol.com (JLNeh) > Subject: Girl's name > Message-ID: <4cn72m$788@newsbf02.news.aol.com>

>What is the correct romanized spelling of a girl's name ?Nehama or Nahama? >and does the name mean anything?

It would be Nehama or Nechama (purists would insist on Nekhama) and comes from the infinitive "to comfort." [...] 2532 83 26_Re: Hanukkah and Christmas15_Georganne Burke19_nbcnet@inforamp.net29_Wed, 10 Jan 1996 01:14:03 GMT514_- In article , mdavis@infi.net wrote:

> Chanukah and Christmas > I am very interested in the christmas and chanukah ideas also. We have > two sons who attend hebrew day school in a very christian area (Virginia > Beach, home of Pat Robertson and CBN). We have always shown our children > christmas lights and have taken them to see Santa. One of my sons is not > even interested in going to see these things and the other is intrigued > by them. [...] 2616 45 18_Re: Challah Recipe0_17_bdlerner@JTSA.EDU28_Tue, 9 Jan 1996 16:20:56 GMT446_US-ASCII

Dear Friends,

For those who also thrill as we have been thrilling for more than a year, breadmakers are wonderful doughmakers and save tremendous time and effort - with the reward of still finishing challah by hand, especially with children.

If you'd like another recipe we have used for years with raves from anyone eating with us and/or using the recipe, please let me know and I will send out individually. [...] 2662 24 24_Sheldon Gordon's comment14_Maynard Gerber26_100732.1234@compuserve.com28_Tue, 9 Jan 1996 21:40:00 GMT388_- Thank you Sheldon for relating the story about your Swedish cousin. Unfortunately, her reaction is very typical here. One should let the children decide for themselves when they grow up. We all eventually decide anyway, whether or not we get a good Jewish education. We are all "Jews by chose". This attitude shows indifference and a lack of committment to Judaism - nothing else. [...] 2687 20 28_Re: SCJ-PARENTING digest 11713_Packer Family17_msp@world.std.com28_Tue, 9 Jan 1996 22:16:20 GMT275_US-ASCII

Re: Girl's name: I sent my note off too quickly: Nechama means "consoler," the female of Nachum.

* This post reflects the author's opinion; the moderators' opinions may differ. * Always check medical and halachic opinions with appropriate authorities. 2708 28 21_Re: Jewish Boy Scouts13_Packer Family17_msp@world.std.com29_Wed, 10 Jan 1996 09:41:25 GMT454_US-ASCII

Re: Shomer-shabbos/Kosher Scouting

A Jewish Cub Scout Pack is forming in the Brookline/Newton area of Greater Boston. This is a wonderful opportunity for boys who have been unable to join their local packs due to Shabbos meeting times. In addition, it gives boys who attend different day schools, and boys who attend public school, a chance to have a common activity and to become friends. Anyone interested can write to me. [...] 2737 40 50_Re: Need suggestions for parent programs at YM-WHA16_Mark Steinberger19_mark@csc.albany.edu28_Mon, 8 Jan 1996 15:36:56 GMT493_- In article <960102134822_104456225@mail02.mail.aol.com>, wrote:

>I'm interested in setting up a once-a-month program at our local YM-YWHA for >nursery school parents while their children are in school. I'm interested in >topics young families would be interested in.

1. Exchanging Jewish children's literature. Get people to bring books in and pass them around. Get catalogues. See if the publishers would be willing to send stuff for display and sale. [...] 2778 54 21_Re: Selecting a Mohel12_Sophie Miron21_soph@ocf.Berkeley.EDU28_Mon, 8 Jan 1996 23:17:55 GMT529_US-ASCII > We had a horror story. In virginia beach selections were slim. We took a > Rabbi who performed the Bris, and then when my husband expressed concern > several days later about the circumcision, the Rabbi refused to come and > check it. He never even called to find out. We took our son to the > pediatrician who was also jewish and he said that the curcumcision could > have been done a bit better, but there was no permanent damage. This was in > direct contrast to our first son who had a wonderful bris, but we [...] 2833 29 9_Re: Halla14_Jan Silbermann16_js@cs.tulane.edu28_Tue, 9 Jan 1996 15:05:21 GMT630_- In article <199601051548.KAA00722@eeyore.INS.CWRU.Edu>, Cheryl Birkner Mack wrote: *{Moderator's Note: I have accepted this post, as it is a follow-up *to another post, but please note that after an answer or two to this *question, all other responses regarding Halacha should be moved to *the s.c.j. list. Thank you}

* Regarding Rick Dinitz' beautiful remarks about baking halla * with Nathan--I thought we were not obligated to "take halla" * unless we were making large quantities (something like 5kg) * Just wondering. > I believe it is only when you use at least 10 cups of flour. [...] 2863 29 28_RE: SCJ-PARENTING digest 1170_16_ldwolf@shani.net29_Wed, 10 Jan 1996 01:46:42 GMT602_US-ASCII

re: girls name

I wrote directly to the poster. We have a wonderful Nechama and that's the way I've always seen it spelled. NECHAMA means comfort and the most famous mention of it in Judaism are the Haftarot after Tisha B'Av which are called Pirkei Nechama as they are the chapters in the Navi (Prophets) that promise comfort and better times ahead after the monumental destruction of the Temples in Jerusalem. The most famous of these is read on Shabbat Nachamu, the one that begins with Nachamu, nachamu, Ami. Be comforted, Be Comforted My People. and this is always read [...] 2893 69 9_Re: Halla18_Steven R Weintraub19_stevenw@pswtech.com29_Wed, 10 Jan 1996 23:05:34 GMT328_US-ASCII



[Moderator Note: This post is off topic. However, since it is a direct response to a followup, I accepted this post. Note that another moderator already asked people to move this discussion to scj. I suggest that any further questions be taken up on the Jewish food list, or scj, but NOT on scjp.] [...] 2963 27 20_Another Naming Query14_Robyn Kozierok16_robyn@ai.mit.edu29_Wed, 10 Jan 1996 21:02:29 GMT441_-

I asked previously about names related to "Sema" for whom we want to name our next child, and Dan Faigin gave me the meaning for that name from the Koltach book as being derived from the Greek for "sprout". However, another naming book gives the meaning as being from the Greek for "sign" as in "semaphore" and says that the name is usually taken to mean "sign from above" which does seem to make a certain amount of sense... [...] 2991 67 21_Re: Selecting a Moyel12_Sophie Miron21_soph@ocf.Berkeley.EDU29_Sat, 30 Dec 1995 00:26:57 GMT352_US-ASCII Some things to look for/ask:

1)PROCEDURE:

a. What sort of clamp do they use? Orthodox Mohelim use either a traditional shield or a Mogen Clamp. This procedure is very quick. Reform Mohels who tend to be doctors often use a Gomco Clamp or Plastibell Device. These take longer and are not considered halakhic by some sources. [...] 3059 32 12_Atheist Jews10_TerryM244218_terrym2442@aol.com29_Sun, 31 Dec 1995 01:44:01 GMT465_- Hi,

As a Jewish mother of 2 Jewish children, I would like to discuss child rearing with other parents who are Jewish atheists. I'm interesting in how Jewish holidays are celebrated, how Jewish education is presented, and how God is discussed in the context of atheism.

Terry







************************************************************************** ***************************** "I am an expert in stucco" anon. [...] 3092 29 20_Another Naming Query14_Robyn Kozierok16_robyn@ai.mit.edu28_Thu, 4 Jan 1996 16:19:31 GMT449_-



I asked previously about names related to "Sema" for whom we want to name our next child, and Dan Faigin gave me the meaning for that name from the Koltach book as being derived from the Greek for "sprout". However, another naming book gives the meaning as being from the Greek for "sign" as in "semaphore" and says that the name is usually taken to mean "sign from above" which does seem to make a certain amount of sense... [...] 3122 36 9_brit mila14_Maynard Gerber26_100732.1234@compuserve.com29_Wed, 10 Jan 1996 22:05:45 GMT572_-

To: "\"Judith S. Janette\ Subject: Re: choosing a mohel

I wanted to send this reply to your personally, but I got your e-mail address wrong, and decided to chance your reading this in the forum: "Thank you for your comments. I must admit that I, myself, would have had a difficult time skipping the naming ceremony at the brit. It is an integral part of the whole thing and makes it something more than just a medical operation. In my community, people very often also have a naming in the synagogue, in connection with being called up to the Torah. [...] 3159 31 26_Re: Hanukkah and Christmas13_Louise Miller22_miller@louise.ucsd.edu28_Tue, 9 Jan 1996 17:51:34 GMT298_us-ascii Kids always want what they see other kids have. This discussion reminds me of this past Sunday when we attended a bithday party for one of my 2 year old son's friends. He was very unhappy about it being her birthday and not his, and got really upset when he saw me wrapping her gift. [...] 3191 36 50_Re: Need suggestions for parent programs at YM-WHA0_32_Meredith_Warshaw@charlesview.com29_Thu, 11 Jan 1996 03:37:00 GMT495_- CBroches@aol.com wrote: : I'm interested in setting up a once-a-month program at our local YM-YWHA for : nursery school parents while their children are in school. I'm interested in : topics young families would be interested in. Program would run : approximately 1hour and would include Jews by birth, Jews by choice, & mixed : marriages raising their children Jewish. What would you be interested in : attending? Speakers you would like to hear? Thank you for any input you may : have. [...] 3228 136 33_Re: Jews and Christmas in America0_29_carltech_blp@usa.pipeline.com28_Mon, 8 Jan 1996 18:24:45 GMT530_- On Jan 07, 1996 21:01:03 in article , 'nbcnet@inforamp.net (Georganne Burke)' wrote:

>As I said way back at the beginning of this discussion in October, we have been >using the Sukkah lights for years. Our kids think it is great that we bought >them after Xmas on sale (75% off) and that we use them for a *Jewish* purpose! > >I have one other comment that will prbably get some of you really annoyed, but >I can't help myself. What I am hearing throughout this discussion is some [...] 3365 35 16_Re: Atheist Jews17_Jerry W. Forstadt16_forstadt@asu.edu29_Thu, 11 Jan 1996 04:50:05 GMT333_us-ascii

At 01:44 AM 12/31/95 +0000, Terry wrote: > As a Jewish mother of 2 Jewish children, I would like to discuss child >rearing with other parents who are Jewish atheists. I'm interesting in how >Jewish holidays are celebrated, how Jewish education is presented, and how >God is discussed in the context of atheism. [...] 3401 26 37_Bar / Bat Mitzvahs for Boy-Girl Twins25_Roth, Sharon J. (MS-Mail)15_sroth@kraft.com29_Thu, 11 Jan 1996 18:51:00 GMT592_-

I realize I'm only about ten years early in asking this question - since my boy/girl twins are only three years old - but what have other parents of twins (particularly boy/girl) done with respect to sharing Bar and Bat Mitzvahs? From a financial and logistical standpoint, it certainly makes sense to have both events on the same day, and one large party celebrating both happy occasions. Has anyone heard of this situation, and what creative solutions have been employed in order to celebrate and honor both of them while preserving each one's individuality and specialness? [...] 3428 63 73_Interfaith couples raising Jewish children (Re: Swedish Jews & Christmas)15_Debbie Tropiano15_debbie@icus.com29_Thu, 11 Jan 1996 17:19:14 GMT639_-

Sheldon -

In article <4ci6ud$i5g@ionews.io.org>, Sheldon Gordon wrote: >Some interesting observations on Swedish Jews in the original posting. >I have a Jewish cousin in Sweden who is married to a non-Jew and has two >young sons. When I asked her how they would be raised - Jewish or >Christian? - she replied that they will be whatever they decide to be. >That seemed to me rather naive. In a society as overwhelmingly >Christian as Sweden is, the odds are heavily in favour of their becoming >Christian, albeit perhaps non-observant Christians, unless their parents >make a particular effort to have [...] 3492 829 69_soc.culture.jewish FAQ: Jewish Childrearing Related Questions (12/12)13_Daniel Faigin21_faigin@pacificnet.net26_11 Jan 1996 11:07:39 -0800711_- Archive-name: judaism/FAQ/12-Kids Soc-culture-jewish-archive-name: faq.12-Kids Posting-Frequency: Monthly

Frequently Asked Questions on Soc.Culture.Jewish Part 12: Jewish Childrearing Related Questions [Last Change: $Date: 1995/10/19 15:24:46 $ $Revision: 1.6 $] [Last Post: Sun May 7 11:07:07 1995]

This posting is an attempt to answer questions that are continually asked on soc.culture.jewish. It was written by cooperating laypeople from the various Judaic movements. You _should not_ make any assumption as to accuracy and/or authoritativeness of the answers provided herein. In all cases, it is always best to consult a competent authority--your local rabbi is a good place to start. [...] 4322 33 33_Religious Education for Teenagers10_Delawalla,24_gt0009b@prism.gatech.edu28_Sun, 7 Jan 1996 20:31:03 GMT543_- I am a Muslim involved in the religious education of a class of 10th graders. For some time I have been looking for a way to make religion relevant to the teenage heart and mind and it seems I am fighting an uphill battle. The young Muslims I work with are all bright and talented, but religion just doesn't seem to appeal to them. Too often religion becomes a matter of convenience or habit or just dry traditions handed down from the previous generation. How do we impart to the next generation a living faith in the one Creator? The [...] 4356 71 47_Different Approaches to Secular Holiday Customs25_Roth, Sharon J. (MS-Mail)15_sroth@kraft.com29_Thu, 11 Jan 1996 19:29:00 GMT449_-

Now that the immediacy of the Hanukah/Christmas holiday is over with, I wanted to respond to a thread that took place during that time regarding those Jews who engage in "secular" Christmas customs (trees, Santa, etc.) with their children.

One poster during that time made an *excellent* observation, which I will paraphrase - and that is that Christianity is based on belief, whereas Judaism is based on tradition and ritual. [...] 4428 31 50_Re: Videotaping a Bris (was Re: Selecting a Mohel)8_Splanche16_splanche@aol.com29_Fri, 12 Jan 1996 14:19:26 GMT450_- >..."I, on the other hand, am very glad that we taped the entire Bris. We

>didn't "get the cut" but I wouldn't have minded if we did. It was >helpful to me to see someone else's explicit video before my son was born

>and I intend to let my son see it when he is a little older. This way, >there'll be no mystery about it. He'll see that he was welcomed by a >warm and loving community, and that he barely cried at the procedure. [...] 4460 28 36_Suggestions for Jewish A/V Materials12_Leora Wenger18_leora@soho.ios.com29_Fri, 12 Jan 1996 16:55:36 GMT454_us-ascii Does anyone have some suggestions for audio or video cassettes with Jewish content and/or Hebrew language foryoung children? My son Shimon is 14 months. In particular, it would nice to have a tape with an aleph-bet song.

Thanks,

Leora leora@soho.ios.com





* This post reflects the author's opinion; the moderators' opinions may differ. * Always check medical and halachic opinions with appropriate authorities. 4489 24 41_Re: Bar / Bat Mitzvahs for Boy-Girl Twins17_Jerry W. Forstadt16_forstadt@asu.edu29_Fri, 12 Jan 1996 00:45:43 GMT390_us-ascii

At 06:51 PM 1/11/96 +0000, you wrote: It was always my impression that girls got bat mitvahed at age 14 while boys got bar mitzvahed at 13. Is this generally the case? Jeremy W. Forstadt forstadt@asu.edu



* This post reflects the author's opinion; the moderators' opinions may differ. * Always check medical and halachic opinions with appropriate authorities. 4514 20 24_Secular Jewish Education12_Jeff Zolitor15_jeff@netaxs.com29_Fri, 12 Jan 1996 15:53:47 GMT366_- We have had a wonderful experience sending our children to a secular Jewish school. In Philadelphia it's the Jewish Childrens Folkshul and its focus is on Jewish history and culture in a non-religious setting. There are others all over North America. To see if there is an affiliate near you go to the CSJO home page at: http://www.netaxs.com/~csjo/csjo.html [...] 4535 33 40_Re: Suggestions for Jewish A/V Materials14_Robyn Kozierok26_robyn@rice-chex.ai.mit.edu29_Fri, 12 Jan 1996 18:26:44 GMT496_- In article <4d63q8$q1@news.ios.com>, Leora Wenger wrote: >Does anyone have some suggestions for audio or video cassettes with Jewish >content >and/or Hebrew language foryoung children? My son Shimon is 14 months. In >particular, it would nice to have a tape with an aleph-bet song.

There is a Shalom Sesame "Aleph Bet" video that Ryan (2yrs) really seems to enjoy. It does introduce the letters of the aleph-bet, but doesn't acutally contain an aleph-bet song. [...] 4569 32 41_Re: Bar / Bat Mitzvahs for Boy-Girl Twins19_Olga from the volga19_olga1@ix.netcom.com29_Thu, 11 Jan 1996 21:48:38 GMT290_- My older brother has triplets. They were Bnei Mitzvah on the same day, on a Saturday morning. They then had a huge party. As far as the service was concerned, it was no different than two people being Bar Mitzvah on the same day. "Roth, Sharon J. (MS-Mail)" wrote: [...] 4602 25 48_Jewish secular education and the CSJO - ANNOUNCE12_Jeff Zolitor15_jeff@netaxs.com29_Fri, 12 Jan 1996 15:58:56 GMT512_- Congress of Secular Jewish Organizations (CSJO) has about 25 schools and affiliates throughout North America. The educational focus is on Jewish history and culture and the result is a rich, positive Jewish education and Jewish pride.

For more information see:

http://www.netaxs.com/~csjo/csjo.html

Jeff Zolitor jeff@netaxs.com

* This post reflects the author's opinion; the moderators' opinions may differ. * Always check medical and halachic opinions with appropriate authorities. 4628 42 41_Re: Bar / Bat Mitzvahs for Boy-Girl Twins11_Ken Goldman20_kgold@watson.ibm.com29_Fri, 12 Jan 1996 17:34:41 GMT578_- "Roth, Sharon J. (MS-Mail)" writes: > > I realize I'm only about ten years early in asking this question - since > my boy/girl twins are only three years old - but what have other parents > of twins (particularly boy/girl) done with respect to sharing Bar and Bat > Mitzvahs? From a financial and logistical standpoint, it certainly > makes sense to have both events on the same day, and one large party > celebrating both happy occasions. Has anyone heard of this situation, > and what creative solutions have been employed in order to celebrate and > [...] 4671 52 41_Re: Bar / Bat Mitzvahs for Boy-Girl Twins11_Alan Houser15_troop24@emf.net29_Fri, 12 Jan 1996 22:28:44 GMT586_- Roth, Sharon J. (MS-Mail) (sroth@kraft.com) wrote:

: I realize I'm only about ten years early in asking this question - since my : boy/girl twins are only three years old - but what have other parents of : twins (particularly boy/girl) done with respect to sharing Bar and Bat : Mitzvahs? From a financial and logistical standpoint, it certainly : makes sense to have both events on the same day, and one large party : celebrating both happy occasions. Has anyone heard of this situation, and : what creative solutions have been employed in order to celebrate and honor : [...] 4724 24 27_Web site for Jewish parents24_Trammie The.One.and.Only23_U12733@UICVM.CC.UIC.EDU29_Thu, 11 Jan 1996 17:27:29 GMT446_- I found a site http://www.suba.com/~chicago/lts/pol/a.html under it's cultural Jewish Theme Section which has a few items for kids for example Sabbath, Hanukkah and a few others items which some parents may find interesting for their kids. that's it (: Ronny u12733@uicvm.cc.uic.edu

* This post reflects the author's opinion; the moderators' opinions may differ. * Always check medical and halachic opinions with appropriate authorities. 4749 62 41_Re: Bar / Bat Mitzvahs for Boy-Girl Twins47_Douglas W. Jones,201H MLH,3193350740,319338287925_jones@pyrite.cs.uiowa.edu29_Fri, 12 Jan 1996 22:07:32 GMT526_- >From article <199601120045.RAA17205@email1.asu.edu>, by "Jerry W. Forstadt" : > > It was always my impression that girls got bat mitvahed at age 14 while > boys got bar mitzvahed at 13. Is this generally the case?

This is backwards. The tradition holds that girls mature before boys, not after. Boys become bar mitzvah at age 13, while girls become bar mitzvah at age 12. (Technically, it is ages 12 and 13 plus one day, with years being counted in the Jewish calendar and not the Gregorian.) [...] 4812 48 21_Re: Selecting a Mohel14_Robyn Kozierok26_robyn@rice-chex.ai.mit.edu29_Sat, 13 Jan 1996 15:36:52 GMT655_- In article , Sophie Miron wrote: >I'd like to ask you >though, what did you not like/seemed wrong about your son's circumcision.

>I'll tell you why I ask. When I was interviewing Mohels I spoke to a >Reform Mohel, MD, who uses the traditional method with a Mogen clamp. >His version of the difference between a medical circ and a traditional >Jewish one is that the MD is trying to acheive a perfect surgical cut. >The Mohel is looking to do what is halakhically required as quickly as >possible, so as not to bring about any unnecessary discomfort for [...] 4861 19 32_JEWISH EDUCATION-SECULAR JUDAISM0_7_???@???29_Sat, 13 Jan 1996 01:06:45 GMT396_- Jewish education focusing on Jewish history and culture in a non religious setting. Congress of Secular Jewish Organizations (CSJO). 25 affiliates in North America, many others worldwide.

http://www.netaxs.com/~csjo/csjo.html

* This post reflects the author's opinion; the moderators' opinions may differ. * Always check medical and halachic opinions with appropriate authorities. 4881 89 16_Re: Atheist Jews0_7_???@???29_Sat, 13 Jan 1996 01:45:07 GMT676_- [Moderator's Note: Respondants to this thread are uged to focus their remarks on discussing and handling atheism within the *Jewish* family.]

In article <199601110449.VAA20232@email1.asu.edu>, "Jerry W. Forstadt" wrote: > >At 01:44 AM 12/31/95 +0000, Terry wrote: >> As a Jewish mother of 2 Jewish children, I would like to discuss child >>rearing with other parents who are Jewish atheists. I'm interesting in how >>Jewish holidays are celebrated, how Jewish education is presented, and how >>God is discussed in the context of atheism. > >This is an interesting question. Generally, God is not discussed in the >context of atheism. However, [...] 4971 59 77_Re: Interfaith couples raising Jewish children (Re: Swedish Jews & Christmas)15_Georganne Burke19_nbcnet@inforamp.net29_Sat, 13 Jan 1996 23:59:39 GMT378_- Debbie:

I am very confused. You say that you are not Jewish and then you say you converted as an adult. Which is it? If you converted properly, you are Jewish. If you converted properly, your child is a Jew. Why would he need to have any explanation about you? About your parents, maybe. But it sounds to me as though you have not really made the leap to Judaism. [...] 5031 35 77_Re: Interfaith couples raising Jewish children (Re: Swedish Jews & Christmas)16_Rebecca Thompson18_thompson@prysm.net29_Sun, 14 Jan 1996 20:57:19 GMT607_- debbie@icus.com (Debbie Tropiano) wrote: >Are there other non-Jewish mothers raising their children Jewish? Since >Nathan is still an infant I have some time, but what have you told your >child(ren) about the fact that you're not the same religion that they are?

I'm a Pagan that was raised Jewish. My husband and I decided to raise our (2 month old) son Jewish because it doesn't conflict with what either of us believe. Jonathan (my husband) doesn't want him raised Pagan, and I don't want him raised Christian. My husband is currently studying Hebrew and Jewish law, though he doesn't want [...] 5067 40 18_Re: Making challah7_Jo Benn21_jonsteve@rapidnet.com29_Mon, 15 Jan 1996 05:38:52 GMT552_- In article <9601022327.AA28709@tekbspa.tss.com>, dinitz@tss.com wrote:

> > As long as we're on the subject of challah, I'll put in a plug for > the real thing. We've been making challot with Nathan for nearly a > year now (since he was about 1y10m). He loves it. >

Rick, I enjoyed reading your description of making challah with your son. I used to make challah only rarely until a few months ago when we moved to an area with very few Jews and no place to buy challah. Now I have been baking my own. I begin Friday morning when I [...] 5108 48 40_Re: Suggestions for Jewish A/V Materials15_Marjorie Peskin15_mpeskin@neu.edu29_Mon, 15 Jan 1996 04:33:08 GMT483_- Leora Wenger (leora@soho.ios.com) wrote: : Does anyone have some suggestions for audio or video cassettes with Jewish : content : and/or Hebrew language foryoung children? My son Shimon is 14 months. In : particular, it would nice to have a tape with an aleph-bet song.

Shalom Sesame Series is a good starting point. They have videos on the land of Israel, people of Israel, seasons, Tel Aviv, Aleph-Bet Marathon, Kibbutzim, Jerusalem, Israeli songs, Chanukah, Pesach. [...] 5157 44 20_Twin Bar/Bat Mitzvah16_Eileen Schneyman24_eschneym@photon.poly.edu29_Mon, 15 Jan 1996 06:23:52 GMT595_US-ASCII As a parent of twins (age 4 1/2) this question has also crossed my mind. Not the decision to have two ceremonies, parties etc (since logistically and financially that is not possible), but how to preserve their individuality and allow them as much participation in the service. My twin cousins are being Bat Mitzvah this September, and they are sharing the service and haftorah, just as they would if they were doubled with a non-relative. However, certain things are made easier by it being only one family. For example, there is no quibbling about aliyot, or whose child gets to [...] 5202 49 41_Re: Bar / Bat Mitzvahs for Boy-Girl Twins15_Marjorie Peskin15_mpeskin@neu.edu29_Mon, 15 Jan 1996 04:24:00 GMT382_- Alan Houser (troop24@emf.net) wrote:

: On the other hand, if your twins prefer more separation, you might : consider doing separate services (morning & afternoon or evening & : morning), then following with a combined party Saturday evening or : Sunday. With the doubling up of b'nei mitzvah in this year's class : because of the number of kids, we saw a lot of this. [...] 5252 35 26_Re: Hanukkah and Christmas15_Georganne Burke19_nbcnet@inforamp.net29_Sat, 13 Jan 1996 23:55:50 GMT567_- In article <1996Jan9.175134.15306@nosc.mil>, Louise Miller wrote:

> Kids always want what they see other kids have. This discussion > reminds me of this past Sunday when we attended a bithday > party for one of my 2 year old son's friends. He was very > unhappy about it being her birthday and not his, and got > really upset when he saw me wrapping her gift. > > Of course if they see other kids having Xmas parties, gifts > and decorations they'll want it too. That doesn't mean that > they'll grow up to hate Judaism, but it [...] 5288 51 21_Re: Selecting a Mohel15_Marjorie Peskin15_mpeskin@neu.edu29_Mon, 15 Jan 1996 04:14:22 GMT344_- Robyn Kozierok (robyn@rice-chex.ai.mit.edu) wrote:

: My son was done by a reform mohel, though I'm pretty sure in the traditional : way (I didn't look, but it was very fast). His is also not as "pretty" as I : expected -- it is definitely lopsided with more skin left on one side, but : his first ped. said he would grow into it. [...] 5340 45 24_RE: Jewish a/v materials6_astarr16_astarr@nando.net29_Tue, 16 Jan 1996 13:03:29 GMT605_US-ASCII

I highly recommend Robyn Helzner's cassette tapes. One side primarily has English children's songs (some specifically Jewish and some not) and the other side is primarily Hebrew (some Yiddish) music, mostly Shabbat songs, but also other traditional songs. They're great tapes. We have "I live in the city" and "Clap Your Hands" and I think there's one more for kids. We started listening to them when our daughter was around 14 months. I have to admit they're my favorite of all our children's music. My daughter loves them at 2 1/2 now and they've reminded us of some Shabbat songs [...] 5386 22 21_Re: Selecting a Mohel9_Brcmktres17_brcmktres@aol.com29_Tue, 16 Jan 1996 11:20:36 GMT536_- I recommend that if one is available and all else is relatively equal, that you use a mohel who is an MD. When my son was born he was in the NICU for a week because of an infection, and I was apprehensive about the circumcision potentially causing additional problems. The fact that we had already selected an MD (Orthodox, by the way) was an enormous relief, because I felt we could trust what he was telling us. Plus, this guy did such a terrific job that our pediatrician insisted on knowing who did it - he was familiar with [...] 5409 30 77_Re: Interfaith couples raising Jewish children (Re: Swedish Jews & Christmas)15_Debbie Tropiano15_debbie@icus.com29_Tue, 16 Jan 1996 16:36:52 GMT297_- Hate to followup to my own post, but it's been pointed out to me that although I thought I was being clear, in my sleep deprived state I wasn't:

>Please note that it is my hope that he will choose to remain Jewish (and >an observant one), but having converted as an adult myself ... [...] 5440 24 38_Son embarassed to chant at Bar Mitzvah40_Allan Izen -- DOH - Food and Drug Branch29_alibaba@elele.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu29_Tue, 16 Jan 1996 01:32:23 GMT404_- We had quite a session at our house this morning. We were discussing the guest list for my son's March Bar Mitzvah. Turns out he didn't want to invite a lot of his close friends because they weren't Jewish and he said he would be embarassed to chant in front of them. Has anyone else experienced this? I'd certainly appreciate any suggestions that would enable us to handle this with sensetivity. [...] 5465 56 28_Re: SCJ-PARENTING digest 12314_Hadass Eviatar26_eviatar@noether.ibd.nrc.ca29_Tue, 16 Jan 1996 17:34:26 GMT435_us-ascii

> > Date: Fri, 12 Jan 1996 00:45:43 GMT > From: "Jerry W. Forstadt" > Subject: Re: Bar / Bat Mitzvahs for Boy-Girl Twins > Message-ID: <199601120045.RAA17205@email1.asu.edu> > > > At 06:51 PM 1/11/96 +0000, you wrote: > It was always my impression that girls got bat mitvahed at age 14 while boys > got bar mitzvahed at 13. Is this generally the case? > Jeremy W. Forstadt > forstadt@asu.edu > [...] 5522 26 26_REVIEW Jewish Music/Videos11_Laura Savin22_lsavin@seq.hamline.edu29_Tue, 16 Jan 1996 16:14:47 GMT368_US-ASCII My children have enjoyed the video and musical tapes by Rabbi Joe Black, one of the rabbis at Temple Israel in Minneapolis. He and his band play a lot of original music about Jewish holidays and rituals, as well as singing traditional songs. It's sort of folk-rock. The video is well-produced and includes songs about Succot, Chanukah, alef-bet, Pesach. [...] 5549 74 43_ANNOUNCE-Summer of Service for Jewish Teens0_16_NinaSalk@aol.com29_Tue, 16 Jan 1996 16:27:20 GMT680_- ----------------- ANNOUNCEMENT ---------------- High school juniors and seniors who have outgrown traditional summer camps, and want to take on the mitzvah of helping others, will want to know about the 1996 summer work camps sponsored by AJSS, the American Jewish Society for Service.

For the 46th summer in a row, AJSS will send three co-ed groups of motivated teenage volunteers on supervised service projects in disadvantaged communities in America. The work is hard, hot, and physical, but immensely rewarding. AJSS campers have built and repaired hundreds of homes, constructed community centers, installed water lines, weatherized homes, built parks and ball [...] 5624 54 42_Re: Son embarassed to chant at Bar Mitzvah14_Howard Gershen18_howard@boxhill.com29_Tue, 16 Jan 1996 20:25:24 GMT462_-

Allan Izen wrote:

> We had quite a session at our house this morning. We were discussing the > guest list for my son's March Bar Mitzvah. Turns out he didn't want to > invite a lot of his close friends because they weren't Jewish and he said > he would be embarassed to chant in front of them. Has anyone else > experienced this? I'd certainly appreciate any suggestions that would > enable us to handle this with sensetivity. > > Aloha oy [...] 5679 33 40_Re: Suggestions for Jewish A/V Materials18_Isabel D Silverman27_isilverm@umabnet.ab.umd.edu29_Tue, 16 Jan 1996 22:10:30 GMT316_US-ASCII

Anyone who's interested in Jewish content videos, etc - if there's a local BJE (Board of Jewish Education), they probably have a resource library, where you (or an educator friend) can take out materials - otherwise, try calling them in NY or Baltimore, see if they have a catalog thing going. [...] 5713 48 41_Re: Bar / Bat Mitzvahs for Boy-Girl Twins18_Steven R Weintraub19_stevenw@pswtech.com29_Tue, 16 Jan 1996 15:55:29 GMT581_US-ASCII This is what Jerry W. Forstadt says : > > It was always my impression that girls got bat mitvahed at age 14 while boys > got bar mitzvahed at 13. Is this generally the case?

I'm sure I'm one of 200 to reply - but...

It's actually the other way. Traditionally girls reach ritual maturity (Bat Mitzvah) earlier (12 1/2) than boys. But also traditionally girls did not have a Bat Mitzvah celebration either. When Bat Mitzvah celebrations were first created in the early part of this century, they were a imitation of the Bar Mitzvah celebrations, and thus [...] 5762 81 42_Re: Son embarassed to chant at Bar Mitzvah47_Douglas W. Jones,201H MLH,3193350740,319338287925_jones@pyrite.cs.uiowa.edu29_Tue, 16 Jan 1996 19:51:37 GMT516_- >From article , by alibaba@elele.uhcc.hawaii.edu (Allan Izen -- DOH - Food and Drug Branch):

> We had quite a session at our house this morning. We were discussing the > guest list for my son's March Bar Mitzvah.

Sounds like the discussions we had Sunday at my house!

> Turns out he didn't want to invite a lot of his close friends because > they weren't Jewish and he said he would be embarassed to chant in front > of them. Has anyone else experienced this? [...] 5844 36 41_Re: Bar / Bat Mitzvahs for Boy-Girl Twins15_Fred Rosenblatt34_Frederic.H.Rosenblatt@jpl.nasa.gov29_Tue, 16 Jan 1996 19:23:50 GMT365_US-ASCII In article <199601111638.AA14576@gateway.kraft.com>, "Roth, Sharon J. (MS-Mail)" wrote:

> I realize I'm only about ten years early in asking this question - since my > boy/girl twins are only three years old - but what have other parents of > twins (particularly boy/girl) done with respect to sharing Bar and Bat > Mitzvahs? [...] 5881 39 6_Naming11_Kris Hasson19_hasson@teleport.com29_Wed, 17 Jan 1996 05:03:48 GMT581_- You know, I keep avoiding the naming threads. I remember how obsessed I was with my first child's name--had a boy's name and a girl's name all picked out, with Hebrew equivalents, honoring fondly-remembered relatives on both sides who are no longer with us.

And then, two months before our son was born, my husband's father died unexpectedly of a heart attack. Naturally the family wanted our son to be named after him. I remember (and still feel a little) the resentment that was my overwhelming feeling at the time--not only did I not care for nor respect the man, [...] 5921 31 19_Jewish AV Materials16_Eileen Schneyman24_eschneym@photon.poly.edu29_Wed, 17 Jan 1996 07:29:32 GMT488_US-ASCII The Movieland (Video Rental Store) and I believe Blockbuster have many of the Shalom Sesame and Bubbe Video Tapes for rental. Also the public library by me has a good selection too, including many of the Hannah Barbera Bible Story ones. This is a good way to check them out before purchase. In addition, before the major holidays, many of these will air on the local PBS station, then we just tape them off the TV. We have a tape filled with Chanukah and Passover episodes. [...] 5953 40 13_CTTS: 3.5 yrs15_Marjorie Peskin24_mpeskin@lynx.dac.neu.edu29_Wed, 17 Jan 1996 15:40:24 GMT431_US-ASCII My kids have been particularly funny the past few days. Some good examples of strange, funny things they have done or said:

1. I was brushing my hair in the bathroom when they came in to visit. Gemma was wearing a cool whip container on her head, and Graham was wearing a deflated Gertie ball on his head. I asked them what they were doing and Gemma piped up, "We are playing synagogue. These are our Kippot!" [...] 5994 27 42_Re: Son embarassed to chant at Bar Mitzvah7_SUBMAIL18_JFOX@MACC.WISC.EDU29_Tue, 16 Jan 1996 20:23:01 GMT599_- In alibaba@elele.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu writes: > guest list for my son's March Bar Mitzvah. Turns out he didn't want to > invite a lot of his close friends because they weren't Jewish and he said > he would be embarassed to chant in front of them. Has anyone else I've often wondered what non-Jewish friends make of the service. Often people print explanatory booklets or someone explains things from time to time, but still . . . . Anyway, would you feel you were agreeing that chanting is embarassing or that you were hiding something if these friends were told that [...] 6022 66 37_Re: Religious Education for Teenagers11_Ken Goldman20_kgold@watson.ibm.com29_Mon, 15 Jan 1996 17:47:23 GMT546_- gt0009b@prism.gatech.edu (Delawalla,) writes: > I am a Muslim involved in the religious education of a class of 10th > graders. For some time I have been looking for a way to make religion > relevant to the teenage heart and mind and it seems I am fighting an > uphill battle. The young Muslims I work with are all bright and > talented, but religion just doesn't seem to appeal to them. Too often > religion becomes a matter of convenience or habit or just dry > traditions handed down from the previous generation. How do we impart > to [...] 6089 29 42_Re: Son embarassed to chant at Bar Mitzvah0_32_Meredith_Warshaw@charlesview.com29_Wed, 17 Jan 1996 16:15:00 GMT301_- Allan Izen wrote: > We had quite a session at our house this morning. We were discussing the > guest list for my son's March Bar Mitzvah. Turns out he didn't want to > invite a lot of his close friends because they weren't Jewish and he said > he would be embarassed to chant in front of them. [...] 6119 33 13_b'nai mitzvot0_32_Meredith_Warshaw@charlesview.com29_Wed, 17 Jan 1996 16:15:00 GMT357_- Marjorie Peskin wrote: <> [...] 6153 37 21_Re: Selecting a Mohel15_Georganne Burke19_nbcnet@inforamp.net29_Wed, 17 Jan 1996 01:36:25 GMT570_- In article <4dg1m4$rmq@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, brcmktres@aol.com (Brcmktres) wrote:

> I recommend that if one is available and all else is relatively equal, > that you use a mohel who is an MD. When my son was born he was in the NICU > for a week because of an infection, and I was apprehensive about the > circumcision potentially causing additional problems. The fact that we had > already selected an MD (Orthodox, by the way) was an enormous relief, > because I felt we could trust what he was telling us. Plus, this guy did > such a terrific job that [...] 6191 43 34_Embarassed to Chant At Bar Mitzvah0_16_NinaSalk@aol.com29_Wed, 17 Jan 1996 17:36:14 GMT322_-

In response to the problem of a young Bar Mitzvah embarassed to chant in front of non-Jewish peers, Doug Jones suggested:

>get his friends a decent "stranger's guide to the Jewish >Sabbath services" so that, before they actually show up on the >big day, they'll know a bit about where they're going. [...] 6235 58 38_Re: Embarassed to Chant At Bar Mitzvah47_Douglas W. Jones,201H MLH,3193350740,319338287925_jones@pyrite.cs.uiowa.edu29_Wed, 17 Jan 1996 19:28:49 GMT548_- >From article <960117123613_119325794@mail02.mail.aol.com>, by NinaSalk@aol.com:

> There's just such a "guide" to the meaning of the bar/bat service in the > appendix of, "Putting God on the Guest List: How to Reclaim the Spiritual > Meaning of Your Child's Bar or Bat Mitzvah" by Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin > (Jewish Lights 1992). > > The appendix features a chapter entitled "What Non-Jews Should Know About > the Bar/Bat Mitzvah Service" which is actually *intended* for distribution > at your simcha, when many non-Jews are present. [...] 6294 49 46_Re: Interfaith couples raising Jewish children14_Steve Forstein19_rebsteve@dakota.net29_Tue, 16 Jan 1996 15:54:51 GMT598_- thompson@prysm.net (Rebecca Thompson) wrote:

>I'm a Pagan that was raised Jewish. My husband and I decided to raise >our (2 month old) son Jewish because it doesn't conflict with what >either of us believe. Jonathan (my husband) doesn't want him raised >Pagan, and I don't want him raised Christian. My husband is currently >studying Hebrew and Jewish law, though he doesn't want to keep kosher. >We haven't figured out how to explain our different faiths, though >we're planning on letting him know that different people are >comfortable contacting the Unknowable in different ways. [...] 6344 48 39_Jewish men balancing work and family...10_Dadsatwork18_dadsatwork@aol.com29_Tue, 16 Jan 1996 20:02:15 GMT595_- What’s it like balancing work and family as a Jewish man? We want to hear your stories!

Hello. I am Jim Levine, Director of The Fatherhood Project at the Families and Work Institute in New York City. In collaboration with Todd Pittinsky, a colleague from Harvard Business School, I am completing a major study on making the workplace more "father friendly." We are trying to understand what helps you – and what hinders you – in succeeding at work while still being involved with your children, spouse or partner, and/or caring for an aging parent. Here’s how you can participate. [...] 6393 30 41_Re: Bar / Bat Mitzvahs for Boy-Girl Twins12_Sophie Miron21_soph@ocf.Berkeley.EDU29_Thu, 18 Jan 1996 03:02:43 GMT572_US-ASCII I have identical twin girl cousins. They did their b'not mitzvah together on a shabbos that had a double parsha. They had a huge reception together which worked out well. Each got her turn in the limelight. I would think it crazy to do two separate celebrations.

The fact that your twins are boy-girl only presents a problem if you belong to a non-egalitarian shul. Then the boy would be reading from the torah and the girl wouldn't. Some orthodox shuls let girls chant haftorah so you could then have boy do torah, girl do haftorah. Boy lead part of [...] 6424 40 37_Re: Religious Education for Teenagers16_Michael A. Leeds28_mleeds@astro.ocis.temple.edu29_Tue, 16 Jan 1996 14:43:31 GMT595_- The approach our rabbi has taken - and I **think** it has been successful - is to recognize that anything a religious instructor does must be reinforced by what goes on at home. Do not expect to be able to reach teenagers (or pre-teenagers) if their parents view the process as something that goes on elsewhere. Thus, I would recommend that whatever you do involve classes for adults as well, schooling the uneducated in home-based ceremonies and rituals and providing the already-educated with new wrinkles to liven up what they are already doing. I lack specific knowledge of Islam, so [...] 6465 66 60_Raising Adopted Child Jewish (was: Jews and Xmas in America)15_Fred Rosenblatt34_Frederic.H.Rosenblatt@jpl.nasa.gov29_Tue, 16 Jan 1996 18:57:51 GMT641_US-ASCII In article <4crnhd$l8a@news1.usa.pipeline.com>, carltech_blp@usa.pipeline.com wrote: I carefully pointed out that a significant > part of the problem is that my son is adopted--and could have just as > easily been adopted by a Christian family. This is not "unresolved envy > that is perhaps being projected on a child expressing normal curiosity" as > much as a child figuring out his identity--a serious matter for most > adoptees. > > "Getting over" something usually means sweeping it under the carpet without > resolving it. I think that's a dangerous attitude for any parent who wants > to have jewish grandchildren--but [...] 6532 18 21_Re: Selecting a Mohel13_Evelyn Yallen26_102553.3414@CompuServe.COM29_Thu, 18 Jan 1996 03:57:45 GMT393_- I second the vote for the quality of Toronto mohels. An Orthodox MD did our son, and it is was very nicely done! (I'll be happy to pass on the name to any Torontonians looking for an excellent mohel if you e-mail me privately...)

* This post reflects the author's opinion; the moderators' opinions may differ. * Always check medical and halachic opinions with appropriate authorities. 6551 27 51_Re: Different Approaches to Secular Holiday Customs15_Stephanie Wells21_swells1@ix.netcom.com29_Tue, 16 Jan 1996 23:27:08 GMT521_us-ascii Sharon Roth's interpretation of Christmas customs was brilliant. I am a Jew by choice from a Christian upbringing, so I understand why almost all Christians I know do not think there is any harm in Christmas trees, Santa, etc.--because they do indeed see these as secular customs. What I did not understand is why now, as a Jew, I feel so strongly that those customs ARE religious and that they do not, under any circumstances, belong in a Jewish home. Sharon, you have explained it wonderfully! Thank you! [...] 6579 71 46_Re: Interfaith couples raising Jewish children14_Sherri Shulman18_sherri@cse.ogi.edu29_Thu, 18 Jan 1996 07:18:01 GMT598_- thompson@prysm.net (Rebecca Thompson) wrote:

>I'm a Pagan that was raised Jewish. My husband and I decided to raise >our (2 month old) son Jewish because it doesn't conflict with what >either of us believe. Jonathan (my husband) doesn't want him raised >Pagan, and I don't want him raised Christian. My husband is currently >studying Hebrew and Jewish law, though he doesn't want to keep kosher. >We haven't figured out how to explain our different faiths, though >we're planning on letting him know that different people are >comfortable contacting the Unknowable in different ways. [...] 6651 27 44_Tu Bish'vat Seder activities for young 'uns?25_Jo Pitesky UCLA Astronomy26_pitesky@mira.info.ucla.edu29_Thu, 18 Jan 1996 16:09:42 GMT495_- After several years of leeching off of others, we're going to hold a small Tu Bish'vat Seder of our own. Since there are going to be children ranging in age from 2 to 10, I'm going to keep things short (and have lots of towels around to help with the inevitable spills from pouring varying amounts of red and white grape juice :-), but I was wondering if anyone had specific ideas for kid-friendly activities. The one idea I have so far is to plant parsley seeds to be used in the seder. [...] 6679 46 38_Re: Embarassed to Chant At Bar Mitzvah47_Douglas W. Jones,201H MLH,3193350740,319338287925_jones@pyrite.cs.uiowa.edu29_Thu, 18 Jan 1996 15:34:50 GMT353_- Last night, I gave an oral summary of this thread to my son, and his response was worth passing on:

First, he agreed that he wasn't enthusiastic about having his own firends at his bar mitzvah, and when given the two reasons that have been discussed here, stage fright and the assimilationist dilemma, he opted for the latter explanation. [...] 6726 28 21_Re: Selecting a Mohel2_ed28_ed@ppdoc.pdial.interpath.net29_Thu, 18 Jan 1996 17:06:29 GMT539_us-ascii Many children have some extra skin left over after a circ. (i'm a urologist, i've seen a whole bunch of them) While it may look a little funny, most children will grow into the extra skin as they hit puberty. To keep it from getting stuck, make sure you retract it back at bathtub time. If it is stuck around the margin of the glans and you are uncomfortable bringing it back your pediatrician can do so for you. Once done, it is easy to keep from resticking by retracting the remaining skin in the tub and washing the penis [...] 6755 25 40_Re: Suggestions for Jewish A/V Materials2_ed28_ed@ppdoc.pdial.interpath.net29_Thu, 18 Jan 1996 23:44:02 GMT271_us-ascii I agree. The shalom sesame street series is good. my kids seem to enjoy it. Ben Sidran has a CD named "Life's a Lesson" which has a number of songs which my kids love to sing including his version of "tree of life" in English which my kids adore. Good Luck [...] 6781 25 29_Jews and Christmas in America8_georgiaf26_georgiaf@dolphin.upenn.edu29_Wed, 17 Jan 1996 00:57:26 GMT559_- I just began reading a few articles in this newsgroup, but I hope that this is helpful. About 25 years ago, when my sister and I were kids, my father decieded to decorate our house for Hanukkah so that we wouldn't be jealous of or feel left out with our Christian friends. It started with a few signs and homemade decorations and eventually exploded into a house full of decorations. My sister and I always looked forward to helping decorate or even create the decorations. Although we were never very religious it was great factor in helping me to be [...] 6807 26 28_RE: SCJ-PARENTING digest 1240_16_ldwolf@shani.net29_Wed, 17 Jan 1996 03:17:46 GMT437_US-ASCII

re: bar/bat mitsvahs for twins

Since girls are Bat Mitzvah at 12 and boys are Bar Mitzvah at 13, your celebrations would probably be a year apart.

That's what our friends did with their twins.

Enjoy raising them in the meantime!!



* This post reflects the author's opinion; the moderators' opinions may differ. * Always check medical and halachic opinions with appropriate authorities. 6834 40 46_Re: Interfaith couples raising Jewish children7_Jo Benn21_jonsteve@rapidnet.com29_Mon, 15 Jan 1996 22:14:10 GMT605_-



debbie@icus.com (Debbie Tropiano) wrote: >Are there other non-Jewish mothers raising their children Jewish? Since >Nathan is still an infant I have some time, but what have you told your >child(ren) about the fact that you're not the same religion that they are?

I was raised Protestant. Before my husband and I got married we agreed to raise our children to be Jewish. At the time I did not feel strongly enough about my own religion to find this objectionable and I knew my husband did feel very strongly about Judaism. When our oldest daughter was born, I began to wonder [...] 6875 60 40_Re: Suggestions for Jewish A/V Materials18_Bissell Tina Irene18_tbissell@umich.edu29_Fri, 12 Jan 1996 20:58:33 GMT374_US-ASCII

There is a series of Sesame Street videos, made in Israel (I believe) for an English-speaking audience. Songs are in both English and Hebrew. Familiar characters appear in combination with the local Israeli population of Rechov Sumsum (spelling ???, their Sesame Street) like the large pink porcupine, Kippi ben Kippot, and Moshe Oofnik, their grouch. [...] 6936 45 40_Re: Suggestions for Jewish A/V Materials11_Chuck Waite25_waite@cleese.apana.org.au29_Sat, 20 Jan 1996 03:04:23 GMT591_- Leora Wenger (leora@soho.ios.com) wrote: : Does anyone have some suggestions for audio or video cassettes with Jewish : content : and/or Hebrew language foryoung children? My son Shimon is 14 months. In : particular, it would nice to have a tape with an aleph-bet song.

A few years ago, I heard Robyn Helzner (sp?) perform - to the pleasure of young and old alike - at Wilkes-Barre (PA.)'s JCC. Impressed, I purchased two tapes after the performance ("I Live In The City" and "Clap Your Hands" subtitled "[More] Songs for Shabbat and Playtime") that I can recommend to you, if [...] 6982 49 37_Re: Religious education for teenagers6_astarr16_astarr@nando.net29_Wed, 17 Jan 1996 04:23:20 GMT590_US-ASCII

I know from working with many Jewish teens (and my personal experience as a teen) that religion became real when it was experienced as a part of social activities. Teen live through their peers. Religion seemed significant when it brought me together with friends, was fun and surrounded all we did. Sunday school was at an inconvenient time, was boring and seemed like it was for little kids. When I taught teens it was difficult to make it interesting or exciting. The things I've seen teens get excited about are socials, weekend and camps. They get a chance to do [...] 7032 66 41_Re: b'nai mitzvot and embarrassed chanter0_25_lynnef@mdhost.cse.TEK.COM29_Sat, 20 Jan 1996 01:31:47 GMT274_- 1) the cost of such an event. Well, no, they aren't free. And yes, some people spend a LOT of money on one. At the risk of letting Bar/Bat Mitzvah Secrets out to those not there yet, here is the cost breakdown for Rebecca's. Yup, I'm telling you how much we spent... [...] 7099 35 46_Bar Mitzvah Training (limited)-- Advice needed15_Peter Shoenfeld26_shoenfel@ix6.ix.netcom.com29_Sun, 21 Jan 1996 01:04:02 GMT545_- I am a mostly non-observant Jew, the child of totally non-observant parents, who grew up with only the religous training I could find for myself. I am in a mixed marriage. We live in Silver Spring, MD, in the Washington, DC area. I want my 10 year old adopted son to be Bar Mitzvahed, probably in a reform synagogue, and to get a limited amount of Jewish education that he can later enlarge for himself, if he's so inclined. I do not want to put him through several years of >1/week Hebrew school; that would be overkill, given my wishes [...] 7135 47 60_Raising Adopted Child Jewish (was: Jews and Xmas in America)0_32_Meredith_Warshaw@charlesview.com29_Fri, 19 Jan 1996 15:07:00 GMT308_- Fred Rosenblatt writes:

<> [...] 7183 24 5_Camps7_Kcirbob15_kcirbob@aol.com29_Fri, 19 Jan 1996 15:22:11 GMT385_- Our son is seven and we would like to send him to a Jewish camp this summer. We have relatives in Denver and are strongly considering a short (1 week) session at Ranch Camp for his first experience. I would appreciate any first-hand information as to what the kids do there, what the kids and parents impressions of the camp are and how they feel about returning the next year. [...] 7208 30 47_What to call grandparents - Bubbie? or grandma?14_Michelle D Lee24_mlee@titan.oit.umass.edu29_Fri, 19 Jan 1996 03:27:04 GMT521_- Dear Folks,

I have a dilemma. I am newly pregnant (5 weeks), but my parents (who are Jewish) want to know what they are going to called by the kid. As a child, my grandparents on my mothers side where called Bubbie and Zayde. But, my Bubbie, like most bubbie, was a short and solid lady. My mother, is tall, thin and in shape. Thus she is having a hard time relating to being called a bubbie. Any other suggestions for names? I don't want to call both set of parents grandma X and grandpa Y. I had a bubbie [...] 7239 49 23_assimilationist dilemma11_shari rifas15_sfr2@hooked.net29_Fri, 19 Jan 1996 16:38:56 GMT587_- Date: Tue, 16 Jan 1996 19:51:37 GMT From: jones@pyrite.cs.uiowa.edu (Douglas W. Jones Subject: Re: Son embarassed to chant at Bar Mitzvah Today, he may feel that he's just another guy, successfully conforming to the group norms. Is he afraid that if he brings his friends to a service, they'll discover that he's an alien? That he's a stranger in a strange land, worshiping in a foreign language, spending hours on Saturday morning chanting odd chants among a congregation that bows and shufflies strangely, wears wierd capes, and engages in strange rituals? [...] 7289 67 56_NO JCC SUPPORT FOR NEW MOTHERS - YWCA BETTER (SAD, LONG)9_Brcmktres17_brcmktres@aol.com29_Sun, 21 Jan 1996 14:03:05 GMT533_- I had a very unsettling experience this week in trying to register for some mom and me activities for myself and my young son. I find our local JCC (in New Jersey) most unhospitable. Has anyone elsewhere had a similar experience? Here's what happened:

On Tuesday, I went to the local YWCA to register for a class. As long as you were willing to get up early and stand on line, you were welcomed graciously. True - you had to pay a membership fee (as with the JCC) - but it was $40. I've been to other classes there and [...] 7357 49 51_Re: What to call grandparents - Bubbie? or grandma?21_Opal Vanessa Buchthal22_buchthal@ix.netcom.com29_Mon, 22 Jan 1996 08:23:56 GMT503_- In <4dn328$4se@nic.umass.edu> mlee@titan.oit.umass.edu (Michelle D Lee) writes: > >Dear Folks, > >I have a dilemma. I am newly pregnant (5 weeks), but my parents (who are >Jewish) want to know what they are going to called by the kid. > she is having a hard time relating to >being called a bubbie. Any other suggestions for names? I don't want to >call both set of parents grandma X and grandpa Y. I had a bubbie and >zayde, and grandma and grandpa. Is there a modern name for bubbies? > [...] 7407 44 51_Re: What to call grandparents - Bubbie? or grandma?14_Robyn Kozierok26_robyn@rice-chex.ai.mit.edu29_Mon, 22 Jan 1996 17:04:01 GMT571_- In article <4dn328$4se@nic.umass.edu>, Michelle D Lee wrote: >I have a dilemma. I am newly pregnant (5 weeks), but my parents (who are >Jewish) want to know what they are going to called by the kid. As a >child, my grandparents on my mothers side where called Bubbie and Zayde. >But, my Bubbie, like most bubbie, was a short and solid lady. My mother, is >tall, thin and in shape. Thus she is having a hard time relating to >being called a bubbie. Any other suggestions for names? I don't want to >call both set of parents grandma X and [...] 7452 93 10_Old wisdom11_Ruth Heiges21_heiges@post.tau.ac.il29_Sat, 20 Jan 1996 13:40:41 GMT594_US-ASCII

[In cleaning out files, I came across the following which an older friend, who has been saving such bits for decades, gave to me. I think those of you who understand Yiddish will appreciate it. Translation follows.]

When we think of Jewish heritage, such large concepts come to mind as monotheism, brotherhood of man and social justice. Actually, however, Jewish heritage also covers the more day-to-day rules that Jews have lived by and strive to continue to live by. Jewish heritage applies to the simple ethical values that are handed down from parent to child. [...] 7546 46 51_Re: What to call grandparents - Bubbie? or grandma?13_Karen M. Page26_Karen.M.Page@Dartmouth.EDU29_Mon, 22 Jan 1996 17:36:25 GMT548_- In article <4dn328$4se@nic.umass.edu> mlee@titan.oit.umass.edu (Michelle D Lee) writes:

> > I have a dilemma. I am newly pregnant (5 weeks), but my parents (who are > Jewish) want to know what they are going to called by the kid. As a > child, my grandparents on my mothers side where called Bubbie and Zayde. > But, my Bubbie, like most bubbie, was a short and solid lady. My mother, is > tall, thin and in shape. Thus she is having a hard time relating to > being called a bubbie. Any other suggestions for names? I don't want to > [...] 7593 44 27_Shabbat vs. the Girl Scouts15_Irene Bleiweiss16_IBLEIWEI@fcc.gov29_Mon, 22 Jan 1996 14:20:46 GMT261_- What can I do to persuade a newly formed girl scout troup from my daughter's school to change their decision to meet on Friday nights? Alternatively, how do I explain to a 6 year old girl that as a Jew she can't be part of her school's girl scout troop? [...] 7638 22 13_Rechov Sumsum11_Ruth Heiges21_heiges@post.tau.ac.il29_Sat, 20 Jan 1996 08:28:00 GMT274_US-ASCII Dear Tina,

FYI, it's Kippi Ben Kipod. "Kipod" means porcupine.

Ruth heiges@post.tau.ac.il

* This post reflects the author's opinion; the moderators' opinions may differ. * Always check medical and halachic opinions with appropriate authorities. 7661 39 52_What's a good vs bad bris? was Re: Selecting a Mohel13_Louise Miller22_miller@louise.ucsd.edu29_Wed, 17 Jan 1996 18:12:17 GMT287_us-ascii OK, embarrasing question time.

I have a 2yo boy, we had a bris when he was 8 days, etc. Can someone please enlighten me as to what makes a bris well done or pooly done? I am speaking strictly from a medical point of view. I suppose I could ask my doctor, but....... [...] 7701 52 50_Re: Bar Mitzvah Training (limited)-- Advice needed13_Heather Frank22_hf10@dolphin.upenn.edu29_Mon, 22 Jan 1996 05:37:50 GMT590_- Have you tried callingthe Jewish Federation Information and Referral in your area? We have one in Philly that should have that kind of information.

-HF



Peter Shoenfeld (shoenfel@ix6.ix.netcom.com) wrote: : I am a mostly non-observant Jew, the child of totally non-observant : parents, who grew up with only the religous training I could find for : myself. I am in a mixed marriage. We live in Silver Spring, MD, in : the Washington, DC area. I want my 10 year old adopted son to be Bar : Mitzvahed, probably in a reform synagogue, and to get a limited amount : [...] 7754 32 50_Re: Bar Mitzvah Training (limited)-- Advice needed10_Eric Simon23_erics@access2.digex.net29_Mon, 22 Jan 1996 18:41:09 GMT545_- Peter Shoenfeld (shoenfel@ix6.ix.netcom.com) wrote: : I am a mostly non-observant Jew, the child of totally non-observant : parents, who grew up with only the religous training I could find for : myself. I am in a mixed marriage. We live in Silver Spring, MD, in : the Washington, DC area. I want my 10 year old adopted son to be Bar : Mitzvahed, probably in a reform synagogue, and to get a limited amount : of Jewish education that he can later enlarge for himself, if he's so : inclined. I do not want to put him through several years [...] 7787 56 17_domestic violence0_32_Meredith_Warshaw@charlesview.com29_Sat, 20 Jan 1996 02:42:00 GMT623_- I am posting this message to soc.culture.jewish.parenting because domestic violence includes child abuse (and, of course, having a battered parent affects children profoundly). I want newsgroup members to know that there are resources available in the Jewish community (including the Orthodox) for those struggling with domestic violence.

I just received the latest issue of Sh'ma today. It is focused on a very important topic that the Jewish community is loath to admit is relevent to us: domestic violence. There is an article by a woman who was married to a batterer, and one by a rabbi who was forced to [...] 7844 35 18_unkosher footwear?0_32_Meredith_Warshaw@charlesview.com29_Mon, 22 Jan 1996 20:30:00 GMT312_- A friend and I had the following email exchange:

Me: When we went to synagogue Saturday, it never occurred to me to worry about the correctness of Keith's footwear. Suddenly I realized that he was wearing sneakers that light up at each step - good thing the shul isn't fervently shomer shabbat :-) [...] 7880 50 18_Bubbies and zaydes14_Hadass Eviatar26_eviatar@noether.ibd.nrc.ca29_Mon, 22 Jan 1996 21:03:16 GMT504_us-ascii Michelle wrote: > Dear Folks, > > I have a dilemma. I am newly pregnant (5 weeks), but my parents (who are > Jewish) want to know what they are going to called by the kid. As a > child, my grandparents on my mothers side where called Bubbie and Zayde. > But, my Bubbie, like most bubbie, was a short and solid lady. My mother, is > tall, thin and in shape. Thus she is having a hard time relating to > being called a bubbie. Any other suggestions for names? I don't want to > call both set [...] 7931 55 22_Re: unkosher footwear?18_Steven R Weintraub19_stevenw@pswtech.com29_Mon, 22 Jan 1996 23:43:21 GMT412_US-ASCII

I'm not a Rabbi - nor do I play one. But Purim is around the corner...

This is what Meredith_Warshaw@charlesview.com says : > > Me: When we went to synagogue Saturday, it never occurred to > me to worry about the correctness of Keith's footwear. Suddenly I realized > that he was wearing sneakers that light up at each step - good thing > the shul isn't fervently shomer shabbat :-) [...] 7987 39 47_What to call grandparents - Bubbie? or grandma?0_32_Meredith_Warshaw@charlesview.com29_Mon, 22 Jan 1996 15:13:00 GMT518_- Michelle Lee writes: <
In a matter of days, G-d willing, my wife and I will be in this situation. (She was raised Catholic & still is, so you might have some thoughts for her, Debbie!) We'd be very happy to correspond privately with other couples in similar situations, if such posts seem to stray from the groundrules of this group, or to talk about them here, if they seem appropriate. (Note: we're not talking about some putative "raising the kids as both," which never made sense to any of us. Excluded middles may be great places to visit, but you wouldn't want your [...] 8190 18 51_Re: What to call grandparents - Bubbie? or grandma?15_Barbara Pollack29_carltech_blp@usa.pipeline.com29_Tue, 23 Jan 1996 05:29:43 GMT250_- How about Hebrew: Savta and Saba?

Barbara Pollack carltech_blp@usa.pipeline.com

* This post reflects the author's opinion; the moderators' opinions may differ. * Always check medical and halachic opinions with appropriate authorities. 8209 48 42_Re: Son embarassed to chant at Bar Mitzvah10_Eric Simon23_erics@access2.digex.net29_Mon, 22 Jan 1996 18:34:06 GMT496_- Allan Izen -- DOH - Food and Drug Branch (alibaba@elele.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu) wrote: : We had quite a session at our house this morning. We were discussing the : guest list for my son's March Bar Mitzvah. Turns out he didn't want to : invite a lot of his close friends because they weren't Jewish and he said : he would be embarassed to chant in front of them. Has anyone else : experienced this? I'd certainly appreciate any suggestions that would : enable us to handle this with sensetivity. [...] 8258 52 51_Re: What to call grandparents - Bubbie? or grandma?0_17_arimer@wimsey.com29_Tue, 23 Jan 1996 20:50:28 GMT554_us-ascii mlee@titan.oit.umass.edu (Michelle D Lee) wrote: >Dear Folks, > >I have a dilemma. I am newly pregnant (5 weeks), but my parents (who are >Jewish) want to know what they are going to called by the kid. As a >child, my grandparents on my mothers side where called Bubbie and Zayde. >But, my Bubbie, like most bubbie, was a short and solid lady. My mother, is >tall, thin and in shape. Thus she is having a hard time relating to >being called a bubbie. Any other suggestions for names? I don't want to >call both set of parents grandma X and [...] 8311 45 51_Re: What to call grandparents - Bubbie? or grandma?13_Ariel Shattan30_ariel_shattan@ccm.jf.intel.com29_Tue, 23 Jan 1996 21:56:32 GMT573_us-ascii mlee@titan.oit.umass.edu (Michelle D Lee) wrote: >Dear Folks, > >I have a dilemma. I am newly pregnant (5 weeks), but my parents (who >are Jewish) want to know what they are going to called by the kid.

Well, you could ask them what they *want* to be called by the kid...

>As a child, my grandparents on my mothers side where called Bubbie and Zayde. But, my Bubbie, like most bubbie, was a short and solid lady. My >mother is having a hard time relating to >being called a bubbie. Any other suggestions for names? >Is there a modern name [...] 8357 24 17_Re: Rechov Sumsum14_Robyn Kozierok26_robyn@rice-chex.ai.mit.edu29_Mon, 22 Jan 1996 20:15:20 GMT434_- In article , Ruth Heiges wrote: >FYI, it's Kippi Ben Kipod. "Kipod" means porcupine. ^^^ Does this mean Kippi is "male" then? I was excited when I first saw Kippi because it looks and sounds "female" whereas all the major muppets on Sesame Street are "male" but then I noticed the name, and wondered if it was also supposed to be "male". [...] 8382 45 51_Re: What to call grandparents - Bubbie? or grandma?14_Bari Nirenberg18_nirenber@shani.net29_Mon, 22 Jan 1996 20:46:15 GMT582_- In article <4dn328$4se@nic.umass.edu>, mlee@titan.oit.umass.edu says...

>I have a dilemma. I am newly pregnant (5 weeks), but my parents (who are >Jewish) want to know what they are going to called by the kid. As a >child, my grandparents on my mothers side where called Bubbie and Zayde.

>But, my Bubbie, like most bubbie, was a short and solid lady. My mother, is >tall, thin and in shape. Thus she is having a hard time relating to >being called a bubbie. Any other suggestions for names? I don't want to >call both set of parents grandma X and grandpa Y. I [...] 8428 36 13_Who is a Jew?10_I. Pour-El18_pourel@iastate.edu29_Mon, 22 Jan 1996 20:26:40 GMT340_- This has nothing to do with halacha.

An acquaintance who moved to Israel about 10 years ago is getting married and was told that he needs "an Orthodox bris certificate". His Mother (in the US) is frantically searching for it because although he had an Orthodox mohel she is not sure that she has a piece of paper to prove it. [...] 8465 47 15_Re: Girl Scouts14_Laurel Halbany23_mythago@agora.rdrop.com29_Wed, 24 Jan 1996 09:08:31 GMT373_- Sheilass@aol.com wrote:

[snip]

>You cannot realistically expect everyone else in the girl scout troop to bend >to your needs. If the troop doesn't meet your daughter's needs, why not start >your own troop at your local shul or JCC? GSA is always looking for leaders >to run a troop. This way you could involve your daughter with more jewish >children. [...] 8513 40 17_Re: Rechov Sumsum18_Bissell Tina Irene18_tbissell@umich.edu29_Wed, 24 Jan 1996 13:45:51 GMT511_US-ASCII

Thanks for the correction below. Unfortunately, Kippi seems to be yet another male Sesame character. There is something of a dearth of strong female muppets isn't there.

Tina Bissell 313-747-3300 Associate Curator 313-747-4121 (fax) Slide and Photograph Collection tbissell@umich.edu University of Michigan

On Mon, 22 Jan 1996, Robyn Kozierok wrote:

> In article Ruth Heiges wrote: > >FYI, it's Kippi Ben Kipod. "Kipod" means porcupine. [...] 8554 42 31_Re: Shabbat vs. the Girl Scouts10_Karen Ford13_karen@mcs.com29_Tue, 23 Jan 1996 20:26:10 GMT311_- Irene Bleiweiss (IBLEIWEI@fcc.gov) wrote: : What can I do to persuade a newly formed girl scout troup from my : daughter's school to change their decision to meet on Friday nights? : Alternatively, how do I explain to a 6 year old girl that as a Jew she can't : be part of her school's girl scout troop? [...] 8597 43 28_Re: SCJ-PARENTING digest 13313_Packer Family17_msp@world.std.com29_Wed, 24 Jan 1996 11:17:49 GMT557_US-ASCII

Re: Unkosher Footwear

I am not a rabbi. Here are my thoughts. The shoes are commonly held in our neighborhood to be Mukseh, that is, not to be used on Shabbat. He may not be intending, each moment to turn the lights on and off, but he can certainly predict that his actions will do so. One friend told me their home rule is, if is has batteries, it's mukseh. I'm sure that there's a battery somewhere in those shoes to run the lights. Further the discussion with the child is useful for his education, gets him thinking all the [...] 8641 44 17_Re: Circ Question13_Packer Family17_msp@world.std.com29_Wed, 24 Jan 1996 11:08:12 GMT457_US-ASCII

I am replying to what's a good vs a bad bris:

I am an internist, and can therefore say in a socially acceptable way that I have seen a lot of circumcision outcomes, much later in life. I never saw a man who had been harmed by his circumcision, either functionally or "cosmetically." The penis is an organ of function, and as long as it can perform those functions, it is fine. A circumcision will not harm those capabilitities. [...] 8686 37 51_Re: What to call grandparents - Bubbie? or grandma?12_naomi pardue30_npardue@ezinfo.ucs.indiana.edu29_Wed, 24 Jan 1996 16:52:13 GMT526_- Michelle D Lee (mlee@titan.oit.umass.edu) wrote: > Dear Folks,

> I have a dilemma. I am newly pregnant (5 weeks), but my parents (who are > Jewish) want to know what they are going to called by the kid. As a > child, my grandparents on my mothers side where called Bubbie and Zayde. > But, my Bubbie, like most bubbie, was a short and solid lady. My mother, is > tall, thin and in shape. Thus she is having a hard time relating to > being called a bubbie. Any other suggestions for names? I don't want to > call [...] 8724 35 29_Re: Summer Activites for Teen12_Lex Friedman13_lexf@epix.net29_Wed, 24 Jan 1996 13:16:05 GMT445_- In article <199601221907.OAA18448@mercury.thepoint.net>, msament@thepoint.net (msament) wrote:

> My soon to be 15 year old son is looking for summer activities. His mother

> and I are not yet ready to send him to Israel. We wold prefer to see him > participate in a Jewish oriented experience - that the group participating consists of Jewish kids. Any suggestions or information on programs would be > greatly appreciated. [...] 8760 89 23_Son Embarrased to Chant0_16_NinaSalk@aol.com29_Wed, 24 Jan 1996 18:33:18 GMT527_-

Re: the continuing discussion of teenagers embarassed to chant in front of their peers, Eric Selinger wrote:

:There have been a few answers to this, but I think that they :might be missing the point of this post (or else _I_ am :missing the point of thispost).

:Among many teenagers (and I vaguely recall being one of :them), being 'religious' is incredibly un-cool. And taking an :active part in a service, and being dorky-studious enough to :chant in another language, is decidedly mega-un-cool. [...] 8850 43 28_Carrying children on Shabbat14_Hadass Eviatar26_eviatar@noether.ibd.nrc.ca29_Wed, 24 Jan 1996 23:21:07 GMT501_us-ascii Judy Packer wrote: > Carrying the child: If the child is of an age where you can > expect him to "crash" and need to be carried, better to get a sitter and > leave him home. Or if he's almost there, discuss it with him "I'd like > to take you with me, but I can't unless you'll walk all the way there and > back. Do you think you're ready?" If he knows you really value this > commandment, he will absorb your commitment to halacha and either stay > home or try hard to keep walking. If [...] 8894 277 58_Judaism Reading List: Books for Jewish Children (Pt. XIII)13_Daniel Faigin21_faigin@pacificnet.net26_24 Jan 1996 11:07:30 -0800449_- Archive-name: judaism/reading-lists/childrens Soc-culture-jewish-archive-name: reading.childrens Posting-Frequency: Monthly

Selected Sources for Additional Reading on Judaism Books for Jewish Children [Last Change: $Date: 1995/06/27 20:14:39 $ $Revision: 1.2 $] [Last Post: Mon Jun 12 11:07:11 1995]

This message is intended to provide recommendations to the readers of soc.culture.jewish of books suitable for use by children. [...] 9172 67 38_Interfaith Couples raising Jewish kids15_Irene Bleiweiss16_IBLEIWEI@fcc.gov29_Wed, 24 Jan 1996 20:07:33 GMT441_- Eric, the Jewish partner in an interfaith marriage, wrote that he is facing the issue of whether to raise his child within "normal" Judaism or with a more "hippy dippy" Jewish Renewal approach to Judaism in which he himself grew up. His Catholic wife favored "normal" Judaism.

You pose a question similar to one that affects me. I think that the answer to your dilemna turns on your goal for your child's religious upbringing. [...] 9240 40 22_Re: unkosher footwear?14_Robyn Kozierok26_robyn@rice-chex.ai.mit.edu29_Thu, 25 Jan 1996 03:12:06 GMT607_- In article <199601222343.RAA00806@norad.pswtech.com>, Steven R Weintraub wrote: >> Me: At some point I was carrying him (meltdown time) - does that >> fall under pikuah nefesh (since the choice was carry him or >> murder)?

>I'm not sure. I'm pretty sure that (outside an Eruv) the prescribed >procedure is to leave him there and return to collect him after Shabbat. >Often informing the child of the halacha will cause him to continue >under his own volition ("I can't carry you - it's Shabbat. I'm going >to leave you here. I'll come back after Shabbat to get you." :-) [...] 9281 90 19_Embarassed to Chant14_Andrea Herrera15_Andreah@utj.org29_Wed, 24 Jan 1996 17:08:07 GMT404_-

> From: NinaSalk: > In our synagogue, (and I think it's typical of suburban Jewish > shuls) nearly every bar mitzvah "congregation" has a claque of > totally disinterested, mildly hostile teenagers sitting miserably > through the service, under the glaring eye of ushers who patrol the > aisles and occasionally shsssh them, while champing at the bit to be > released from the sanctuary . [...] 9372 58 22_Re: unkosher footwear?18_Steven R Weintraub19_stevenw@pswtech.com29_Thu, 25 Jan 1996 15:06:58 GMT582_US-ASCII

This is what Robyn Kozierok says : > > In article <199601222343.RAA00806@norad.pswtech.com>, > Steven R Weintraub wrote: > >> Me: At some point I was carrying him (meltdown time) - does that > >> fall under pikuah nefesh (since the choice was carry him or > >> murder)? > > >I'm not sure. I'm pretty sure that (outside an Eruv) the prescribed > >procedure is to leave him there and return to collect him after Shabbat. > >Often informing the child of the halacha will cause him to continue > >under his own volition ("I can't carry you - [...] 9431 48 42_Re: Son embarassed to chant at Bar Mitzvah15_Barbara Pollack29_carltech_blp@usa.pipeline.com29_Thu, 25 Jan 1996 20:29:18 GMT348_- Kids don't always tell you what they are really thinking. If you are just at the stage of discussing the guest list, could it be that your son is not yet completely prepared for the big day? And that he is a mite nervous? And doesn't want to take a chance on screwing up in front of people who don't appreciate just how hard he had to work? [...] 9480 35 51_Re: What to call grandparents - Bubbie? or grandma?8_NanCohen16_nancohen@aol.com29_Thu, 25 Jan 1996 18:42:18 GMT518_- Michelle Lee writes: <
We figured that Tobin would have a Grandma and a Grandpa (non-Jewish) and a Saba and a Savta (Jewish, and Hebrew-speaking).

But when we visited for the holidays, Tobin came up with her own name for "Boppa" and I think that's what my FIL will be called evermore. ;-)



-- Michal





* This post reflects the author's opinion; the moderators' opinions may differ. * Always check medical and halachic opinions with appropriate authorities. 9542 31 17_Re: Who is a Jew?20_Irene Stern Friedman13_lexf@epix.net29_Thu, 25 Jan 1996 22:08:15 GMT556_- In article <4e0ru0$r3t@news.iastate.edu>, pourel@iastate.edu (I. Pour-El) wrote:

> The question is, what documentation should I keep to prove that my son's > are Jews? I have a copy of my grandmother's ketubah on the theory "if your > mother's mother's mother was a Jew, you are a Jew too" and was planning to > give a copy of it to each of my sons when they are grown. They do have > "bris certificates" but they are not Orthodox. My father doesn't have one > and he was born to an Orthodox community in Israel. If "bris certificates" > are [...] 9574 36 15_Embarrassed ...15_Georganne Burke19_nbcnet@inforamp.net29_Fri, 26 Jan 1996 01:51:18 GMT546_- As an addendum to what Andrea Herrera said about Bar Mitzvahs (Bat Mitzvahs too), I would add my 2.5¢ to the discussion. I believe that it is crucial for the children who are friends of your child to attend the Bar Mitzvah. I remember my second son's Bar Mitzvah (my oldest had his in Israel). David completed his parsha and all his friends rushed up to the bimah to congratulate him and to shake his hand. He was so thrilled and excited that his friends were pleased for him. His parents, siblings, et al he expected. But his friends ... [...] 9611 34 22_Re: unkosher footwear?0_32_Meredith_Warshaw@charlesview.com29_Fri, 26 Jan 1996 17:43:00 GMT449_- Steve Weintraub wrote:

<> [...] 9646 28 51_Re: What to call grandparents - Bubbie? or grandma?15_Marjorie Peskin24_mpeskin@lynx.dac.neu.edu29_Fri, 26 Jan 1996 17:36:46 GMT327_- My maternal grandparents were named by my eldest sister when she was just learning to talk. They were called Mimi and Pop-pop (or pop for short), and that they remained the rest of their lives.

My paternal grandparents were Grannie Rose and Grandpa Dave. They were progressive and refused to be Bubbie and Zayde. [...] 9675 64 49_PURIM TORAH: Transporting a Child without an Eruv0_14_dinitz@tss.com29_Fri, 26 Jan 1996 19:27:31 GMT330_-

Top Ten Ways to Transport a Child on Shabbat when Your City has No Eruv

10. Challenge the child to a leap-frog marathon. The winner gets to hold the havdalah candle that evening.

9. Wear the child around your neck as a scarf, or on your head as a hat.

8. Pin the child to your shirt or blouse. [...] 9740 39 9_CTTS: 3.515_Marjorie Peskin24_mpeskin@lynx.dac.neu.edu29_Fri, 26 Jan 1996 16:41:48 GMT548_US-ASCII Graham has said two fairly remarkable things this week, one funny, one just plain nice:

1) Last night we were discussing a friend, who just changed schools from a public school to a Jewish Day School. Graham was interested in the Jewish part of this story, and I told him that A. used to go to a public school, but he's happier at his new school and he's learning hebrew, and about Jewish stuff, just like you do at your Jewish school. He looked serious and then asked "Do Christmas kids go to Christmas schools?" I was ROTFL. [...] 9780 41 32_Re: Carrying children on Shabbat13_Louise Miller22_miller@louise.ucsd.edu29_Fri, 26 Jan 1996 20:36:32 GMT295_us-ascii "Hadass Eviatar" wrote: >Now I am confused. Is it forbidden to carry a child on Shabbat? What about a >baby? At what age can a child no longer be carried? In any case, Winnipeg has >an eruv. Is it still forbidden to carry a child? > >Kol tuv, Hadass > [...] 9822 37 24_Re: Bar Mitzvah Training16_Michael A. Leeds28_mleeds@astro.ocis.temple.edu29_Fri, 26 Jan 1996 14:07:09 GMT580_- I side with Eric on this. Your son will be "bar mitzvah" (ignoring questions that some may have over whether he is "really Jewish") regardless of whether he receives training. If you are serious about his receiving any background worth having, however, you will have to engage in the sort of compulsion that you seem to object to. One unfortunate aspect of our society is that raising a child with **any** sort of religious background will take serious effort - and mean real sacrifices - on everyone's part. If you are unwilling to make or impose those sacrifices, then I [...] 9860 48 17_Re: Who is a Jew?19_Olga from the volga19_olga1@ix.netcom.com29_Fri, 26 Jan 1996 17:22:34 GMT585_- lexf@epix.net (Irene Stern Friedman) wrote:

>In article <4e0ru0$r3t@news.iastate.edu>, pourel@iastate.edu (I. Pour-El) wrote:

>> The question is, what documentation should I keep to prove that my son's >> are Jews? I have a copy of my grandmother's ketubah on the theory "if your >> mother's mother's mother was a Jew, you are a Jew too" and was planning to >> give a copy of it to each of my sons when they are grown. They do have >> "bris certificates" but they are not Orthodox. My father doesn't have one >> and he was born to an Orthodox community in Israel. [...] 9909 40 23_Converting with a child14_Vicky Y Dunbar29_vydunbar@asimov.oit.umass.edu29_Sat, 27 Jan 1996 15:02:28 GMT518_- Hello, I am new to the newsgroup, but have been lurking for a while.

I am converting to Judaism after 17 years of moderate religious study and two years of soul searching. I have a four year old son, and I wish to raise him as a Jew as well. My ex-husband has no problems with this, as long as I allow his mother to celebrate Christmas and Easter with my son. I don't have a problem with that, as long as she doesn't feed him any trefah, and she doesn't make him feel bad because Santa doesn't visit our [...] 9950 29 9_FTTS: 3.515_Marjorie Peskin24_mpeskin@lynx.dac.neu.edu29_Mon, 29 Jan 1996 04:43:29 GMT495_US-ASCII Setup: We were at a birthday party today at the Discovery Zone. The hostess was passing out the tokens for the video games and rides after the birthday cake had been consumed. The tokens are bright gold coins.

Gemma saw the hostess giving me our tokens, and she got really upset. She kept insisting that she wanted the 'candy'. I finally figured out that she thought the tokens were chocolate Chanukah gelt. :-) She was disappointed to find they were just plain old tokens. [...] 9980 28 17_Re: Who is a Jew?15_Georganne Burke19_nbcnet@inforamp.net29_Mon, 29 Jan 1996 05:26:46 GMT521_- > What do the rest of us do? I *think* I had a naming - but I haven't > a clue if I have any of these certificates or not. I never knew I had > to *prove* anything. How would my children prove this?

Olga:

The best thing to do is to seek a rabbi who can verify that your mother was Jewish, and that you are. Your children will certainly in this day and age be able to verify their birthright and their Jewish activities (Bar/Bat Mitzvah, nameing, bris, etc.). My children have such proof. But I never [...] 10009 83 27_Re: Converting with a child15_Georganne Burke19_nbcnet@inforamp.net29_Mon, 29 Jan 1996 05:36:43 GMT553_- Vicky:

You are the bravest of souls. Welcome to the fold and all of its awesome responsibilities and equally awesome joys.

You will have to set some ground rules with the grandparents on both sides. It is a matter of respect that they make an effort to assist you in this major life move. Your ex-husband is correct to ask that his/your child be able to have a relationship with his parents (the holidays are not the ideal time for this, but if you work with your child and your ex, your child will understand why he does one thing [...] 10093 72 40_Re: Suggestions for Jewish A/V Materials14_Ed Kershenbaum12_edk@SNET.Net29_Sat, 27 Jan 1996 06:35:57 GMT632_us-ascii Here are a few good jewish or Israeli-oriented A/V selections. This is highly subjective, based on recommendations from my kids (2 & 4), and my critique after viewing these numerous (far too many!) times.

Shalom Sesame -

The videos featuring Bonnie Franklin or Itzhak Perlman as guest hosts are by far the best. In many ways they are closer to the real Rehov Susum in Israel and indeed include a great deal of repurposed skits and cartoons. This series includes a number of Israeli characters, and features some excellent Hebrew language, Israeli culture and Jewish segments. Highly recommended for kids [...] 10166 36 24_A hebrew name for my son14_Vicky Y Dunbar28_vydunbar@wilde.oit.umass.edu29_Mon, 29 Jan 1996 17:28:34 GMT306_- I asked about converting with my son, but I forgot to ask about what would be a good Hebrew name for him. His name is Justin, which means Just, and wealthy. He is a loving child, likes to laugh a lot, very active and very intelligent. He's four. Can anyone give me a hint to a fitting name for him? [...] 10203 78 41_"kill the kid" was Re: unkosher footwear?5_Steve21_steve-e@ix.netcom.com29_Tue, 30 Jan 1996 06:38:50 GMT572_- On Fri, 26 Jan 1996 09:43:00 -0800, Meredith_Warshaw@charlesview.com wrote:

>I guess I wasn't clear that I was being facetious in my post which >started it. I thought people would understand that I wouldn't >mention carrying a child versus murdering him and cite pikuah >nefesh (violating a mitzvah in order to save a life) unless I was >being facetious. At least not on a public list ;-) > What do you mean "being facetious"?? We have an absolutely terriffic family - people cite us as the ideal family - my wife and I do not argue (believe that and I have [...] 10282 33 51_Re: What to call grandparents - Bubbie? or grandma?7_Cynbatt15_cynbatt@aol.com29_Mon, 29 Jan 1996 13:14:02 GMT554_- In article <4e8iua$fbe@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, nancohen@aol.com (NanCohen) writes:

> My own Bubby (our >family's spelling) is, kayn ahoreh, very active and fit, though still very >cuddly. Of course, it makes perfect sense that the name has too many >associations with your grandmother for your mother to feel right taking it >on herself, and the other suggestions that have been made sound very good >to me. But I still think it would be too bad to imply that the title of >bubbie is too redolent of the Old Country for these modern times. [...] 10316 49 50_Re: Bar Mitzvah Training (limited)-- Advice needed21_Rachelle J. Bienstock29_rachelle@picard.niehs.nih.gov29_Tue, 23 Jan 1996 15:20:02 GMT522_- First of all, if your son's mother is not Jewish (you mentioned you are in a mixed marriage), your son,unless he converts, will not be considered Jewish by all Conservative and Orthodox Rabbis. And, even recently Reform Rabbis have taken a more conservative stand on performing a Bar Mitzvah on a child ( I recently read an article in The Forward concerning this) as there are so many children with unusual circumstances and there were cases of children appearing for Bar/Bat Mitzvah training wearing crucifixes... [...] 10366 117 41_Jewish Solution Motivates Jewish Learning15_Marshall Dermer18_dermer@csd.uwm.edu29_Sun, 28 Jan 1996 03:34:06 GMT812_-





Copyright January 27, 1996 ------------------------------- Permission is granted to distribute the following piece for non-profit purposes only. -------------------------------

A Jewish Solution for Motivating Jewish Learning

Marshall Lev Dermer Department of Psychology University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee

dermer@csd.uwm.edu



Jewish children are often without family or neighbors who value Jewish learning, who bestow personal admiration for Jewish learning, who can tutor their children to enhance Jewish learning, or who are fulfilled by virtue of Jewish learning. Just as there are many inner-city students who cannot see the connection between secular studies and secular success, there are many Jewish children who cannot see the connection [...] 10484 37 26_Carring a Child on Shabbat13_Packer Family17_msp@world.std.com29_Sat, 27 Jan 1996 19:23:06 GMT568_US-ASCII

Re: carrying a child

First, I apologize that I cannot figure out how to include text, so I cannot include the text I refer to.

I am replying to the comment about carrying a child of young age on Shabbos, with an eruv or without. I would be interested to see a rabbi's reply. My understanding is that without an eruv *nothing* can be carried, except pekuach nefesh, to save a life. That is, someone of any age who becomes injured can be carried when necessary. But a child too young to transport himself cannot be carried. She or he [...] 10522 40 51_Re: What to call grandparents - Bubbie? or grandma?11_Gary Garber15_garyg@flash.net29_Tue, 30 Jan 1996 22:48:05 GMT405_- In article <4dn328$4se@nic.umass.edu>, mlee@titan.oit.umass.edu (Michelle D Lee) says: > >Dear Folks, > >I have a dilemma. I am newly pregnant (5 weeks), but my parents (who are >Jewish) want to know what they are going to called by the kid. As a >child, my grandparents on my mothers side where called Bubbie and Zayde. >But, my Bubbie, like most bubbie, was a short and solid lady. My mother, is [...] 10563 43 51_Re: What to call grandparents - Bubbie? or grandma?16_Judith G. Miller15_bosko@umich.edu29_Mon, 29 Jan 1996 22:39:01 GMT516_- > In <4dn328$4se@nic.umass.edu> mlee@titan.oit.umass.edu (Michelle D Lee) > writes: > > > >Dear Folks, > > > >I have a dilemma. I am newly pregnant (5 weeks), but my parents (who are > >Jewish) want to know what they are going to called by the kid. > > she is having a hard time relating to > >being called a bubbie. Any other suggestions for names? I don't want > to > >call both set of parents grandma X and grandpa Y. I had a bubbie and > >zayde, and grandma and grandpa. Is there a modern name for [...] 10607 49 28_Re: A hebrew name for my son15_Georganne Burke19_nbcnet@inforamp.net29_Wed, 31 Jan 1996 00:43:56 GMT343_- Vicky:

You could try the name Yonatan (Jonathan). It is a beautiful name. There is Yehudah, Yitzchak, Yisrael, Yigal --- all beautiful names.

You should pick a name which is meaningful to you. But then use it. Don't revert to the English name if you can avoid it. Maybe your son can help you pick his name --- he is four. [...] 10657 33 47_Jewish Education for Learning Disabled Children15_Georganne Burke19_nbcnet@inforamp.net29_Wed, 31 Jan 1996 01:12:58 GMT349_- I am interested in starting a dialog on the provision of education for children with Learning Disabilities in your community.

1) Do you have programs?

2) Are the students mainstreamed or segregated?

3) If there are programs, are they found in all your schools or only in the O schools, or the C schools or the R schools? [...] 10691 49 28_Re: A hebrew name for my son17_Michael A. Thomas20_wndwalkr@eos.eos.net29_Wed, 31 Jan 1996 03:34:25 GMT610_- In article <4ej042$1ap@nic.umass.edu>, vydunbar@wilde.oit.umass.edu (Vicky Y Dunbar) wrote:

>I asked about converting with my son, but I forgot to ask about what >would be a good Hebrew name for him. His name is Justin, which means >Just, and wealthy. He is a loving child, likes to laugh a lot, very >active and very intelligent. He's four. Can anyone give me a hint to a >fitting name for him? > >His step-father-to-be's name is Jacob, and Zayde's name is Itzhak. Zayde >is orthodox, Bubbe is conservative, and MY family are all catholics. >Jacob's family is Eastern European. > >I am thinking [...] 10741 68 41_Re: Bar / Bat Mitzvahs for Boy-Girl Twins12_Sophie Miron21_soph@ocf.Berkeley.EDU29_Wed, 31 Jan 1996 03:18:58 GMT633_US-ASCII Doug Jones wrote: > Yes, on the average, girls attain > puberty before boys, but this is only a matter of averages. There are > also halachic grounds for egalitarianism, as argued by the Conservative > movement, which notes that women are no longer chattels and that men > and women today frequently share the burdens which were used, in rabinnic > times, to excuse women from time bound mitzvot. I am unclear about the > impact of this halachic argument on the time when a girl should celebrate > her bat mitzvah in a conservative congregation. > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [...] 10810 26 13_CTTS (age 45)15_Robin Netherton15_robin@dgsys.com29_Wed, 31 Jan 1996 16:09:06 GMT317_-



The other night my husband made a comment about me practicing my Kugels (in preparation for our upcoming childbirth), and got very confused when I headed for the kitchen... :-)

He knows more Hebrew than I do, but he has a language deficiency when it comes to both Yiddish and Food-talk. [...] 10837 71 63_A Moderator's Hints For Posting To soc.culture.jewish.parenting18_Steven R Weintraub19_stevenw@pswtech.com29_Wed, 31 Jan 1996 20:30:12 GMT638_US-ASCII A Moderator's Hints For Posting To soc.culture.jewish.parenting or Ten Rules To Make Yours and the Moderator's Life Easier.

1) Submit articles to soc.culture.jewish.parenting (scjp) by either replying to an article in your newsreader or mailreader or by sending Email to scjp-submit@shamash.org

2) Within the hour you will get an acknowledgement. This acknowledgement will have the name and Email address of the moderator assigned to your article. SAVE THIS NOTE until your scjp transaction is complete. (A transaction is the processing of an article from initial submission to final acceptance or rejection). [...] 10909 110 27_Re: Converting with a child15_Barbara Pollack29_carltech_blp@usa.pipeline.com29_Tue, 30 Jan 1996 16:39:20 GMT594_- Welcome to the world of going against the flow. Once you get the hang of it, you may find yourself fielding questions from Gentile parents looking for ways of counteracting the effects of popular culture on their children.



You might want to consult with your rabbi for guidance and suggestions. Especially if you are joining the Orthodox movement, you need to make sure that the solution you pick is acceptable with regard to your commitment. It seems to me that you not only have an issue of food but with honoring your child's grandparent and shalom bayit (peace in the [...] 11020 33 40_Video Suggestions for Middle School kids9_Amy Siary18_asiary@tx.ncsu.edu29_Tue, 30 Jan 1996 13:02:15 GMT352_-

I am the director of a youth group trying to gather a list of videos/films for a proposed film series.

Of course I'd like the films to have something Jewish about them, but I'm also interested in films dealing with the issues of cultural diversity, racism, identity, morality/ethical responsibility, antisemitism, Holocaust, ETC. [...] 11054 61 78_Re: Inviting yr child's friends to Bar Mitzvah (Was: Son embarrassed to chant)21_Daniel Miller Sanchez15_bosko@umich.edu29_Wed, 31 Jan 1996 23:10:39 GMT608_- I've read a number of disparate messages around the original topic which now seems ot have drifted into how to handle the child's friends.

We live in Ann Arbor, a medium-sized Mid-Western University town, and have many non-Jewish friends, including a number of non-American families who are in various ways connected to the University. Although my son attended a Day School early on, his latter year were spent in the public school system and afternoon religious school at our synagogue. The majority of my son's good friends are not Jewish, and he was a little concerned about what they would [...] 11116 51 31_Re: Shabbat vs. the Girl Scouts15_Fred Rosenblatt34_Frederic.H.Rosenblatt@jpl.nasa.gov29_Wed, 31 Jan 1996 20:59:35 GMT551_US-ASCII In article <4e3g92$7oa@Mars.mcs.com>, karen@mcs.com (Karen Ford) wrote:

> Irene Bleiweiss (IBLEIWEI@fcc.gov) wrote: > : What can I do to persuade a newly formed girl scout troup from my > : daughter's school to change their decision to meet on Friday nights? > : Alternatively, how do I explain to a 6 year old girl that as a Jew she can't > : be part of her school's girl scout troop? > > : This is a crisis issue in our house because my daughter is new in the > : school and has been having trouble making friends with children [...]