Small Moments

Thank you to everyone who helped kick off my birthday weekend in true FJECC/Temple Israel style! It has felt very much like birthday season this week as many children are also celebrating theirs. Earlier in the week, one Green Room child and I were able to get over the hump of a grumpy morning (for both of us) by realizing that our birthdays are a day apart and we have continued to chat about this wondrous fact all week. Sometimes it feels as though adults and children speak different languages, we often have very different agendas and priorities and, for sure, children and adults experience the world in divergent ways. But - birthdays. It is a unifying theme throughout life. An adult having a birthday is something every child can understand (even if the ways in which birthdays are observed differ).

At Shabbat Sing this morning, as I obediently sat on the birthday “throne” and answered questions from Rabbi Suzie and then the children, I was a bit overwhelmed by the attention. And then Rabbi Suzie asked me, “what is your favorite thing about being Jewish?” It’s a big question! The answer came swiftly. One of my favorite things about being Jewish is the many wonderful ways Judaism has of honoring moments in our lives. Rituals, blessings, traditions, stories, songs, prayers; living life Jewishly means living life with intention and with attention to the small moments in each day that cumulatively help us make meaning of the world around us. On a daily basis, our teachers bring the same approach to their classrooms and to learning. It is an essential element of what makes our classrooms thrive. Today, I had the privilege of experiencing that same spirit of intentionality. Throughout the day, a voice would come through the walkie talkie summoning me to a classroom. Each time I assumed it was to help out through a transition, take a look at an injured child or to answer a question. But no! Each classroom called me to share in their particular birthday ritual (or something akin to it). Again, I was initially a little overwhelmed by the attention but at one point I realized it is not about me – and I was able to feel the joy in the children’s excitement about helping me celebrate. There was joy in the questions and true child-like curiosity and interest in hearing about my plans. I look forward to asking my Green Room friend about his birthday weekend when we are together again on Monday morning. This will certainly make the after-party let-down easier.

Shabbat Shalom, 
Amy