OPINION: I want my children to share my joy for Judaism
"Since I became a mother, I am keen for my daughters to have positive encounters with their Jewishness and heritage," writes presenter Rachel Riley.
There was nothing more amusing for those around me in shul on Purim, as the congregation quietened for the megillah, than my young daughter announcing loudly she was hungry and wanted “some ham”. The recitation began, preventing me from explaining to my neighbours that we are vegan! She wanted vegan ham!
Positive Jewish experiences are crucial even if, as a parent, they can be a little embarrassing. Being Jewish where I grew up in Southend meant Ashkenazi feasts at family get togethers, listening to tales of my Bubbe and Zada’s grandparents who came from then Russia, now Poland and Ukraine, and proudly taking a menorah into school to teach my class about Chanukah and how to recite the blessings over the candles.
My interaction with being Jewish started to have negative and painful associations in more recent years when I began to receive antisemitic abuse online and through social media. I am fortunate to have a platform to speak out about such matters while I know others are not so lucky and must endure antisemitism on campus or in public. Since I became a mother, I am keen for my daughters to have positive encounters with their Jewishness and for their heritage and identity to be a positive and proud one.
After the pandemic, we took the girls to our local shul growing up, to be blessed and officially welcomed by the community, which felt very special. A friend suggested I sign them up to PJ Library, a charity which sends a monthly book about Jewish values and traditions to young families.
The books let us know when a festival is approaching and ensure we get a dose of fun Jewish reading each month in the post.
Whether it is Chanukah doughnuts or apples and honey for Rosh Hashanah, food has been a great way to explore Jewish festivals with my daughters and get them involved.
After reading Happy Birthday, Tree! in January, we went to the garden centre and bought vegetables and seeds. This started a conversation about looking after the planet that felt both ancient and topical at the same time. That’s what I appreciate about Judaism though: the opportunities to make the festivals and values feel relevant to our lives.
The challenge with children is that their attention span is limited so activities need to be enjoyable. I recently attended an event where I met the fab Jewish chef @Bensvegankitchen who tipped me off to his recipe for vegan chopped liver, which we tried at home and was delicious with matzah over Pesach!
Whether it is Chanukah doughnuts or apples and honey for Rosh Hashanah, food has been a great way to explore Jewish festivals with my daughters and get them involved. I want to give them some knowledge, so they feel comfortable, proud and part of something bigger than themselves. The notion of Jewish continuity is very powerful.
A short time ago, I found a letter about an ancestor who detailed our family’s journey to escape the pogroms, revealing amazing stories of what happened to each relative. One great great Zada was slashed with a sabre by a mounted Cossack, had a scar his whole life and at some stage became a gaucho in Argentina.
My interaction with being Jewish started to have negative and painful associations in more recent years when I began to receive antisemitic abuse online and through social media.
Another told his pregnant wife he would send for her once he had enough saved up in his new life in London. 18 months later, she got fed up waiting and made her own way over. After a dramatic journey they were finally reunited, made a home and raised their own children with Jewish values which have been passed on to each generation.
My own children may choose to stay in London or move abroad but wherever they go I hope they feel a sense of pride in their Jewishness and a belonging to the wider Jewish community.
- Rachel Riley is supporting PJ Library’s fundraising campaign this weekend. Visit www.charityextra.com/pjlibrary
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