Exploring Jewish Heritage (Ashkenazi)

lavandergirl_2

I write as a practising Christian and would like to seek advise on how to deal with my situation. DH's family never really talked about their Jewish heritage except how FIL's family perished in the Shoah (FIL and MIL both became atheists and raised their children as such.)

However, I would like my children to know their heritage and appreciate how rich it is- learning Hebrew or Yiddish(?,
Jewish customs and traditions, Torah etc. DH, albeit agnostic, doesnt mind this. Moreover, it is not the just learning the religion itself but rather the letting the children know that they are the result of the culmination of my heritage and DH.

Have googled about this and one suggestion is to speak to a rabbi. There are two Synagoagues near where we live- Othordox and Progressive. However, I am raising them as Christians and do not want to be disingenuous.

Are there any organisations out there or just google everything?

Many thanks.

[Deleted User]

Ok, don't get too upset - but according to Jewish law, your children aren't Jewish (since you aren't, as their mother). But, nothing wrong with understanding your background

Yiddish - the language spoken by Jews in Europe. It's quite like German. Quite a few words are used in English (more so in the USA). E.g. chutzpah, glitch, nosh
Hebrew - is the language of the Torah

I would go and chat to the Progressive Rabbi. They are likely to be more interested and accommodating than the Orthodox (who will consider your children as non-Jewish). They'll probably have more accepting education courses available.

A key thing to recognise is that most things 'Jewish' are observed in the home, and involve food. Especially the festivals. Hanukkah is coming up, so maybe that's something you could start off with looking at. It's not a very 'big' festival, but its got loads of family inclusion (and doughnuts)

BitterAndTwisted

I'd go with having a chat with the Progressive rabbi because traditionally Jewishness is passed down via the female side, so your children wouldn't be considered even partly-Jewish by an orthodox rabbi.

You might be raising them in the Christian faith but they are likely to be old enough to make their own choices. How would you feel if they wanted to totally embrace their Jewish heritage and then decide to enter that faith as converts? Not that Jews actively encourage converts but it does happen.

Oh, and a really excellent book is "The Joys of Yiddish" by Leo Rosten. It covers quite a few of the really important events in the Jewish calender, the Torah, the language and culture. According to Rosten Yiddish is the Robin-Hood of languages: German, Slavic, it's got the lot. Plus, there's a joke on every page.

lostinrates

My husband is an agnostic Jew.

Something to consider, Jewishness is cultural, and racial as well as religious. My husband is 'Jewish' none the less for not being religious (though religious Jews would obviously dispute this they'd also be keen to see him marry 'in' and any children know their heritage).

There is no reason Christians cannot be brought up fully aware of other religions with out confusion. ESPECIALLY Judaism, as its so directly relevant.

Google is great, but there are great books too. A calender of the festivals is a good way to start, seeing when they are and learning about them (often they have relevance to the Christian ones obviously) and while the traditions have religious significance they have become culturally important too. Think for example of all the agnostic and atheist families who have Christmas traditional festivities and Easter ones.

I feel very much the richer for having married into a Jewish family. .

Another book recommendation....the Jewish book of why......its very handy for arguing with my in laws on a sort of teenage level! And also, Jewish cookery books, Like all cultures, but none more so, you understand through the food history and the significance of the food.

[Deleted User]

Basic rule for Jewish holidays: "They Tried To Kill Us, We Survived, Let's Eat"

I loved the the Jewish book of Why when I was a kid!

ifonlyitwaseasier

ringo_24601 wrote: »

Basic rule for Jewish holidays: "They Tried To Kill Us, We Survived, [STRIKE]Let's Eat[/STRIKE]Lets eat til we feel sick and make sure everyone has leftovers to take home"

fixed that for you


OP it's good that you want to look into that side of your children's family, if you want to try some of the foods this is one of my favourite cookbooks.

i have judaic heritage on one side of my family and although they were/are all lapsed we still know a good part of the family history/culture.

if you want a couple of places to search drop me a pm
oh and if you have a jewish area near you go and try the food, the bagels are far better than anything you get in a supermarket! Oy!

lavandergirl_2

Thank you for all the replies. Both children are still babies but wouldn't mind what they choose someday. We feel it is some sort of a way to pay respect to their dead relatives especially those who perished in Auschwitz - that somehow their legacy lives on, if that makes sense?

We hope to visit Israel and Krakow someday.

Savvy_Sue

Hannukah: the Jewish Festival of Fried Food, according to my Jewish friend ...

[Deleted User]

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Hannukah: the Jewish Festival of Fried Food, according to my Jewish friend ...

But that's what it is officially about! The festival where the miracle of the temple light that lasted for 8 nights, with only 1 night of oil. So the food has to be oily (doughnuts, potato latkas)

lostinrates

ringo_24601 wrote: »

But that's what it is officially about! The festival where the miracle of the temple light that lasted for 8 nights, with only 1 night of oil. So the food has to be oily (doughnuts, potato latkas)

My husband's lovely aunt (who is religious but progressive) still cannot believe we don't have something in which to deep fry.

She was horrified when she asked how I did stuff for Hanukkah (they love that I cook the festivals sometimes and are strongly in favour and say at least one of us cares (sniffing at DH) ) and I said in the wok. (I'm guessing things like this were about before deep fat drivers any how and I don't fry things so very often) I also mentioned I was considering getting an actifry thing and I'm lucky she didn't get on a plane to come and give me the spanking I am told I deserved.....

:rotfl:

( I don't know if its the mess she's upset about actually)

[Deleted User]

Hmm, i've only ever shallow fried latkas - i don't see what's wrong with it. I'm tempted to make them for the first time for my family this year, if i can get a decent recipe and find a blender