jewish heritage

Another end of February approaches, not much has changed.

However, those little kitah aleph students are Bar and Bat Mitzvah age.

Last week began with a big disappointment,

as the predicted and much-hyped snow never happened.

It is a shame as Jerusalem in the snow makes for great pictures

while the hard rains do not make for pretty scenes.

But when the sun came out, there were puddles of water and birds, 

 green grasses and red anemones. 

In 2000, Herman Wouk published a book titled,

“The Will to Live On, This is our Heritage.”

I thought of it not only for the weather conditions,

but also for the stormy situation in the Middle East and around the world.

In Israel there is no official Mother’s Day or Father’s Day.

 Family Day is celebrated on Rosh Chodesh Adar, the first day of Adar.

At one Family Day celebration children sang and danced,

while the big people got to sit on little chairs 

and help light the candles at a Shabbat party.

It is these lights of Jewish heritage and values that burn in Israel.

Songs of a Shabbat shalom, a peaceful sabbath…

not of war or hate.

“This is our heritage” as Wouk said, “the will to live on.”

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if these children had peaceful neighbors?