Comments on: Minnesota Mamaleh: I Love Valentine’s Day!

By: Megan (Best of Fates)

Megan (Best of Fates) — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 18:08:01 +0000

I think Valentine’s Day is definitely worth celebrating. And just think, now you’re the rebel mom.

You’re like James Dean of elementary school.

By: Rivster

Rivster — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 19:39:22 +0000

I really like what Mike had to say. I think that being different does a lot to preserve who we are as a people distinct from other peoples.

I am certainly not advocating an avoidance of American chagim. Thanksgiving, Independance Day, etc. are important historical celebrations and bind us to the history of this country. St. Valentine’s Day and Halloween?? Not on the same leval.

I do not automatically assume that families who observe Halloween, etc. are not observing our Festivals. My comment was directed to those I KNOW are not observing our Festivals but ARE pouring a tremendous amount of energy into these other celebrations.

By: Why I don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day « Homeshuling – A Jewish Parenting Blog

Sun, 14 Feb 2010 13:16:24 +0000

[...] been some shakla v’tarya amongst the Jewish mommy bloggers about whether it’s appropriate for Jewish [...]

By: homeshuling

homeshuling — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 10:39:41 +0000

I hope I didn’t make it sound as if I don’t expect my daughter to be nice, or do nice things for everyone in her class…..I just don’t think it’s necessary for her to write them love notes.

And for the record, I don’t think it’s *wrong* to celebrate Valentine’s Day, it just flat out doesn’t speak to me as a childrens/family holiday. It probably has more to do with the fact that my own family didn’t celebrate it than anything else.

I don’t agree with the Thanksgiving analogy – I think the “main idea” of Thanksgiving is for all ages. It’s some of the truths about the history of our country that might not be so appropriate….

By: Galit

Galit — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:19:24 +0000

Hi Jennifer! Thanks for the comment and for the link. I really enjoyed your post. It was thrilling and thoughtful as promised. I did have to smile a bit at your love for St Patrick’s Day!

And Mike, so good to hear from you! I really liked what you wrote so very much. My husband and I have often talked about the seeming image of “trying to be different” and you really described and explained it well.

Here’s my thoughts…one thing that I am *not* afraid of is my kids growing up and not being Jewish. I only have two reasons for this (hard to believe, but true).

The first is the pure joy I see in my kids as we do holidays together. Jason and I work so very hard to make sure they’re learning, connecting, doing, questioning. Judaism is a part of who we are. Challah was within all of our kids’ first 10 words. “Mo’ ‘Lah” is how it usually went.

And the second is that as much as I wish it weren’t so, I know that I can’t actually control the outcome here. Jason and I are showing our kids what we believe and how we do things but ultimately those decisions are theirs and I wouldn’t have it any other way. We’re building memories and traditions, because *that* we can control.