Faith Ed: Teaching About Religion in an Age of Intolerance
Buy Faith Ed
Resources
News and Press
Newsletter
March 7, 2012
Beaming, our 3-year-old son marched in our temple Purim parade last year in his homemade Halloween costume – a cow. This year, I could have once again grabbed his latest Halloween garb, a store bought Superman costume. But a 20th century super hero and Purim seemed like a dissonant combination.
So my son, now 4, and I talked about it. What could he dress as for Purim? It was a quick decision. We talked about and settled on King Ahaseuras, a name I butchered as my husband tried … Continue reading
Summary: The Washington Post On Faith blog on March 5, 2012, published my op-ed about whether public schools should open their doors to visits from Santa and the Easter Bunny. A controversy in Saugus, Mass., prompted me to write this piece.
I grew up ignorant of the structure my religion offers mourners. Singing in temple choirs and attending Shabbat services gave me my first lessons about Jewish remembrance. I noticed the people who stood to hear the names of those they had lost – spouses, mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters. Today, I am no longer so ignorant of my faith’s rituals. But, I confess, it’s not always easy to stop life and remember. Continue reading
Jewish children today are luckier than many of their parents. They have a growing library of Jewish books to pick from, books that educate them about their faith but at times also give them a reality check. We live in a diverse world. Continue reading
Teaching young children the importance of helping others in need is never easy. In her latest blog post, Linda K. Wertheimer writes about how her son’s penchant for giving is growing – albeit slowly. Continue reading
Religion is a touchy subject in America. It’s a touchy topic within families. It’s just plain touchy to talk about religion whether you’re a Jew, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, or atheist. I look back at 2011 and realize that it was the year when I found the courage to write more deeply and publicly than ever before about my own Jewish faith. Continue reading
Summary: Music has shaped so much of what I’ve become as a writer, and I write a riff on how music has influenced my writing in recent years for the Off the Cuff feature in the December 2011 issue of The Writer .
Summary: I’m not the first Jewish parent to face this conundrum. How do I make sure that my young son’s fascination with the Christmas spectacle doesn’t diminish his enthusiasm for his family’s religion? In a Dec. 18, 2011 column for The Boston Globe Magazine, I write about dealing with this dilemma and attempting to keep Hanukkah, a minor Jewish holiday, in its proper perspective.
Reaction: The article drew more than a dozen reader letters and prompted discussion as well on the Globe’s website. … Continue reading
Looking for books to give Jewish friends and relatives as gifts? Linda K. Wertheimer, a voracious reader and writer, offers nine suggestions, one for each night of Hanukkah and that ninth candle, the shamash. Continue reading