With Intention

A couple of years ago we finally joined the Shir Tikva community. Our kids were getting older and we were having conversations about how to raise our kids Jewish. Was it sufficient for our kids to experience the assimilated world 99.9% of the time and on the High Holydays, Hannukah and Passover we could celebrate Jewish things? Was it sufficient to do some more Jewish things at home like having Shabbat dinner? How was it that we were going to give our children a sense of being Jewish in the non-Jewish world? It seemed to us that joining a community would help provide a greater sense of Judaism then the small practices we took on at home.

What is community? What is Jewish community? And why would it matter?

The dictionary defines community as “A group of
people living in the same area, having the same interests, having
similar characteristics,  or common ideas or policies” see American
Heritage and Merriam-Webster Dictionaries. Is that really enough to be
a community? Do you feel that you are in a community when a group of
people have similar interests but do not care about you?

The
Jewish definition seems to describe a greater interconnectivity and reliance on each other to create a community. It is not just a group of people with
similar interests and ideas in a town. It is a group of people who take
care of each other’s needs.  At a minimum a community needs to create a
court to deliver justice, a doctor to heal, a teacher to give
direction, a tzedakah fund to help the poor, a synagogue to gather and
connect with G-d, a craftsperson to build useful and beautiful things,
a butcher to prepare food, a blood letter to provide therapy, a
bathhouse to clean and socialize, and a bathroom to remain sanitary and
healthy. (Sanhedrin 17b)

Why does it matter? How do my children learn about who they are and where they come from? In the past Jewish people lived in very tight communities. Within one generation that has all dissolved and most of us live amidst people from many different non-Jewish backgrounds. Today, it takes intent and purpose to instill the feeling of being part of the Jewish community. I feel that Shir Tikva is this community. Friday nights have become an integral part of our Shabbat celebration. Praying together for the sick among us, for the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and for those who have recently passed away help remind me and the children of what community is. We also enjoy all the festivals and food — any excuse to party with friends. All of this creates a certain time and rhythm that connects us with our Jewish community and creates a Jewish space in time.

Do the groups of people you hang around with provide
you with community? Does Shir Tikva provide a Jewish community for you
and your family? How important is having a Jewish community for you and
your family?

What is a community? The dictionary defines community as “A group of people living in the same area, having the same interests, having similar characteristics,  or common ideas or policies.” American Heritage and Merriam-Webster Dictionaries. Is that really enough to be a community? Do you feel that you are in a community when a group of people have similar interests but do not care about you?

The Jewish definition seems to describe a greater interconnectivity of the people to create a community. It is not just a group of people with similar interests and ideas in a town. It is a group of people who take care of each other’s needs.  At a minimum a community needs to create a court to deliver justice, a doctor to heal, a teacher to give direction, a tzedakah fund to help the poor, a synagogue to gather and connect with G-d, a craftsperson to build useful and beautiful things, a butcher to prepare food, a blood letter to provide therapy, a bathhouse to clean and socialize, and a bathroom to remain sanitary and healthy.

Do the groups of people you hang around with provide you with community? Does Shir Tikva provide a Jewish community for you and your family? How important is having a Jewish community for you and your family?