Our Mailbox

(An old post never published)

I can't tell you how many times I've opened our mailbox and wondered what the mailman must be thinking. At one point, we had the Catholic Standard and Times and the Jewish Exponent arrive on the same day! Then there were other days when we'd have the envelopes from the Church arrive on the same day that the Synagogue bulletin showed up. Even our mailbox is a testament to our interfaith family.

I wonder what others think, but I don't worry about it. In my work with Jewish educators, I am always clear that I am the non-Jewish half of an interfaith family. At first, I thought they would be shocked. However, I'm more shocked than they are. As Jews, they are surrounded by interfaith families on a regular basis. However, how often is it that they are met with someone in a leadership role who is part of an interfaith family?

If we sat down to coffee, would they question the fact that my kitchen table has a "Christmas-y" table cloth? Or when Easter Sunday falls during Passover, would they be surprised that I gladly accept the Easter bread that my neighbor stops by to deliver? Of course, it gets put away until after Passover, but I'm not sure that I won't have a piece.

 

My focus is on innovative education. How innovative is it that a former Catholic school teacher is spending her time focusing on how to build a strong Jewish identity in children? I guess my values haven't changed all that much, since we decided to raise our children Jewish. I felt it was important for them to identify with a religion -- to understand the jokes, the conversations, the stories.

Lessons in Life at my Birdfeeder

These days, I spend my Saturday and Sunday mornings working or reading at my kitchen table. It gives me time to watch the birds at my feeders and birdbath. In the span of 2 minutes this morning, and in most cases all at the same time, there was at least one:

Junco, House Sparrow, Tufted Titmouse, Black-capped Chickadee, Carolina Wren, House Finch, Mourning Dove, and a Red breasted Nuthatch. 

At most times, there was at least one squirrel. They happily coexist, as the ground feeders wait for the squirrel to push seed to the ground. There's always one or two that are pushy. One House Finch dive bombed another for a spot on the feeder. For just a moment, there was a Blue Jay and the rest dispersed. And long enough for me to take a few pictures, a Cooper's Hawk perched in the tree. Even the squirrel froze in his tracks. Then everyone returned - some right away. Others waited until they felt it was safe.

Remember the birds at my birdfeeder. We really can all get along. Sometimes we just have to try.

Sitting in the Sukkah

The hard work is worth it. The simple act of eating in the sukkah is like having Shabbat for a week. 

Sitting in a sukkah forces you to sit and talk a spell. It's what I always thought it would be to have a wrap-around porch with white rockers.

On a normal night, immediately after dinner, we often clear the table. Then we move into the family room and watch the news, a cooking show, or the latest show on Netflix. Instead of finishing dinner and immediately clearing the table, the night sounds, the dim lights, and the comfort of being surrounded by the swaying walls and night sky invite you to just be.

We talk longer. We talk about things other than work. We laugh a bit more. We simply don't rush.