tasteoflife

Next week, we get to experience on of my favorite holidays – the 134th annual Groundhog Day. Based in absolutely no science, Americans everywhere will watch eagerly as a small woodchuck determines whether we will have an early spring or six more weeks of winter. Although I prefer to get my weather news from meteorologists instead of rodents, I appreciate the idea that no matter how dark our world may seem at times, there is still room for silly tradition and superstition.
Traditions, whether serious or funny, hold much meaning for us as we navigate our lives. Many of us have fun family traditions that were passed down to us or that we pass down to our own children. In my family, we had a small red plastic ape that used to sit on our dinner table every night until it sadly disappeared a few years ago (we still talk about this). More seriously, my family has a yad (Jewish ritual pointer) that my siblings and I each used to read Torah when we became b’nei mitzvah. This tradition connects us with our parents and grandparents, and I hope I will pass it down to my own family one day.
Whether fun, serious or somewhere in between, I would love to hear about the traditions that your family holds and where they came from. It’s so special to hear about the stories and rituals that infuse our lives with meaning (and sometimes, just plain fun!).
Here’s hoping that the groundhog does not see his shadow and allows us to enjoy an early spring!
Caroline Dorn is Temple Shalom's Membership and Engagement Coordinator.