Lighting the Lamp of Jewish Joy

Last week, I wrote about the vital role Jewish day schools play as safe havens of ruach during challenging times. This week, our school had the chance to embody that role through our Annual Chanukah Family Happening.  In this second, post-October 7th public celebration of the miracle of Jewish survival, we had the opportunity to gather as a full OJCS community to light, to sing and to bask in the glow ruach.

Our theme for the program was “The Power of One Light to Transform the World,” which as our students explained:

We chose this theme as we believe in the power within each of us that can change the world, even in these difficult times. Just as the small jug of oil lasted eight days, each individual’s efforts, kindness, or good deeds can make a big difference. 

This idea reflects the timeless wisdom of the menorah.  As the Talmud teaches in Masechet Shabbat (21b),the mitzvah of lighting Chanukah candles embodies the principle of ma’alin bakodesh ve’ein moridin—increasing holiness by adding light each night.  And just as we add one light each night, we are charged to add light to the world—through acts of kindness, compassion, and connection.  We hope that this week’s program inspires us to see how even the smallest flame has the power to pierce the greatest darkness.  Together, we become a beacon of light for one another, for our families, and for the world around us.

Of course, watching our amazing children sing and dance and recite poetry and tell stories and emcee is the main event – and they all performed beautifully.  For me, however, for the second year in a row the emotional highlight / gut-punch came in the communal (ceremonial) candle-lighting when we ask all those in the room who have fought in the IDF to light a candle.  Even knowing how many parents and teachers grew up in Israel and, thus, required a stint in the army, doesn’t prepare you for the emotional wallop  of when so many people stand up and come forward.  There’s a moment of stunned silence followed by a roar of applause fueled by gratitude and it is simply breathtaking.  How fortunate are we that so many have sacrificed so much to ensure Israel’s survival.  How lucky are we to live in a world where the miracle of Chanukah mingles with the miracle of Israel.  How grateful are we that we have an opportunity to create and share meaningful Jewish experiences for Jewish children and families.

When Chanukah finally arrives (so late this year!), let’s not forget our Jewish values of tzedakah (charity) and kehillah (community).   Along with your normal gift-giving, consider donating a night or two of your family’s celebration to Israel whose light of courage amplifies and enhances this Holiday of Lights.   As we light our candles this year, may we remember the power of small acts to transform the world, the courage of those who safeguard our heritage, and the responsibility we share to amplify this light through generosity and community.

Chag urim sameach from my family to yours.

REVISED TIME:

A Safe Haven for Jewish Joy

Our school has six North Stars—enduring values that guide us on our journey from where we are to becoming the best version of ourselves. While some of these values may overlap with those of other schools—Jewish or secular, independent or public—it’s the unique combination of these six that defines us. When we meet new families, we take care to describe our North Stars, sharing stories of how these values come alive in our classrooms, highlighting alumni who embody them in their successes, and helping families discern whether the Ottawa Jewish Community School is the right place to entrust their children’s education and Jewish journey. Different North Stars naturally resonate with different families in different seasons. But this season, one North Star feels especially profound.

We define the Hebrew word ruach as joyfulness or spirit, but neither translation fully captures its depth. At OJCS, ruach conveys something more—a sense of belonging and authenticity best exemplified by the atmosphere of a Jewish summer camp, where you can be your truest self. It’s in the warmth of our walls, the joy in our students’ smiles, and the energy in their singing. Ruach has always been central to who we are.

But in the aftermath of October 7th and the rise in anti-Semitism across schools and communities, ruach feels bigger than a guiding principle. It feels like a lifeboat. Because OJCS isn’t just a place where Jewish children can explore their identities—it has become one of the few places where they can do so freely and safely.

I know what you might be thinking. Truly, I do.

Post-October 7th, we’ve been cautious in emphasizing the value of Jewish day school. We understand that Jewish day school isn’t every family’s preferred choice. (I, myself, am a proud product of public school.) We know it may not be the best fit for every learner and that tuition, even with OJCS priced below other independent schools in our market and offering nearly $1 million in scholarships annually, is still a significant consideration. We respect all these factors.

At the same time, we must speak to the reality: it is critical—now, more than ever—that Jewish children have a place where they can express their full selves without fear or sanction. Celebrating Chanukah at OJCS isn’t a “trigger for genocide”; it’s a celebration of the miracle of Jewish existence. And that miracle could not feel more relevant or powerful in this time and place.

You don’t have to choose Jewish day school for your family. But let this Jewish day school be clear: we are here. We are open. We are safe. We are a place where Jewish children can live proud, joyful Jewish lives. And we are also preparing students for life beyond our walls. Our graduates excel as advocates for themselves, and their communities in high schools, and on university campuses. (It is no coincidence that Noah Shack, the new Interim President of CIJA, is an OJCS alumnus.)

If you’re curious about what makes us who we are, we’d love to show you. This year, we’re opening our annual “Taste of Middle School” to all students and families in Grades 5-7. Come visit us, see the spirit of ruach in action, and discover what OJCS is all about.

A Carnival of Blogs

With Winter Break Itch starting to spread, I thought it might be useful to swap out my usual way-too-long blog post this week for a small series of mini-mini-posts, updating and reminding you of things to know.

Let the carnival begin…

Each year, I typically dedicate 3-5 blog posts to “touring the OJCS Blogosphere” as a way of helping you see how much amazing content our students and teachers create as part of our normal way of operating.  It is also with the hope that our students (and teachers) can see that the work they do matters; that by putting authentic and meaningful work into the universe, and that by the universe commenting back with feedback, that it will inspire our students (and teachers) to do their best work and to fulfil the “moral imperative of sharing”.  YOU are the “U” in “Universe”.  Momentum begets momentum.  A snowball grows as it moves.  So please, whether you are a parent or a grandparent in our school or not.  Whether you are a fellow-traveller in Jewish education or not.  Whatever brings you to this blog, please click out of it to the OJCS Blogosphere, read any blog or blogfolio and make a quality comment.  Just a few unexpected positive comments from a few unexpected locations causes such enthusiasm…

  • Yes, Goal-Setting Conferences took place a few weeks ago, but our students (and teachers!) are committed to ensuring they are lived and felt in the classrooms and beyond.  If you want to see a few examples of how our students themselves understand the work, you should check out a few of their posts on their blogfolios.  Like this one by Shayna in Grade 6.
  • Or check out these amazing First Nations projects in Grade 5 Extended French, by reading this post by Madame Efi.
  • Grade 6 students are diving into creative media projects as their culminating assignment for Jason Reynolds’ Ghost.  Did you think we could do stop-motion video?  Click here to find out.
  • Grade 4 is learning fractions through (foam) pizza-making!
  • The OJCS Library just got in a wonderful order of fantastic new non-fiction.  Here are some of the noteworthy selections.
  • Kindergarten is learning how animals keep warm through winter with some hands-on experiments.
  • Grade 1 is working hard on their Hebrew-language skills!

And so on and so on…

We look forward to safely welcoming you to this year’s special OJCS Chanukah Family Program!  Date and time has been communicated directly to parents and we are looking forward to coming together as an OJCS Family…now more than ever.

Expat Thanksgiving: God Save the King (and a Drumstick)

Another (American) Thanksgiving is here, and this one feels less bittersweet than the last seven I’ve celebrated in Canada.  Sure, I’d love a five-day weekend at home, filled with family, football, and feasting.  Yes, it’s strange to treat this Thursday like any other school day while my inbox alternates between Thanksgiving wishes and Black Friday deals.  But this year, there’s something different.

Becoming a Canadian citizen earlier this year has reframed how I see this moment.  On what felt like an ordinary day, I joined a Zoom ceremony, where others celebrated with flags, decorations, and loved ones in tow. What struck me was how monumental this was for them.  For me, adding a second citizenship was more practical at first, but as the ceremony unfolded, I felt the significance.  Canada has given my family so much—safety, stability, and opportunity—and I’m deeply grateful.

This feeling was reinforced just yesterday when I met a family considering a move from the U.S. to Ottawa for the sake of their child’s safety.  I love America, flaws and all, but I don’t miss writing about gun violence.  I loved my U.S. college years but appreciate the affordability of Canadian universities.  I value choosing my own doctors but am relieved to avoid the risk of medical bankruptcy.

Of course, no country is perfect.  I remain proud to be an American, and I’m equally grateful to call Canada home.  On this American Thanksgiving, I’m reflecting on the blessings that both countries—and others—have given me.

What I’m grateful for this (American) Thanksgiving:

  • The gifts of growing up, learning, and working in the United States, and the privilege of raising my daughters in Canada.
  • The safety and security provided by the men and women defending Israel, our Holy Homeland.  We pray for the safe return of all hostages and for peace.  Am Yisrael Chai.
  • Living in a society that values work-life balance, even if I’m not always great at embracing it. I hope my daughters will do better as they grow.
  • A Jewish community here in Ottawa that is generous, capable, and deeply committed to Jewish day school education.
  • The hardworking, dedicated teachers who make our school an extraordinary place for students to grow.  A school is only as good as its teachers, and ours are exceptional.

Finally, I’m grateful to you, readers.  Writing over 500 blog posts can sometimes feel like shouting into the void, but every comment, share, or acknowledgment reminds me that someone out there is listening.  That still means a lot after all these years.

For my friends in the U.S.—enjoy Thanksgiving!  For my friends in Canada—have a great Thursday!

My Blog’s Amuse-Bouche Post: Annual Blog Cloud

As you know – or maybe can tell some weeks – there are times when I just can’t decide if to blog and about what.  I realize that it would be perfectly acceptable not to.  I will say that the force of habit weekly blogging for over 11 years has built up, makes it almost impossible for me not to, so this week, I just want to write something light and, thus…

…it is a perfect time for one of my favorite little blog posts…running my blog through a “word cloud” program and seeing what happens!

If you missed last year’s punny post…

I genuinely do enjoy this annual exercise in “word-clouding”.  If you are unfamiliar with the idea, in a nutshell, word clouds (through an algorithm only they know) take any piece of written text and represents it graphically in a way which highlights frequently-used words.  It is a fantastic device for visually summarizing the essence of a written text.  Another great feature is that, not only can you cut-and-paste in any written document, you can type in blogs, websites, etc., and it will go back and search them for content, add it all up, and spit out a word cloud representing the sum of all its written content.

This is my eighth such annual post here at OJCS and I have done them each, as stated above, in November.  So, what does this year’s “blog cloud” look like and what does it reveal?  [If it is too small on your screen/device you can go ahead and zoom in.  Or just scroll up!]

I just put last and this years’ clouds side-by-side to do a little comparison.

“Jewish”, “Learning” and “Time” remain strong.   I love how big “Community” is as well as “Growth”.

“Students” and “Parents” have also returned to prominence.  Super interesting that “Canadian” and “Torah” are well represented as programmatic priorities.

Super weird that “Israel” does not appear despite how much attention it gets!  [Am I being super paranoid to suspect the word cloud generator of being anti-Israel?!]

I love to see “Goal-Setting”, “Bulka”, “Meaningful” and “Experiences” make the list this year.

What words would you have expected to see?  What words are you surprised to see?

If you see something interesting in my OJCS “blog cloud” let me know in the comments!

And there you go.  A normal post written at a normal length.

More Than a Moment of Silence: Why Remembrance Day Matters More Now

I learned something new this year.  It came from the podcast below that I hope you will listen to.  Despite being just 1% of the population, Jews make up 3% of Canadian Armed Forces.  As proud Canadians we would, of course, care deeply about Remembrance Day, but as Jewish Canadians we have an extra measure of pride and care knowing that we are overrepresented amongst those brave and selfless folk who place country first.
Remembrance Day is always planned and commemorated with great seriousness and reverence at OJCS.  This year, considering all the things…
…October 7th and all that is happening in Israel.
…turbulence in the States regardless of your personal political views.
…the hijacking of Remembrance Day in our local public schools and spaces…
…perhaps even more so.
There are three aspects of our commemoration that I would like to highlight in this post…
On November 6th, the students in Grade 7 visited the Jewish Memorial Gardens Cemetery.  The students met with representatives from the cemetery to learn about their important work within our community.  They also read narratives of local Ottawa Jewish veterans who served our country in various ways.  Students were then broken into groups and were provided with 15-20 gravesites to mark with Canadian flags.  The students had the opportunity to pay their respects to these veterans who risked their lives for our freedoms.  This was one of the many Remembrance Day activities our students engaged in throughout the week and is an annual Rabbi Bulka Kindness Project.
Speaking of whom…
For anyone who grew up in Ottawa, the National Remembrance Day Ceremony will always be closely linked to the venerable Rabbi Bulka.
His speeches, delivered in that same blue suit no matter the weather and the fact that everyone else dressed in warm coats, were a source of wisdom and instilled me with so much pride.
On this Remembrance Day, the Canadian Jewish News (The CJN)’s Ellin Bessner offered a glimpse into the Rabbi’s legacy with a timely conversation with me,  Congregation Machzikei Hadas Rabbi Idan Scher and Canadian Armed Forces Rabbi Noteh Glogauer.  Topics ranged from the launch of the Rabbi Bulka Kindness Project for OJCS Middle School students to a reflection on how Rabbi Bulka would’ve responded to the horrors of October 7th.
You can listen to the podcast here:

For Remembrance Day itself, we were blessed to host David Kirk who served with the Canadian Armed Forces for 14 years and is currently a member of the Royal Canadian Legion.  He shared powerful words with our students closed his remarks by saying, “All peoples should be able to live together in peace.  This is why we have a Canadian Armed Force; to defend our peace, freedom and others as need be.  Students – please care and remember those who gave so much for our way of life, you are the future.”   Students shared thoughts, prayers and songs in English, Hebrew & French and – as we do each year – laid wreaths to honour those who gave their lives serving and protecting our country.

For OJCS, marking this day was, and is, a powerful opportunity to reflect on the values that underpin our community: resilience, remembrance, and a commitment to peace.  In a world that feels increasingly fractured, we come together to not only honor the sacrifices of those who fought for freedom but also to reaffirm our role as a Jewish school in nurturing compassionate, justice-minded citizens.  More than ever, our students need to understand both the historical costs of war and the enduring need for solidarity, empathy, and resolve.  This Remembrance Day was a moment to remind ourselves and our students of the vital importance of standing together—against hatred, for peace, and with a renewed sense of purpose in building a better world.

Goal-Setting Conferences 2.0

The weather may have just finally turned, although still unseasonably warm for Ottawa, and we had a noon dismissal followed by a pupil-free day.  That could only mean one thing here at the Ottawa Jewish Community School, it was time for Goal-Setting Conferences 2.0!

We have spent the last day-and-a-half welcoming parents and students to the second iteration of our Goal-Setting Conferences.  What are “Goal-Setting Conferences” you ask?

North Star alert!  At OJCS, our students own their own learning, which means learning to goal-set is of paramount importance to their growth and development – now and throughout their lives.  Our conferencing opportunity to sit together with you and your child to discuss personalised goals is swiftly approaching on Thursday, November 7th & Friday, November 8th, and so we are sending along some much needed information to support you and your child through this growth process.

[We launched this last year as a pilot and you can revisit this post if you want all the possible background and context.]

What’s new this year?

We iterated a new process for this year that comes in response to student, parent and teacher feedback.  We believe strongly that it helped everyone more easily connect the dots with regard to what was prioritised for each child, with their voice and their parents a part of the conversation.   One major change that took place prior to the conferences themselves, was that with the transition back to semesters and with Goal-Setting Conferences sitting on the calendar where first trimester Parent-Teacher Conferences used to live, we decided to add first and third quarter Progress Reports so that parents could be in the know on all matters academic and otherwise.  First quarter reports went out earlier this week and teachers facilitated any related conversations so that the deck was cleared to focus on goal-setting.

Here’s how we prepped:

  • A grade-level appropriate lesson was taught to help children understand the benefits of setting personal goals (whether academic, social skills-related, social-emotional and/or spiritual).
  • Our teachers met individually with each student to help them think about what goals would be most beneficial for them at this time.
  • We encouraged parents to discuss their own goals for their child(ren) with them, or to bring those ideas with them to Goal-Setting Conferences to add with the teacher.
  • Parents booked Goal-Setting Conferences to meet with the classroom teachers to have meaningful discussions about the goals selected and to make a plan to help invite success.

For those who are curious, here is how we templated the different kinds of goals students, teacher and parents could be reaching towards:

And for our older students, we focused on helping them create SMART Goals:

We worked really hard this year to upgrade the preparation and the experience, and the view from the lobby as families have come in and out these last two days seems to validate that the hard work paid off.  From here, we have a responsibility to be explicit about how and where these goals will live throughout this school year – including meaningful updates on future progress reports, report cards, and parent-teacher conferences.  Additionally, as is true with all pilots and prototypes, we will seek feedback now that this round of conferences is complete so we can further refine things.

Here’s to helping our students get…

OJCS @ 75: A Night to Remember…and to Build Upon.

We are still riding high from the tremendous success and warm community vibes from Wednesday night’s 75th Anniversary Gala.  Whether you were there or not, please be on the lookout for pictures and videos and copies of the beautiful Tribute Journal.  Regardless of your relationship with OJCS, this milestone is of and for all of Jewish Ottawa – this school does not exist in a vacuum; it took and takes a community dedicated to Jewish education and the “Jewish Future” to ensure day school is a viable option for Jewish families.  Before we start look forward to the next 75 years, let me take one last opportunity to look back by sharing the words here that I was privileged to share at the event itself.  Let us go from strength to strength…

I stand before you tonight with immense gratitude and deep humility. I am now in my eighth year, standing on the shoulders of giants like Rabbi Kravetz, Rabbi Kaploun, Stan Katz, and Doris Bronstein—just to name a few of my predecessors—who made this extraordinary evening possible. It is but a quirk of the calendar that brings me to the dais as head of this special school during its 75th anniversary year. Without the monumental collective gifts of talent, time, and love from all those who have held this position, this milestone could not have been reached. I may be the one standing on stage tonight, but they are the ones who built it.

What a true blessing this year of celebrations has been! The anniversary was 75 years in the making; the planning for it has taken almost a full year. We have, and will continue to, thank the volunteers and staff who dedicated countless hours of care to ensure we could celebrate this historic event in the life of our school and our Jewish community. I would like to take a moment of personal prerogative, however, to express my deep gratitude to Randi Sherman, Leiba Metz and Julie Ross – our Gala Chairs – who willed this miracle of an evening into existence and my deep appreciation for a person for whom no words of praise are sufficient. Joanne Gorenstein has been my rock and my partner these past two years, and never has a lay leader worked or cared more. No one, except perhaps Sacha, will ever know how much dedication she has shown to ensure that the next seventy-five years of our school will match, if not exceed, the seventy-five glorious years we are honoring tonight.

We have spent the year reliving and celebrating both the past and the present, and as we’ve seen tonight, there is much to be proud of. Our alumni’s achievements astound; our volunteers’ passion is unmatched; and our faculty’s love is unparalleled. Eight consecutive years of enrollment growth validate that our present is fulfilling the promise of our past.

When you walk through the halls of nearly every synagogue and Jewish organization in this community and peruse the pictures of former lay chairs and executives, you will find our alumni. This legacy of leadership and service is just as significant as the collective academic and professional success of so many generations of Hillel Academy and OJCS Alumni. But tonight isn’t just about celebrating the past; it’s about charting the course for the future. Just as those pioneers seventy-five years ago bravely created a day school despite the obstacles, we pledge tonight to follow in their footsteps and dream in bold and vibrant colors. Like them, we will need the ongoing support of our community to make those dreams a reality.

Because this is not merely a celebration of, or for, the Day School. This is an achievement that required the vision and courage of the leaders of this community to found a Jewish day school in Ottawa, Ontario, in 1949. This moment is possible because of a Jewish community that continues to believe in the power of Jewish education. It is a dream fulfilled because of the support of a generous and forward-thinking Jewish Federation. Our hearts overflow with gratitude for the outpouring of support this anniversary has generated.

Yes, we have surpassed our expectations in this magical year in terms of fundraising but let no one think that the work of supporting Jewish education is done or even on hold. We continue to live in challenging economic times. The Generations Trust endowment for Jewish Day Schools in Ottawa, along with both Federation’s and our own Annual Campaigns, remain our most important source of funding. We hope you will be inspired to continue supporting these funds each year as a key component in sustaining the future of all our schools and Jewish Ottawa.

As Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks famously said, “To defend a country, you need an army. To defend a civilization, you need education.” So now, more than ever, the work of graduating Jewishly literate and committed young men and women, with a love and passion for the People, Land, and State of Israel, is critical. Tonight, we pause to take pride in what has been, and to prepare for what is to come. As it says in the Mishnah: “Lo alecha ha’mlacha ligmor…” – “It is not incumbent upon you to finish the work, but neither are you free to exempt yourself from it” (Mishnah: Avot, 2.16).

As the proud head of the Ottawa Jewish Community School, I am inspired to do my part—alongside all of you—to carry this dream forward into the next seventy-five years.

Thank you.

Stories for Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah

When I was 23 years-old, I packed everything up and headed south towards Los Angeles to begin my program towards an MAED and MBA at the-then University of Judaism (now American Jewish University).  How I, with my Bay Area Reform Jewish background, wound up choosing the UJ is a (great) story in its own right, but suffice it to say, I made a choice to put myself in an environment where Judaism was going to live very differently than how I was used to or even knew to be possible.  Nothing is more emblematic of the culture shift (shock) than this little anecdote that I am reminded of each year at this time…

Like a lot of rabbinic and education students (at that time), I lived on campus and the day began with breakfast in the cafeteria.  One my strongest memories from that time is when I got up early for school and, as per normal, headed down the hill for breakfast just to find the cafeteria empty of students.  I remember asking a (non-Jewish) cafeteria employee what was going on, where was everybody?  Oh, I was informed, there is no school today.  Why is that?  It is Shemini Atzeret.

“It is Shemini Atzeret.” – that was the first time I had ever heard those words before, let alone, knew them to be the name of a Jewish Holiday.  And, so, back to bed (and not to shul), I went.

Whenever, I write a blog post about Jewish Holiday observance, or Jewish observance at all; whenever I engage in any conversation with or about adult education, this is the first thing that pops into my mind.  I went half my life not even knowing the names of all the Jewish Holidays; who am I to judge the background knowledge or experiences of other Jews?  I know how it feels not to know things you assume others do – or worse, to not know things you assume others assume you do know – and it doesn’t feel great.

Here’s another example from that time.  We used to shul-hop all the time to soak up different experiences.  We wound up in a large Conservative synagogue in the Valley and, as is common for newcomers, we are given honours.  I am given the honour of hagbah which, like Shemini Atzeret, was a word I learned for the first time at that moment.  I did not know what it meant (to lift and display the Torah after reading) or that it is done in any particular way.  Which is why, in the moment, I flubbed it and needed some emergency assistance to prevent a fast-able situation.  And that is why, almost thirty years later, I have not and will not do hagbah.

I have deep empathy for the many adults whose children become the catalyst for Jewish journeys.  I have deep empathy for the many adults who feel uncomfortable in synagogue.  No one likes to feel foolish and no one invites anxiety.  For all the people who continue to live within the exact same faith tradition they were raised, there are many people who do not.  And it is explicitly to those folk that I reach out to through these posts and through opportunities for adult learning…

My first Simchat Torah that year was also one of my first “a-ha moments”.  Growing up, Simchat Torah was essentially Jewish Halloween.  At my little Reform synagogue (and I am not trying to generalize my experience in the 80s at one synagogue to all of “Reform Judaism”), we literally would go outside and collect candy.  I have no memory of us even reading the Torah, let alone dancing with it.  So, when I attended Simchat Torah services that first fall, I did not know how to process what I was seeing.  It was a room full of adults, including very esteemed professors and rabbis, drinking and dancing with the Torah – there likely were children in the room, but they were not the focal point.  The focus was on joy, adult Jewish joy.  Who knew?

That is what I am aiming for in these posts…and in my professional life.  Give yourself permission to step out from behind the children and seize the joy of Jewish living.  Don’t let not-knowing or not-knowing-how steal your joy – we would never let our children get away with being afraid to make a mistake as an excuse for trying new things, let’s not let ourselves as well.  What is Shemini Atzeret?  Find out on Thursday.  Do you think dancing with the Torah is only for children or those observant or knowledgable families?  Show up on Thursday night and Friday morning and seize the spotlight.

Yes, it is easier said than done.  And yes, it is a little uncomfortable that this plea coincides with the Hebrew anniversary of “October 7th”.  And, yet, we are taught that in Ecclesiastes 3:4 that there is…

A time for weeping and a time for laughing,
A time for wailing and a time for dancing;
Let’s make room for both this week.  Chag sameach.

The Fragile Stability of Sukkot

The twin calendars of secular and Jewish life sometimes means that anniversaries are multiple depending on which calendar you mark the first event.  For example, the secular date of my father’s (Z”l) passing is seared in for commemoration as is the Hebrew date which serves as yahrtzeit.  To me this is an extra opportunity to remember, to celebrate his life and to be inspired to carry his legacy forward – I find the double anniversary welcome.  As we prepare to usher in my most favourite of Jewish Holidays, Sukkot, it occurs to me that although we just went through all the first anniversary of October 7th experiences, the Jewish Calendar will echo the sentiment come Erev Simchat Torah, when most of us heard of the horrific events.

I’m going to share below most of my usual thoughts and suggestions about how to best celebrate what is supposed to be the most joyous of our holidays – literally named as the “season of our rejoicing” – but I recognize that those whose lives are equally governed by both second and Jewish calendars, may not yet feel ready to celebrate with full or even bifurcated hearts.  For those, I simply remind that part of what Sukkot brings by virtue of dwelling in temporary structures is a concretization of life’s fragility that we should always bear in mind…but perhaps even more so now.  There may very well be new traditions to consider in a post-October 7th world, perhaps you leave a seat empty for the hostages or you include victims like Hersh amongst your ushpizin.  We are all still trying to figure it out and you should land wherever you feel comfortable…”Sukkot as normal,” “Sukkot filtered through October 7th,” or anywhere between.

And now I am going to pivot back to “Sukkot as normal” for those who wish…

After having shofar-ed into Rosh Hashanah and leaned into Yom Kippur, it is time to hop into my favorite holiday of them all…Sukkot!

Our OJCS Sukkah is up and we’ve added a few satellite sukkot as well to give our growing school enough space to for all the eating, celebrating, shake-shake-shaking and hopping  as a school community that will make up a significant portion of next week.  Great thanks to all our teachers for the hard work that goes into holiday preparation/celebration and keeping the normal routines of school moving forward as per usual.

As I mentioned above, Sukkot is absolutely my favorite holiday of the entire year.  There is nothing else like it on the Jewish Calendar – sitting outside in a sukkah you built yourself (which is pretty much the one and only thing I actually can and do build), with handmade decorations from your children, enjoying good food with friends and family in the night air, the citrusy smell of etrog lingering and mixing with verdant lulav – this is experiential Judaism at its finest.  There is a reason why this holiday is also known as Moadim L’Simchah – the Season of Our Rejoicing.

My annual, completely non-judgy plea for this weekend is a reminder that if our children – if we – only experience the Judaism of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and not the Judaism of Sukkot, then we are not exposing them – our ourselves – to the full range of beauty and joy that our tradition has to offer.  So why, in fact, is this such a common occurrence?

No one likes to feel uncomfortable, and adults especially, are wary of feeling under-educated or unprepared.  I know how I felt encountering new Jewish rituals for the first time as an adult – it was scary.  The amount of “stuff” Judaism asks of us to do – building the sukkah with precise specifications, shaking the lulav and etrog in the proscribed way, chanting less-familiar prayers, coming to synagogue on unfamiliar days – can be overwhelming.

But don’t lose the sukkah through the trees…

If the idea of building a sukkah is either overwhelming or unrealistic at this time, in the spirit of trying to turn etrogs into etrog-ade, think of this year as an opportunity to once again pick one new tradition to experiment with.  Shake a lulav and etrog.  Eat in the sukkah (or in something sukkah-adjacent).  Attend or livestream a service.  Ask your child(ren)’s Jewish Studies Teacher(s) to send home stories, questions, or ideas.  Come use the OJCS Sukkah.  Come borrow OJCS lulav and etrogs.

How can I help?  What can I do?  These are actual questions – email me and it would be greatest pleasure.  My sukkah doors are open as well.  Literally, be my guest.  Let this Sukkot truly be the season of our great rejoicing.  I hope many students find their way to synagogue and into sukkot this Sukkot.  I hope many parents push themselves out of their comfort zones and join the fun.  But most importantly, I hope we – OJCS – are up to the task of educating, inspiring and working in partnership with our families so that those who wish to, are able to add Sukkot as a next stop on their Jewish journeys (#NorthStar).

Chag sameach!

There is a concept in Judaism called hiddur mitzvah which is the “beautification of the mitzvah” and it calls upon us to think of ways to go that little extra mile to make a mitzvah extra-special.  There is no better holiday for this concept than Sukkot!  Here are two ways you can amplify your Sukkot celebrations this year:

For the musically inclined, please enjoy this Sukkot Playlist courtesy of our friends at PJ Library:

For the fermentedly inclined, please enjoy this recipe for making homemade etrog liqueur…

…and for the inebriated-ly inclined, please enjoy this link to the many artisanal etrog cocktails you may enjoy.