LibrarianMom Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 Hello WTMers, I have the book Celebrating the Feasts by Martha Zimmerman and for some time I've been wanting to implement these feasts. I was wondering if anyone out here in WTM-land has done so. We are doing better at celebrating the feasts of the church year (at least Advent and Lent) and would like to begin including the OT feasts while our children are still young enough that it's not "weird". Any hints, thoughts, suggestions, or other resources to consult would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelli in TN Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 When my teens were little people we did this. We have the best memories of it. Like many things at that time of my life, I got pretty legalistic about it at times, but when I was able to let go of my obsessive tendencies and just go with the flow, we had a blast. We don't do it now. It was only for that season, apparently, unless God leads me that way again. If you are being led that way, enjoy, enjoy, enjoy and learn all that God wants to teach through ancient Holy days celebrations!!! We used this book, by the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen in OH Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 This past summer I was at a cook-out. I met a family that celebrated the festivals. They were messianic Jews from Israel. I really enjoyed her reasons behind the importance of the feasts. We have not decided to incorporate in our family at this time. I thought it was an interesting concept Helen in OH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in Austin Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 We do Passover because it is such a wonderful opportunity for the kiddos to learn. It is easy to find guides on the Internet and to re-create it at home, adding a Christian spin if you wish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhudson Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 When we were studying that time frame we used that book and it was great! It also has one of the best bread recipes I've found. We really enjoyed the celebrations and add in lighter versions of the sabbath and feasts as family time now. We do Passover every year and we love it as a family. It helps create really special family times as well as a deeper understanding of the Bible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 My son lit candles every night of Chanukah this year (he's 4), and he and I played with a dradle. Amazingly the learned the 4 Hebrew letters on the dradle in no time, and shouted with glee when he got: Gimmel!!! We are not Jewish, but live in an area with a strong Jewish community, and have numerous Jewish friends. So it seemed like a nice way to celebrate our feelings of brother-hood with our neighbors. We have also been invited to many Seder dinners at Passover, in addition to Shabbat meals in Jewish homes. I do know that the attempt by some to turn Passover into a explicitly Christian holiday (as opposed to respectfully celebrating the custom of another faith) doesn't go over too well. Pretty understandable IMO. I know I really enjoy participating in the festivals of the many ethnic and religious communities here in Los Angeles, from Persian New Year (Nowruz) to Diwali, and Ramadan. It's a good way to build good will and to get to know our brothers and sisters better. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebeccaC Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 We did when my mil was alive. She was an ultra orthodox Jew and kept a kosher house. She lived part of the year with us for the first few years we were married and part of the year in Jerusalem. She bought a house down the street from us because she got tired of koshering my house :001_huh: and our house became too small when our second son arrived. When she was here we kept the shabbat (sabbath) also. At one time or another we have kept all the feasts. We also kept our American Holidays but in kosher fashion when she was with us. So thanksgiving was a meal with no dairy, a kosher turkey, and was quite a bit different from what most folks have. No pumpkin pie with the meal because of the dairy in the pie, no mash potatoes because of the dairy, etc....... On Easter we did not have a ham...... We kept both Hanakah and Christmas, the Georgian New Year and the Jewish New year (Rosh Hashanah,) Passover and Easter, ect..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelli in TN Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 I do know that the attempt by some to turn Passover into a explicitly Christian holiday (as opposed to respectfully celebrating the custom of another faith) doesn't go over too well. Pretty understandable IMO. l I wanted to turn it into an explicitly Christian holiday. I was one of those types. Aren't you glad I smartened up before I started hanging out here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 I wanted to turn it into an explicitly Christian holiday. I was one of those types. Aren't you glad I smartened up before I started hanging out here? You are pretty cool Kelli. :001_smile: Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 My main advice is: don't start now! Wait until Sukkot. It can be overwhelming and off-putting to Jews to start to learn about the high holy days, or see how business-like folks really are about them. It's unrealistic, IMO, to expect to practice these customs alone or as a family unit. Judaism a tribal religion, and that shows. Also, it can be difficult to get supplies (we had relatives bring the estrog and lulav from Israel), or to muster up the energy to do something as huge as build a sukkah all by yourself, with and for little kids. See if you can find a Messianic congregation somewhere in your vicinity, and ask the moreh (or rabbi, if they have one) if there will be a public service in a sukkah. There should be one somewhere in your area. If you can volunteer to help put it up, or prepare food for the folks who are putting it up, even better. Don't call a Jewish synagogue, though. They'll be offended and possibly rude. Oh, and when my 8yo was a teeny guy he really enjoyed the coloring pages and games here: http://www.torahtots.com/home.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 She bought a house down the street from us because she got tired of koshering my house :001_huh: and our house became too small when our second son arrived. Haha! I have only kashered a house once but I completely understand her decision! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 www.heartofwisdom.com Robin Sampson has a book called Family Guide to the Biblical Holidays you might want to check out. She also has a website devoted to this concept: www.biblicalholidays.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 Well, we aren't Jewish, but we are studying the Holy Land this year, and as part of our studies we will be celebrating some of the feasts, and at least making some of the different traditional foods. We are reading the All of a Kind Family books (characters are Jewish and there are great descriptions of the feast days) and I bought a copy of the Jews for Jesus cookbook. Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelli in TN Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 We are reading the All of a Kind Family books (characters are Jewish and there are great descriptions of the feast days) ! Those are wonderful books!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibrarianMom Posted September 1, 2008 Author Share Posted September 1, 2008 Thank you for the input thus far. It's unrealistic, IMO, to expect to practice these customs alone or as a family unit. Judaism a tribal religion, and that shows. Also, it can be difficult to get supplies (we had relatives bring the estrog and lulav from Israel), or to muster up the energy to do something as huge as build a sukkah all by yourself, with and for little kids. This has been my experience when I've tried to celebrate the festivals before. In addition to celebrating as a community, I really need someone to show me how it is done. :001_smile: Unfortunately, the closest Messianic congregation is not very close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 This has been my experience when I've tried to celebrate the festivals before. In addition to celebrating as a community, I really need someone to show me how it is done. :001_smile: Unfortunately, the closest Messianic congregation is not very close. Ah. Perhaps it would be worth it to travel out there for one or two holidays, and then you can see how it's done and do it at home in other years? How about videos? There are some on YouTube, like on the shaking of the lulav in the sukkah. (BTW, I saw one with a guy eating an etrog. It's just a superstition, but some say it's the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil that Eve ate and it's bad luck to eat it.) I tried searching succot instead of sukkot and got a bunch more. For Passover, there's a VHS available. Books-wise, How to Run a Traditional Jewish Household by Blu Greenberg is good for letting you see into how it's actually done. If you are very respectful, and if you have a reform or reconstructionist synagogue nearby, you may be able to go to a synagogue service if you explain that you are homeschoolers teaching your kids about Judaism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle T Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 I do know that the attempt by some to turn Passover into a explicitly Christian holiday (as opposed to respectfully celebrating the custom of another faith) doesn't go over too well. Pretty understandable IMO. Bill Jewish holidays are Jewish holidays. They are not Christian holidays, regardless of whether Jesus celebrated them or not. There's a difference between learning about these holidays as a way of understanding a different culture, and trying to spin them into meaning something entirely outside the religion they belong to. Michelle T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susie in tx Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 We celebrate the biblical holiday and are Messianic. So, I guess you could say that I make the celebration christian, though I don't identify with christians. I like the book by Barney Kasdan. One is called _G-d's Appointed Customs_. These books have been helpful for our family. I also like the children's book, _Walk with Yeshua Through the Jewish New Year_. Fall festivals are coming up and it is a very rich time of year. Even if you only do one thing for the holidays, it can be rewarding for your family. I'd also encourage you to read Leviticus 23. While most books are about the cultural customs of the holidays, Leviticus gives a very nuts and bolts versus of the holidays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 One of my favorite books about this topic is "Seasons of Our Joy". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 I've been wanting to do something like this for a couple years now, but haven't followed through yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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