Gorgeous header art: Shalom 12 Copyright Sharon Cummings.
The American people have spoken, and the 2016 Presidential Election is over. Every single one of us now knows who won, and who lost- and our kids know, too.
The purpose of this post isn't to mourn the loss, celebrate the win, or even hash out the details. The point is that, unlike any other time in history, our children have participated in this election- often unintentionally, and often via negative, too-mature-for-their-ears content. They heard, read and witnessed the vitriol that surfaced- on television, throughout online media, and in their own schools.
We wanted to take a moment to highlight a few Jewishy opportunities for you as parents to engage, post-election, with your kids- in whatever way works best for you.
The Talmud tells us to "love peace, and pursue peace." Let's do that, together.
Step 1: Repair the World
We mean that literally! Our friends at Repair the World have outlined three fantastic ways to move forward, post-election.
1) On Thursday, Nov 10, RTW is inviting anyone who wants to "come together as a community to recommit to our values, support one another and to begin the conversation of how we move forward." You can RSVP here.
2) If you're feeling the need to get out there and do some good, RTW has planned a fantastic weekend of service this weekend. Check out the opportunities, here.
3) Specifically seeking kid-friendly service opportunities? RTW's next Family Service Day is on Sun, Nov 20: families will be preparing and packing meals for the Hunger Van to distribute. Learn more, here.
Step 2: Shabbat for Good
We only just heard about The Shabbos Project, which is calling for people around the world to keep one full shabbat together this Shabbat (Nov 11-12). After this long, volatile presidential campaign, doesn't 25 hours of no screen time sound, well, heavenly? The Shabbos Project offers a collection of fantastic resources, in case you're interested, for this coming Shabbat, or any Shabbat.
Incidentally, Fig Tree has a fabulous 3-week intensive Shabbat study coming up this Winter Semester We'll braid challah [to bake at home], learn blessings and songs, make a program-wide communal “Shabbat box," and we’ll embark on some powerful mindful meditations for all ages... Just sayin'.
Step 3: Hug a Really Cute Kid
Our kids are all watching, and our response to this historic election- either positive and negative- matters. Here are some great resources for parents.
This HuffPo article, written by educator Ali Michael, PhD, was widely shared on social media this morning, and we found it quite relevant. ABC News created this video to help parents talk to their children about the election. This New Yorker article, while admittedly partisan, has some very salient points, particularly when it comes to engaging our tween and teenage daughters.
We'll leave with one last quote from Talmud.
Hillel teaches: "Do not abandon community." Take good care of yourselves, your families, and your neighbors- regardless of partisanship. Let's find ways to move forward, together.
L'Shalom,
Fig Tree