Teaching Jewish culture

[Peachthief]

Hi everyone,

DH and I are atheist/agnostic types, but we want to teach our children about all types of religions. I'm learning a lot by visiting this forum and checking out what everyone is up to! Since DH's father was raised Jewish I really want our kids to have some exposure to Jewish culture, since it's part of their heritage. Basically all the Jewish culture DH got growing up was that at Hannukah you get presents, and something about Mr. the Maccabee. FIL has agreed to come with us to a synagogue someday "if we will tell him where one is" but obviously, he's not all that into it. Can anyone recommend any books/websites that I could use to learn about foods/music/traditions, etc., or share any thoughts?

Thanks,
Sarah

[Magelet]

I'm sure there are a lot of books, but I don't know them.

My only thought is that Jewish culture is such an... expeiriential culture, that to really teach about it, I think it has to be expeirienced. Maybe see if you can find a jewish family to celebrate a jewish holiday or two with. Or try celebrating shabbat once or twice. I think expeiriencing it once or twice is a better way to learn about it than to read about it, since so much of it is about the sense of it, literally. the smell and taste of jewish food, the sight of channukah or shabbat lights, food on the table, the sound of lots of loved ones talking, the hugs of aunts....

thats my take on it. though I wasn't raised jewish (my father is jewish so we did celebrate jewish holidays)

[alexsam]

"Jewish culture" is... diverse. In terms of major branches of culture, there are Sephardic Jews (Jews from Spain, Portugal and the Middle East) and there are Ashkenazi Jews (from Germany and Eastern Europe). They speak different historic languages (Ladino and Yiddish). They have different traditions, foods, tunes to prayers, etc. The religion is the same, but the culture is very different. The sort of "typical American Jew" is usually Ashkenazi, but Israelis are very Sephardic by cultural history. And, of course, there is overlap and American Sephardic Jews and plenty of Ashkenazi Israelis... I'm just saying, generally the US leans Ashkenazi and Israel more Sephardic.

Then there are even smaller cultural off-shoots. Jews from Rome are kind of their own brand and have been for hundreds of years- they speak their own language and everything. There are Welsh Jews, Somali, Ethiopian and other African Jews, Jews in the Carribean and South America... They all have different cultural twists to the Jewish experience. Some groups (like in Sub-Saharan Africa) have been seperated for a long time and have had many cultural changes to the point that only the Jewish "roots" are there and everything else seems different. Others, like Russians under communism, have lost much of their rich heritage of Russian Jewery over hundreds and hundreds of years and are practically culturally "starting over".

Then, there are levels of observance, so how people live and how Judaism weaves its way into life will depend very much on if they are Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, Hasidic... Some groups have a rebbe (teacher/leader) who is very influential in the micro-culture and that can have a big impact.

I guess what I am saying is that there is no one "Jewish culture". There is a single religion (even if it looks different with different methods of obvervance). But "culture"... Is impossible to nail down. And impossible to replicate without a community if you have no exposure. You will be missing the heart of it.

I know things always look different from the outside, so it might seem like there is a "Jewish culture"... But on the "inside", there is a lot of diversity.

If you want it "for real"- not just Hanukkah presents or a loaf of bread on Friday, you need to find a family who will welcome you in. If you do, you will see that Judaism and Jewish ethnic heritage has the potential to be very rich, fulfilling, nurturing and whole.

Or, if you want to and can, find out what your own family roots are and start there... There is a wealth of literature, music, traditions, food, etc. that can be discovered and appreciated...