By Marcie Zelikow (4-27-09)

Today is eighteen days, which is two weeks and four days of the Omer.

 

It is a tradition to count the days between Passover and Shavuot, as we mark our freedom from slavery and celebrate our freedom to accept Torah. This is called "counting the omer." This year we will observe the tradition of "counting the omer" by sharing stories about the many different ways that we have been turned on to Jewish learning, and through Jewish learning to Torah.

When I was growing up, my mother's family was "ultra" Reform and my father's family was real Russian-Socialist. My father had no use for organized religion at all, and never went to synagogue. My mother insisted that my brother and I have a Jewish education; but aside from religious school, we were strictly twice-a-year Jews.

Both sides of the family were, however, strong ethical, cultural Jews. If there was a religion in my maternal grandparents' house, it was Israel. When I graduated high school in 1968, my grandparents sent me to Israel for the summer. It wasn't a question of Israel or Europe - it was Israel or nothing. Israel was pretty much my graduation "assignment," and not a graduation present.

Of course, it was the best present of my life and made a life-long Zionist out of me. Israel and I are exactly the same age. In fact, we were "born" the same week. My connection to Israel has shaped my Jewish identity and, I think, also led me to my later adult connection to Jewish learning and observance. It may not be traditional learning, but it is learning all the same.

By Marcie Zelikow

These stories are brought to you by the Temple Emanuel RE-IMAGINE project, an 18-month initiative sponsored by Hebrew Union College, devoted to re-thinking and re-structuring our religious school.