DAY 13 - HAPPY HANUKKAH
I hope you’re following along as we countdown the final 100 days of 2022 - you can join us anytime. Learn more about the program HERE.
I was raised Catholic, including many years of Catholic school. I grew up knowing only the very basic ideals of the Jewish faith. It wasn’t until much later in life, that I developed a deeper understanding of the importance the Jewish traditions had in the Hanukkah celebration.
Through remarriage, I gained a bonus daughter (she’s now the middle of three girls). She was raised in the Jewish faith as her mother is Jewish. She was three years old when we became a new, blended family. My other two girls were baptized Catholic. Although we’ve migrated to a more Christian-based conviction, we encouraged our middle daughter to remain true to her Jewish faith. I remember her as a small child sharing some of the traditions she, her mother, and grandparents all participated in. It felt steeped in history, even more so than what I had experienced in my own upbringing. I deeply respect those rituals and how important it is to their history.
While I am still admittedly a novice on many of the aspects of Judaism, I am grateful our middle daughter has a rich, meaningful, and spiritual foundation. Today, as a young woman, she remains dedicated to her beliefs.
Of late, there is so much in the news about hate and the disrespect shown to others whose beliefs are different from ours. I just don’t understand it. My husband and I have raised three incredible, intelligent, and strong women. And like most families, we all have our moments. While we are certainly not perfect parents, we’re proud of our girls and who they have become. What we are most proud of is how they all love each other. They enjoy their similarities and lovingly respect and support each other’s differences. It is absolutely possible to have different beliefs and peacefully co-exist!
