Beyond the Headlines: Leaving a mark that will last a lifetime

One night at the Western Wall in the midst of Selichot prayers, I wondered when the thousands of teenagers around me would get up the next morning. It was already after 1 o'clock in the morning, and they were still chanting, if not roaring, liturgical poems. They would probably be late for school the next day, but this unique experience would provide a lesson and leave a mark on them that would last a lifetime. The High Holidays are the perfect time for education through experience. From Selichot to hearing the shofar on Rosh Hashanah; from the festive pre-Yom Kippur meal to the building of the sukkah. Even children raised on cell phones and computer screens are thrilled by the experience of hearing - and sometimes even blowing - a real shofar, or shaking an actual lulav. These are moments that bring our traditions to life, creating powerful memories and lessons that can remain with our children, and with us, for a lifetime. For example, thinking about something we learned in Torah is wonderful. But if that thought distracts us in the middle of prayer, it becomes a 'foreign thought.' This is simply not the time or place for it. Thinking about a new volunteer project is positive, too. But if it pops into a father's mind in the middle of a heart-to-heart conversation with his son, it is a 'foreign thought.' And there are countless other examples. Translated by Yehoshua Siskin and Janine Muller Sherr. Want to read more by Sivan Rahav Meir? Google The Daily Thought or visit sivanrahavmeir.com