Make a Good Choice! by Dr. Laura Bernstein, Executive Director

One of the basic responsibilities we have as Jewish parents and a community at large is to teach our children to live Jewishly. The Shema, which we say morning and night (and also includes the V’ahavta), says to impress upon our children the importance of our words, our actions, and everything we do in all moments. To me, this speaks more broadly to our values and responsibilities to live our lives with respect, with kindness, and with meaning. How do we live Jewishly? We get to make choices every day about how we do this.

Today, August 20, 2015, marks my daughter’s first day of first grade. It’s a new beginning for her. She’s in a new school, will meet new friends, have new teachers, have a new routine, and will begin the first day of the rest of her life. Earlier this week I was at a parent orientation at Charlotte Jewish Day School, and a PTO President remarked “by making the choice to send your child to CJDS, you’re giving your child the gift of childhood” and “you are allowing them to thrive in an environment where they will feel safe, secure, and be challenged to be the best they can be.” I’ve thought about these words the last couple of days as I’ve contemplated whether my husband and I made a good choice to move schools.

Today when I dropped Sanya off at school and saw the big bounce slide with a sign that said “Slide into the first day of school” and then the director herself held my daughter’s hand to make her feel comfortable, I knew we had indeed made a good choice. I know there will be challenges, but in my heart I feel that our daughter will thrive in a kind, spirited, and loving environment. And, she’ll have lots of opportunities to learn how to make good choices.

As I left the school, I whispered in her ear that we both had to go to work now. My daughter’s job is to learn and to have fun! My job is to make sure Temple Beth El has everything it needs to help our congregants of all ages learn and live our lives Jewishly—and also have fun. While we are both at work today, I hope she and I make good choices!