Faith

A central pillar of any family unit is their faith. At least it should be. No matter your beliefs, your faith should be passed on to your children by being integrated into the family. The by-product of this faith, becomes evident through your actions. Our belief system is central to how we live, behave and interact with the world around us. In fact, our country was founded on faith. When we had God as our anchor, our country grew and prospered fully. But unfortunately, over time God was removed from being the central part of our lives. Look around, and you will see where this has taken us.

If we want our country to continue to move forward as the most successful example of goodness and prosperity, we must make sure that we take a stand against those who wish to eliminate faith from our society. We're not talking about faith for the purpose of “looking good,” but rather faith from the perspective of BEING good. What we say and what we do are sometimes in conflict, but the two should coincide. If we put America back on the right track, our families and children will be affected in a very positive way. Additionally, keeping our families in check will positively affect our country as well.

We had a president who we'd never seen openly profess his faith, until he became the leader of the most powerful country in the world. His actions and love for America made it apparent that he was a believer. He saw first-hand that God's goodness made this country great. Because of this, he worked hard to restore America to that greatness. We should always support our leaders in making our country a better place, as well as upholding all that America stands for. How better to do so, than by drawing closer to God and making sure that our children understand that without Him, we cannot prosper.

Our faith is what carries us through bad times. With the struggles that are present now, and the ones that are ahead, we need it in our lives more than ever. Whichever beliefs you have, it is important that you implement your faith into your daily routine. It will give you the ability to make good decisions, raise more grounded children, and interact better with your fellow citizens. Through God, all things are possible!

God bless you and God bless America. 

VERSE OF THE DAY

UPCOMING HOLIDAYS

Tu B'Shevat (Holiday of Trees): February 6, 2023

Tu B’shevat gets its name from the date on which the holiday occurs, the 15th of the month of Shevat. A minor Jewish holiday, it is often referred to as the new year (or “birthday”) of the trees. The holiday originated in the Talmud, and was based on the date chosen for calculating the agricultural cycle of taking tithes from the produce of the trees, which were brought as first-fruit offerings to the Temple in Jerusalem.

Tu B’shevat has developed into an ecological holiday that reminds Jews of our connection to the earth and to our role as caretakers of the environment. Some modern practices include donating money to plant trees in Israel or planting trees locally. The kabbalistic Tu B’shevat seder has also been reclaimed.

As part of the Tu B’shevat, it is customary to eat from shiv’at ha’minim (seven species endemic to the Land of Israel): wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, dates. Beyond that, there are many possible variations for preparing a Tu B’shevat meal, usually incorporating dried fruit and nuts, and one can be creative in deciding how to plan the menu.

Purim: March 7, 2023

Purim is one of the most joyous holidays on the Jewish calendar. During the Purim holiday celebration, Jews participate in a boisterous public reading of the biblical book of Esther, deliver baskets of food and drink to friends, eat hat-shaped cookies called Hamantaschen after the villain in the story, perform plays and parodies, and dress up in costume. Though the revelry is often compared to our American Halloween, the inspiration for this Jewish holiday held early each spring (the 14th day of the month of Adar on the Jewish calendar) is actually quite serious: a time of grave danger for the Jewish people, and an inspiring Jewish woman named Esther who displayed great faith and courage to save them. Learn more about PURIM in this fun video.