Establishing A Deep Sense Of Identity

MyLife Essay Contest

Introduction:

One of the major questions in the field of education is whether the teacher puts the focus on the WHAT aspect, the WHEN, the HOW or the WHO. Just as the Chassidic way of living and being is with a focus on the WHO, the internal essence, likewise is true regarding its educational approach.

In the following essay, I will address one of the most important issues we face today: The establishing and maintaining of commitment to our Jewish Identity. I have chosen this issue because although in Chabad there has been a focus on adults, college students, teens, and now even youth, the most important element has yet to be successfully engaged to its fullest potential. To really establish the core Jewish Identity and a deep connection to and excitement for, Yiddishkeit, we must start even earlier, with the youngest children. I will connect the Rebbe’s unique view of children, with the idea of identity in general and Jewish identity in particular. As a methodology, I will bring examples from my own practice in a Jewish Preschool in Mequon, Wisconsin.

Establishing and Maintaining Commitment to the Jewish Identity of Our People

Identity begins its life from the moment of birth. Every person has a core sense of self that entails who we are, and constructs our code of ethics. This sense of self emerges and is nourished by the relations we develop with our context, culture, and religion. Therefore, if we want to imbue our children with a strong Jewish Identity, we must focus on them from when they start their life journey. Seeing children and education as a vital force for strong Jewish identity is part of our Rebbe’s thinking and vision.

A famous story is told of the Rebbe Rashab: He went to visit his grandfather, the Tzemach Tzedek, to receive a blessing on the occasion of his birthday. At the time, he was 4 or 5 years old. He began to cry, and he turned to his grandfather and asked, “Why did Hashem appear to Avraham, but to me He does not appear?” His grandfather answered, “When a Jew, a Tzaddik, at the age of 99 decides to that he needs to have a Bris, he is worthy of having Hashem appear to him.”

In a talk in Likutei Sichos (Volume 15 pages 129-136 and volume 20 pages 61-67) the Rebbe says that we can learn an important and novel lesson from the story. The prevailing belief for many years was that children are not yet capable of grasping the beauty and inner depth of Torah and Mitzvos. The Rambam writes in in his commentary on the Mishna, that we need to encourage a child with things that are exciting to them. We give them sweets as a reward for their learning, as they are too young to appreciate the inherent goodness of the learning. By nature, the child is interested in physical pleasures, and this is the way to connect him with Torah. Eventually as he grows, he will begin to appreciate Torah and will learn it because he recognizes its value.

Here the Rebbe introduces an innovative approach. He says that from when this story occurred, and especially after it was told over to the public, something changed. A new path, a new pedagogy has been brought to the world. Today, a child can grasp the depth and beauty of Judaism without any “sweeteners.” The nature of children has evolved. With a proper education they can connect to spirituality so that it becomes a part of their lives. It has meaning and value to them.

Now, although at first glance this may sound unbelievable and difficult to grasp, the truth is that it really is not entirely a new concept. In a Sicha delivered on Acharon Shel Pesach 5742 (Toras Menachem pages 1286-1289) the Rebbe mentions the famous teaching of our sages that Moshiach was born right after the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash. Therefore, if the Jews were deserving, Moshiach could have come right then! The Rebbe questions this: seemingly it would be impossible for a one day old child to lead the Jewish people out of exile. So what is the meaning of this saying?

The Rebbe then brings an example to help us understand how this is possible. When the world was created the nature of children was different. The Midrash states that when a child was born, the mother would send him or her to get a knife to cut the umbilical cord. Clearly, if this nature of an advanced and capable child has already existed at the beginning of the world, of course they must still have that capability in our days. Therefore, it is not a totally different new nature, but rather a reawakening of a previous nature. (See Likutei Sichos Volume 27 pages 194-196)

One may ask, why did this change only occur at the time of the Rebbe Rashab? Why couldn’t it have happened earlier? The Rebbe points out that the same question has been asked regarding Chassidus in general. Why wasn’t it revealed earlier? Why did it wait until the time of the Arizal? The Rebbe explains that as we near the time of the redemption, and the darkness in the world has unfortunately increased, we need to counter it with stronger powers of holiness and light. Therefore, it is now that we can and must educate children in a new way.

It is clear from the above that we must change our way of thinking about children. The way we see children must undergo a transformation.

My personal connection to the above was generated by and grown from my work as a Rabbi in a Preschool. Our preschool which is located in Mequon Wisconsin takes the Rebbe’s vision as a lighthouse for our daily life with children. We see children as competent, active learners, and we do not see Judaism as something to be taught, but as something to be LIVED.

In our school, we believe that every learning process must start from a value, must end with a value, and in between it has the specific elements of that content.

So, when we think about an upcoming Holiday, our intention is the deep Chassidic messages it contains, and we distance ourselves from having a brief encounter with the specific characteristics of the Holiday. For example, for Pesach last year we chose the value of trust, and we brought the children to capture the meaning of trust in general, and trusting Hashem specifically.

Another thing that is important for us is to take the children every day to our Shul and to Daven there from real Siddurim. We chose that way, as we believe in the value of authenticity; we believe that children need to connect themselves with the place and context in the deepest way. When we are in the Shul, we dialogue about Chassidic concepts. For example, our exploration of the idea of אחד ; One G-d in seven heavens and earth and in all four directions. The children had lots of questions and theories, including, “Where is G-d? Is He visible or not?” Some suggested that He is a person but we cannot see Him. Others claimed that Hashem is the world, so He is visible. “He made the world, so He is in it,” one child supposed. “No the earth made Him,” another exclaimed. The questions and theories continued, “But how? Earth cannot move.” “Who made Hashem? Did Noah do it?” “Well then, who made Noah?” “Why cannot we see Him?” “He sees us but we cannot see Him?” “How can He be everywhere and in one place at the same time?” “Is he very big?” “Hashem is the wind! I read it in a book.” I have learned to gather their ideas and questions, and then to explore it further with them using our Chassidic resources as the essence for their learning and being.

We know that children are constantly searching for the meaning and the value of our religion from the first encounter they have. When the value is given to them, they make it theirs, and it becomes the compass that guide their lives. It is this depth of meaning and value that will ensure future generations of strong committed Jews.

Therefore, the core beliefs must be:

• The right of every child from birth, is to be seen as competent to bring their Jewish identity to life from the first breath of air.
• The way to establish Jewish identity from birth is to see the child as your partner in every Jewish moment.
• Every question of a child must be met by a dialogic adult who is interested in the child and his question.
• To believe in a child means to believe in the concept of “Be’Tzelem Elokim.”

In Summary:

Establishing and maintaining a Jewish identity is a dynamic, continuous, and challenging task. The Rebbe has taught us through his Sichos how we should look at children, and that we can and must work with them to establish a strong Jewish Identity from their first moments of life. This is done by exposing them to the depth and value of Judaism, as it is illuminated by the teachings of Chassidus.