Mexican Jews Laugh It Up During Havdalah

Long before Laughter Yoga hit North American shores, Jews in Mexico understood that a good giggle is one of the best ways to start the week. To that purpose they created a custom that I would like to name

HA-HA-HAvdalah. It goes like this: before the head of the house recites the blessing over the spices, the entire family laughs out loud. It’s their way of welcoming a happy week. When I asked “Why laughter?” the Mexican woman who told me about this custom broadly smiled and replied: “Laughter helps you accept your life.” Sounds good to me. After all, haven’t we all been told at one time or another to “laugh off” whatever bothers us? And aren’t there studies indicating that laughter is the best way to relieve stress, feel happy, strengthen your immune system, diminish pain and more? If there’s one thing that’s contagious that each and every one of us wants to catch, it’s a good laugh. Laughter is the only medication that doesn’t cost a penny and is guaranteed to make you feel better immediately. So here’s what I’d like to suggest: Lighten up your students’ life by jump-starting the week with a small dose of laughter. Whether it’s Sunday Religious School or Monday back to school, begin the day with a roaring Shavua Tov ritual. Adapt the Havdalah service to the classroom, share it with your colleagues and let the school shake with gales of laughter.

Repeat after me: HA-HA-Havdalah, HA-HA-Havdalah, HA-HA-Havdalah.

Shavua Tov…Tami

Combine a Kibbutz Rosh Chodesh Custom with Shabbat Rosh Chodesh and You have the Makings of a Wonderful Kaballat Shabbat

A good friend of mine used to live on Kibbutz Sa’ad – a B’nei Akiva kibbutz located in Israel’s southern region. Sitting next to her in synagogue yesterday on Shabbat Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan, I asked her if the kibbutz had any special Rosh Chodesh customs. She longingly licked her lips, remembering the yummy fresh rolls given to each kibbutz member for the Rosh Chodesh meal. My mind immediately began to hyper wander. First to my Rosh Chodesh post last year, where I mentioned that in days of yore Rosh Chodesh was celebrated through a delicious feast. Then I thought of the numerous specialty rolls sold on today’s market – seven-grain, plain, seeded, tomato herb, onion, marble and so much more, each topped with an equal amount of unusual seeds and grains. Many rolls are even braided. Finally, I started thinking about Kabbalat Shabbat and how to integrate this custom into the classroom. The answer came on Motzei Shabbat when I Googled Rosh Chodesh, only to discover that in many Sephardic communities there is a custom for women to light candles without a blessing. “There it is,” I said to myself. Combine the Kibbutz custom of a mouth-watering roll with the Sephardi candle lighting custom and you have the ingredients for a wonderful classroom Kabbalat Shabbat Rosh Chodesh. After all, the next Shabbat Rosh Chodesh is only four months away. Adar Aleph (this is a Jewish Leap Year, with two months of Adar) starts on February 5th – another Shabbat Rosh Chodesh. Add some hot chocolate for the winter weather and you’ll be set.
Chodesh Tov…Tami