The lead story in The Wall Street Journal today is “Six Months After Hamas Attack, Israel’s World Is Upside Down.” I always tell people that the news department of the WSJ, as opposed to the editorial department, is left of center and not the greatest friend of Israel. Thus, anything negative they write about Israel must be taken with a grain of salt.
Nonetheless there is unfortunately a lot of truth to the statement. Israel is in a gut-wrenching position that no other nation ever faces. It is being betrayed by friend and foe alike. And no other nation cherishes the lives of their soldiers and hostages like Israelis do. It’s a fact. Certainly, no other nation gets condemned for defending itself against terror like Israel does.
What should have been a slam dunk issue of the victory of good over evil has become a source of internal turmoil for the most admirable People on earth.
Israel now is in a classic Abbott and Costello situation. There is one scene in which Costello, in the driver’s seat, trying to help a woman get out of a tight parking spot, is following the directions of Abbott to back out of the spot. “Back up!” says Abbot. Costello, about to back up, hears Abbott saying, “Go ahead!” This goes on for a while, with Costello totally confused by Abbott. Should he back up or go ahead and move forward? You know the shtick.
Israel is facing that situation, except it’s not funny. Israel is told to slow things down to prevent civilian losses. Then they are questioned as to why the war is taking so long. Our president is a one-man Abbott and Costello routine.
However, I would like to take a break and write on a more comforting theme. In truth, I addressed this issue in this paper in March of 2013, over 11 years ago: the need to talk to your kids. Tell them stories. And the holiday of story time is coming up. I feel the need to dwell on the issue again.
The Yom Tov of Pesach is all about story time. The story of our experience as a nation starting with Abraham, then slavery perpetrated against us by the most advanced society on earth, and finally the Exodus. The Torah commands us (Sh’mos 13:8): “You shall tell your child on that day, it is because of this that the Lord did for me when I left Egypt.”
In a world where our children have so many distractions, the Yom Tov of Pesach becomes the most precious time of the year. The entire Seder is centered around children. Much of what we do is to arouse the interest of the kids.
It is not enough to just patiently listen to our children or grandchildren read the nice “vertlach” as prepared by their rebbeim or moros. We need to engage each of them in a dialogue of its own making. Each child according to his or her ability.
But story time is not just once a year. I have found that the best bonding between parent and child, or grandchild, comes through storytelling. Reading from a book is good. But nothing compares to making up your own stories. Now that I live next to some of my grandchildren, I see how valuable that is, no matter what the age gap.
I have my own repertoire of stories: Ignotz and Mrs. McGillicuddy, The Long Nose Man (my favorite), Fat Mac, Asher Zelig, Brian Bent, SuperYid, plus a host of others. These stories, in various episodes, have all been made up by me as I let my mind wander. It gives me special joy that the same stories that mesmerized my kids now keep their children rapt.
The Yom Tov of Pesach is upon us. I hope the kids will not be getting their thrills from Mickey and Goofy or Paw Patrol, but by a real connection to their parents and grandparents. The story of Pesach is riveting and needs to be brought to life. The stories you share with your kids will cement the bond throughout the year: no moral of the story or religious inspiration necessary. The biggest lesson is their connection to their loved ones.
A zisen Pesach to all!
Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld is the Rabbi Emeritus of the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills, President of the Coalition for Jewish Values, former President of the Vaad Harabonim of Queens, and the Rabbinic Consultant for the Queens Jewish Link.
