Since we've finally begun dragging ourselves to shul, Bug goes to the tot service on a fairly regular basis. And he loves it. I, on the other hand, find it just a tiny bit disturbing how deeply the lessons have sunk in.
The messages being conveyed are hardly offensive: be kind to others, respect the Earth, help your parents, take good care of animals. But we had to make hamotzi on Friday night (bad Jews: we weren't planning to have any bread) because after I said kiddush, Bug started singing the camp song that we do ("We give thanks to God for bread.."). Today he requested that I sing the "Hallelujah song" in the car. He regularly gives us a somewhat mangled rendition of Ma Tovu. Yesterday he told Dr. S that something was a mitzvah (being nice to your friends, or something like that). Every time we drive down a certain road, he says "We're going to shul!!!"
I said all this to the spouse, who replied, "What did you think was going to happen?"
(Dr. S is a Presbyterian, but he's the one who told me it was time Bug got him some religion. I'd been a bit lazy about it.)
Sounds like it's a very effective program! I hope our Sunday School kids go home knowing half as much.
ReplyDeleteIt's very effective! Plus, you know, Judaism, all this ritual centering around concrete objects (wine, bread, Torah scrolls, etc.). It's great for two- and three-year-olds.
ReplyDeleteMiss you guys -- hope that sometime our kids can enjoy a Tot Shabbat together somewhere! Because it's pretty much the only Sukkot song I know/can think of*, S. has now more or less picked up all the words & tune to the none-too-challenging "Ha-sukkah, ma yafah, u'mah tov lashevet bah..." (*This is not entirely true, but I think the more long-and-involvd Yiddish song "A sukkele a kleyne" is kinda out of her league...)
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