We Live In The World

Halloween is everywhere, I never liked the gore or the scary stuff, just the dress up and dancing with friends.  Before this year it was not in my children's consciousness, in their completely Jewish environment, they really did not know it existed.






I really wanted the first five years of my children's lives to be insulated, so their Jewish identity could be strong.  When we walk to our synagogue on Saturday, they see cars driving and they know that only Jewish people celebrate Shabbat.  Also during Christmas time last year when they saw lights all around, they know that we do not celebrate the holiday, but many people do.



When we moved to America in 1980 from the former Soviet Union, my parents let us teach them about the new country and culture.  We did go to a private, orthodox Jewish school, because the community told us, otherwise in public school we would not get a Jewish education.  I really feel those elementary years gave me my base, my roots, although once we moved to another state and I went to public school, I was not observant.  I really embraced it once I got married and had children.

So this year my older two go to public school, we live in a very observant community, so their identity is strong, and now when the schools celebrate Halloween, they know it is not our holiday, but if there are bounce houses and a party, I allow them to observe from their child's lens.  The schools politely ask parents not to have costumes that have weapons, are scary, and only masks during the parade, not in the classroom.  Today I met a friend at the pumpkin patch, I have never been to one as a child, it is not in my Russian or Jewish culture, and my parents had no clue.  What did my kids want to do? Go on the rides, bounce house, train, and run around the pumpkins.  It was all young kids and families, and totally appropriate, not scary, just some fall fun.

I get how people not from America or countries that do not celebrate Halloween can be horrified by how desensitized people are to limbs sticking out of the trunks of cars, skeletons and spider webs as decorations, and people letting it all out, literally.  Yes we can only shelter our kids so much, especially living in Los Angeles, or any big city.  My kids notice as we drive by homes decorated for Halloween, and they always say, we do not celebrate it.

Awareness,
Consciousness,
Separation,
Acceptance,
It's all an individual and personal decision,
It all gets me excited for the Jewish dress up holiday, Purim, which is in the spring,
I just love dress up,
Luckily we get to dress nice every weekend for Shabbat,
I like that my kids enjoy dressing up every week,
I also like that they have my love of socialization and expressing themselves,
Confidence,
Knowing who they are,
I am a proud mom,
Coach Yulia