It’s not every day that you see “lulav and an etrog” in the same sentence with “the Internet.”
The ancient Hebrews couldn’t have known that their palm branch (lulav) and citron fruit (etrog) would assume major symbolism for the annual Sukkot harvest festival, let alone that they would be available for purchase on the World Wide Web.
But the Internet offers one possibility for Sukkot shopping, as we learn in the newly revised “The Jewish Home: A Guide for Jewish Living,” by Daniel B. Syme. Of course there are other options too, Syme tells us. If you live in New York, for example, as the Sukkot holiday approaches a trip to the Lower East Side or to Brooklyn might satisfy your needs.
Rabbi Syme’s discussion of Sukkot embodies the thoughtful, interactive approach of “The Jewish Home.”
In a question-answer format, the rabbi clearly lays out the Reform movement’s perspective on the commemoration at home of life’s milestones — from birth to death, as well as holidays throughout the year. On subjects that include the mezuzah, Shabbat, Yom Kippur, b’rit milah, names, Jewish weddings and divorces and b’nai mitzvah, Syme first traces the origins of a ritual and then navigates the path to 21st-century relevance.
A quote on the title page lays out his mission: “Part of the greatness of Reform Judaism lies in the fact that each Jew is free to select and observe those rituals that are most meaningful on a personal level. But choice implies knowledge of the options available to us. Hence this book, which briefly presents a number of these options.”
Chapter by chapter, Syme begins with the history of a Jewish occasion, then progresses into the traditional forms and symbolism of observance, and ultimately explores and explains the manifestations of modern-day Reform practice.
The conversational question-and-answer format feels familiar and makes for an easy, interesting grasp of the evolution of yesterday’s teachings into today’s customs and rituals in a Reform household. Although the questions may not be the “frequently asked” ones we are accustomed to seeing, they engage the reader’s curiosity.
For example, early in the chapter on Tishah B’Av (which fell on Sunday, Aug. 14 this year), Syme asks: “Why was the Temple in Jerusalem so important?”
“To understand the mournful nature of Tishah B’Av, we must enter the traditional mind as we look back into history,” begins his response. After a series of informative questions and answers, Syme goes on to explain what Tishah means to Reform Jews. Typically, as here, Syme’s explanations create for the reader both the foundation and context for personal interpretations and applications.
“I hope this book will answer questions, challenge preconceived notions, and give you a taste for more Jewish living and more Jewish learning!” he writes.
Syme is inclusive in familiarizing readers with the full range of lifecycle and calendar events, but “The Jewish Home” is not meant to be a comprehensive guide to observance. Intended as a point of departure, the book suggests numerous resources for further study and practice. In the text and in the appendix, Syme suggests appropriate song books, prayer books, Torah passages, Haggadot, commentary and guides for each occasion.
Since “The Jewish Home” was first published, more than the technological world has changed. Syme found several reasons for writing an updated edition.
“I have made revisions in this new edition to reflect changes in Reform Jewish practice since this book was first published,” he wrote. “Many of these changes are a result of the increased role of women in Jewish life, even since the original printing of this book in 1988. Some changes reflect the greater voice that Jewish tradition and traditional practices now have in the Reform Movement of the twenty-first century. Other changes correspond to the transformation that has occurred in the Jewish family in the last fifteen years, as our definition of family has continued to expand.”
“The Jewish Home” is simple to comprehend but not simplistic. Basic enough for a beginning look at Reform observance, it also covers deeper territory, purposefully raises questions that have no definitive answers and encourages creative reflection. Respectful of the endurance of Jewish history and traditional culture, “The Jewish Home” also invites adaptation and individuality once the roots of understanding are established.
“The Jewish Home: A Guide for Jewish Living, Revised Edition” by Daniel B. Syme (212 pages, URJ Press, $14.95).