by Yael Eckstein
Publisher: International Fellowship of Christians and Jews
ISBN: 978-0983532767
As a mom, it was a given that I would pass on my beliefs to my children. Now that I'm going to be my grandma, it's still part of my "job" to pass on our beliefs. When Generation to Generation came up as a book to review for FrontGate I couldn't pass it up! I wanted to learn some ideas and traditions that I might be able to incorporate through this book for my family. I realize that it's based on the Jewish faith, but they tend to have such tight knit families, I knew there would be much I could absorb and channel into our Christian faith family.
Summary:
In Judaism, faith is passed down from one generation to the next primarily through the holy observances, rituals, and traditions that happen within the life of the family. Through the weekly observance of the Sabbath, Jewish children learn the importance of setting priorities and putting God first. As the family gathers around the seder table for Passover, children learn the value of asking questions and seeking wisdom. Each holiday observed, and each tradition followed are opportunities to reinforce the fundamental values of faith.
Generation to Generation unlocks these holy observances and traditions and reveals the key values they reinforce. Each chapter also includes a special section containing insight on how the observance is mentioned in the Christian Bible along with questions and Bible stories to discuss with your family. Bible memory verses are offered to reinforce each key value.
These are the values and rituals that Yael Eckstein learned from her father, that she and her husband are now passing on to their four children, and that will allow you to pass on a strong and living faith to your children and grandchildren.
My Review:
There was so much to glean from Generation to Generation! While our family has traditions based on family history, little to nothing is based on faith. Yes, we go to church every Sunday, kids attend Sunday school or youth group, and we participate in small groups, but other than that, we have very little in the way of traditions in regards to Christianity. Seeing myself type out those words, it breaks my heart.
This is where the book has come in very handy and very timely. While I may not have done a stellar job with faith based traditions and rituals with my kids, I can make sure I implement them with my grandkids!
In each of the chapters we're given a wonderful insight into observances we might just take for granted. I have such a better understanding now of days such as Shabbat (Sabbath) and Passover that I can help my children and grandkids learn how to observe them in a deeper way. In fact, this is a book that calls to be highlighted with all of its explanations helping to make this all clear!
What I really appreciate about this author and what she was taught by her family was the "pouring into" of the souls of her children. I think we get so focused on raising good children that we can easily forget the importance of their souls.
At the end of each chapter there are memory verses and a time to come together as a family to learn and understand. There is also such a rich knowledge of how the Jewish faith has been passed down through the generations and explaining the meaning of who they are biblically as well as how they fit into the gospel.
Topics I didn't expect to gain a deeper understanding of were: courage, hope, and gratitude, which are all vital to our future generations. We teach them in general, right, but do we do so in such an intentional way as provided in this book? I really don't think so. Shhhh don't tell anyone, but it makes me want to go spend a year in a Jewish family experiencing all of their observances!
Now you have the opportunity to win a copy of Generation to Generation!
About the Author:
The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews was founded in 1983 by Orthodox Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, whose vision for building bridges of understanding and cooperation between Christians and Jews has been translated into the largest Christian-supported humanitarian agency helping Jews in Israel and around the world. You can learn more about the organization and Rabbi Eckstein here.
For more than 2,000 years, the Jewish people have preserved and maintained their faith from generation to generation, despite being exiled from their land and suffering persecutions, pogroms, and even the Holocaust, where six million Jewish women, men, and children were killed at the hands of the Nazis. In her book, Generation to Generation, Fellowship President and CEO Yael Eckstein unlocks the keys to how the Jewish people have successfully passed on the legacy of faith through the family, and offers insights into how Christians can incorporate these principles within their own families to pass on a strong and living faith.
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for taking the time out of your day to comment!