On the way home from arvit (evening prayers), I had a short, yet interesting, discussion with Yossi. Yossi was born in Kurdistan (Northern Iraq) and moved here as a kid with his family. As we discussed our lunch menus, he declared, "The whole world is now a global village. You can eat humus & falafel in Thailand. It's one culture." So I responded, "But then how do you ensure that your traditions and values are passed forward?" ... "Ahhh," he smiled, "Now that's the question of all questions."
The answer?
I think it depends solely on how important it is for a person to ensure his family's traditions outlive his stay on earth. It obviously doesn't all rest on the person's shoulders but his actions will likely dictate if these traditions to live on.
On a personal level, I hope I can pass on the traditions to Nissim that were passed on to me by my parents. Be it the Ladino songs, the food, or the customs during shabbat & festivals, I hope Nissim has the privilege of teaching his kids what I, one day, will be teaching him ... traditions & customs that have been with my family for centuries, and I do hope continue well after I'm gone.
On that note, 'Buenas semanas, salud i vida' (Ladino for "Have a good week, (good) health & (good) life")
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2 comments:
Who was the first in history to use this expression?
I don't know Paul ... Who? :)
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