a real education

I started a Facebook fan page called Shabbat Shalom that was intended to help me on my own rediscovery of Judaism, along with a Twitter page too.  I planned to post local candle lighting times, Havdalah times, and the name of the weekly Torah portion.  The page now has over one hundred fans!  I'm very proud of that, along with the fact that the page has grown to include daily Jewish History facts, links to educational blogs, current events, and so much more!  I've found and shared many different sites and even videos that explain the various Torah portions.  Some of these links are simple and family friendly, even for those with little to no Jewish education or background.  Other summaries are detailed and lengthy for those who want to dig deeper.  Before this year I might have been able to name 2 or 3 Torah portions.  Now that number is a lot higher, and more importantly, I can even remember a few of them!  Explaining what I've learned to friends and family becomes something I can actually do, and we can relate to!  Watching the videos with our kids, and even using them in the Kindergarten religious school class I co-teach, has been a priceless learning experience for all of us!  I guess we're all on the road to preparing for the big mitzvah!  Thankfully, we're enjoying the journey.  Now if we could only get something checked off the party-planning list!  :)