Family Reunion
YOUR WHOLE FAMILY CAME FROM UKRAINE WITH ONE WICKER BASKET
yet you take four bags for a long weekend.
Those families that have reunions almost all know the craziness that goes into planning one and the challenges of pleasing everyone, which you can’t possibly do anyway. Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up with details like the menu, and activities, and location, and designing the special reunion T-shirt. While all of that might be important, especially when half the family is vegetarian, and the other half wants a meat chili night, it’s easy to forget the exquisitely beautiful fact that you are celebrating family. You’re also honoring those who are no longer with us but may have endured tremendous hardship so that their offspring could enjoy a better life.
it's time to celebrate
OTHER THAN A COLONOSCOPY, EVERYTHING IS MORE FUN IN A GROUP
Take a few minutes to share a reading or two to help everyone connect to the meaning of the family gathering, even those little babies who are awfully cute but have no idea what family even is yet.
prayers, blessings, readings, & songs
FAMILY REUNION READINGS
family reunion prayers & blessings
Mourner's Kaddish
Although Jewish law requires that the Kaddish be said when a loved one dies and on the anniversary of their death, there is no reference, no word even, about death in the prayer. The theme of Kaddish is, rather, the greatness of god, who conducts the entire universe, and especially his most favored creature, each individual human being, with careful supervision. In this prayer, we also pray for peace–from apparently the only one who can guarantee it–peace between nations, peace between individuals, and peace of mind.
Yitgadal v’yitkadash sh’mei raba b’alma di-v’ra
chirutei, v’yamlich malchutei b’chayeichon
uvyomeichon uvchayei d’chol beit yisrael, ba’agala
uvizman kariv, v’im’ru: “amen.”
Y’hei sh’mei raba m’varach l’alam ul’almei almaya.
Yitbarach v’yishtabach, v’yitpa’ar v’yitromam
v’yitnaseh, v’yithadar v’yit’aleh v’yit’halal sh’mei
d’kud’sha, b’rich hu, l’eila min-kol-birchata v’shirata, tushb’chata
v’nechemata da’amiran b’alma, v’im’ru: “amen.”
Y’hei shlama raba min-sh’maya v’chayim aleinu
v’al-kol-yisrael, v’im’ru: “amen.”
Oseh shalom bimromav, hu ya’aseh shalom aleinu
v’al kol-yisrael, v’imru: “amen.”
Magnified and sanctified be Your name, O God, throughout the world, which You have created according to Your will. May Your sovereignty be accepted in our own days, in our lives, and in the life of all the House of Israel, speedily and soon, and let us say, Amen. May Your great name be blessed for ever and ever. Exalted and honored, adored and acclaimed be Your name, O Holy One, blessed are You, whose glory transcends all praises, songs, and blessings voiced in the world, and let us say, Amen. Grant abundant peace and life to us and to all Israel, and let us say, Amen. May You who establish peace in the heavens, grant peace to us, to Israel, and to all the earth, and let us say, Amen. May God comfort you among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
Mi Shebeirach
The Mi Shebeirach is one of the central Jewish prayers for those who are ill or recovering from illness or accidents. The name is taken from its first two Hebrew words meaning “those who are blessed.” With a holistic view of humankind, it prays for physical cure as well as spiritual healing, asking for blessing, compassion, restoration, and strength, within the community of others facing illness as well as all Jews and all human beings.
Mi shebeirach avoteinu
M’kor hab’racha l’imoteinu
May the source of strength,
Who blessed the ones before us,
Help us find the courage to make our lives a blessing, and let us say, Amen.
Mi shebeirach imoteinu
M’kor habrachah l’avoteinu
Bless those in need of healing with r’fuah sh’leimah,
The renewal of body, the renewal of spirit, and let us say, Amen.
family reunion readings
Human Family
I note the obvious differences
in the human family.
Some of us are serious,
some thrive on comedy.
Some declare their lives are lived
as true profundity,
and other claim they really live
the real reality.
The variety of our skin tones
can confuse, bemuse, delight,
brown and pink and beige and purple,
tan and blue and white.
I’ve sailed upon the seven seas
and stopped in every land,
I’ve seen the wonders of the world
not yet one common man.
I know ten thousand women
called Jane and Mary Jane,
but I’ve not seen any two
who really were the same.
Mirror twins are different
although their features jibe,
and lovers think quite different thoughts
while lying side by side.
We love and lose in China,
we weep on England’s moors,
and laugh and moan in Guinea,
and thrive on Spanish shores.
We seek success in Finland,
are born and die in Maine.
In minor ways we differ,
in major we’re the same.
I note the obvious differences
between each sort and type,
but we are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.
We are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.
We are more alike, my friends,
than we are unalike.
-Maya Angelou
The Story Of The Guarantors
When Israel stood to receive the Torah, God said to them: “I am giving you my Torah. Give to me good guarantors that will guard it, and I shall give it to you.”
They said: “Our ancestors are our guarantors.”
God said: “Your ancestors are not sufficient guarantors. Yet bring me good guarantors, and I shall give you the Torah.”
They said: “Ruler of the Universe, our prophets are our guarantors.”
God said: “The prophets are not sufficient guarantors. Yet bring me good guarantors, and I shall give you the Torah.”
They said: “Here, our children are our guarantors.”
God said: “They are certainly good guarantors. For the sake of your children, I give you the Torah.”
-Author Unknown
Planting The Seeds Of Eternity
One day a sage was walking along a road, and he saw a man planting a carob tree. The sage asked the man, “How long does it take for this tree to bear fruit?” The man replied, “Seventy years.” The sage responded, “Are you certain that you will live another seventy years?” The man replied: “I found grown carob trees in the world; as my forefathers planted those for me, I too plant these for my children.”
-A Talmud Story
Teaching Your Children About God
There was once a man who stood before God, his heart breaking from the pain and injustice in the world. “Dear God,” he cried out, “look at all the suffering, the anguish and distress in your world. Why don’t you send help?” God responded, “I did, I sent you.”
-Rabbi David J. Wolpe
family reunion songs
What A Wonderful World
I see trees of green, red roses too.
I see them bloom, for me and you.
And I think to myself.
What a wonderful world.
I see skies of blue, and clouds of white.
The bright blessed day, dark sacred night.
And I think to myself.
What a wonderful world.
The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky.
Are also on the faces, of people going by.
I see friends shaking hands, sayin’, “How do you do?”
They’re really sayin’, “I love you.”
I hear babies cryin’, I watch them grow.
They’ll learn much more, than I’ll ever know.
And I think to myself.
What a wonderful world.
Yes, I think to myself.
What a wonderful world.
-Robert Thiele and George David Weiss
