I came across some very sweet things that kids have said about love and I wanted to share them with you. Enjoy!

• “Love is like an avalanche where you have to run for your life.” — John, age 9
• “I think you’re supposed to get shot with an arrow or something, but the rest of it isn’t supposed to be so painful.” — Manuel, age 8
• “No one is sure why it happens, but I heard it has something to do with how you smell. That’s why perfume and deodorant are so popular.” — Mae, age 9
• “On the first date, they just tell each other lies, and that usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date.” — Mike, 10
• “I’m in favor of love as long as it doesn’t happen when Dinosaurs is on television.” — Jill, age 6
• “My mother says to look for a man who is kind. That’s what I’ll do. I’ll find somebody who’s kinda tall and handsome.” — Carolyn, age 8
• “One of you should know how to write a check. Because, even if you have tons of love, there is still going to be a lot of bills.” — Ava, age 8
• “I’m not rushing into being in love. I’m finding fourth grade hard enough.” — Regina, age 10
• “Most men are brainless, so you might have to try more than once to find a live one.” — Angie, age 10
• “A man and a woman promise to go through sickness and illness and diseases together.” — Marlon, age 10
• “[Being] single is better . . . for the simple reason that I wouldn’t want to change no diapers. Of course, if I did get married, I’d figure something out. I’d just phone my mother and have her come over for some coffee and diaper-changing.” — Kirsten, age 10

(the last one is my personal favourite)

One of the main differences between environmentalism and Jewish environmentalism is the underlying reason for the perspective. Regular environmentalism relies on arguments of sustainability of the earth and future generations. There is no question that it is logical and basic common sense to take care of our natural home, but Jewish environmentalism goes beyond that in its reasoning.

We take care of the earth because we are partnered with God to protect God’s creations. It is not left up to our logic or common sense but it enters the realm of Mitzvah, Jewish commandment. And that reasoning not only speaks of the earth and the animals but also of our fellow human beings.

I am commanded to treat every person with dignity and honour because we are all made in the image of God. We protect the earth because it is God’s creation and we respect each other because we are God’s image.

There would be no justification for any Jewish environmentalist to ever treat a fellow human being with anything but respect. Otherwise, the ‘Jewish’ part of the environmentalist has been neglected.

Jewish environmentalism is not measured by the impact we have on nature but by the intent of the person in their behaviour toward every creation of God’s, including our fellow human beings.

The month of Shevat is home to the holiday of Tu B’Shevat. The holiday is most commonly referred to as the “birthday of the trees” so why do we celebrate a New Year for the trees just as we have Rosh Hashanah, a New Year for humanity? Rachael has the answer.

In celebrating Tu B’Shevat, it is customary to plant trees and to eat the shivat haminim, the seven species, that we read about in Jewish text. Rachael introduces each of the species and explains the significance behind these foods and how they relate to Tu B’Shevat.

Some Jewish festivals seem to adopt certain characteristics of secular holidays. Tu B’Shevat is one of them, even though it possesses a more complex history, a deeper meaning and a heightened spirituality. Sometimes confused with Arbor Day, Rachael delves into this common misconception.

Rachael Wrote:

One of my daughters is now old enough to have “the talk”.  It’s always a momentous occasion for me, I’m a bit nervous and very excited to be sharing this with her.  Well,  it seems she already knew more than I had thought.  She had some technical questions about chemistry and chromosomes and enzymes (I kid you not).  I can only conclude that the media has informed her from a very early age and I am now playing catch-up.

I can’t help but remember the media referring to premarital sex when I was young and what comes to mind as scandalous in those days was Meatloaf’s song with the baseball announcer in the background.  I think it was called “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” and it’s about 2 teenagers having sex while the baseball announcer speaks of the bases reached.  Everyone in my class was excited and snickering and winking and ‘nudge nudge, say no more’-ing.

And of course I can’t help but think of a song I recently heard called ’9 Crimes’ (I think) in which a man and a woman discuss how they are cheating on each other – “it’s a small crime”.  I believe the chorus goes something like: “is that alright – to give my gun away when it’s loaded? Is that alright?  If you don’t shoot it how am I supposed to hold it?”

From a baseball analogy we have now come to relating sex to a loaded gun that needs to be fired, if not by you then by someone else.

And I think of my daughter again.  I want her to have a Jewish understanding of the holiness of sexuality.  It was hard enough removing the baseball references – I feel tremendously challenged now trying to put the gun back into the holster.