“In every generation every Jew must consider themselves personally redeemed from Egypt.” –The Haggadah
This quote shows the importance of the generation to generation connection to Judaism. With that in mind, I asked my grandparents what Conservative Judaism looked like when they were young, about their journey and thoughts. Each of my grandparents has a unique background, and I was curious to hear how they would respond.
My Safta Sylvie grew up Orthodox, but later in life became Conservative. My Grandma Sunny and Grandpa Larry both grew up Conservative, but their parents had been more religious.
My Grandma Sunny faced anti-Semitism head-on at a young age. She was Bat Mitzvahed, which at the time was rare for girls. She went to Camp Ramah in California and was active in her youth group. In college at UCLA, she met a lot of other Jewish students and saw some friends from camp and USY.
My Grandpa Larry went to temple less often growing up, but in college joined a Jewish fraternity at USC. He went to medical school in Mexico, where he went to high holiday services that were in Spanish and Hebrew!
As I listened to their stories, I felt the importance of L’Dor V’Dor, “from generation to generation.” Some things in the past were good, but some things we need to remember so we don’t let them ever happen again. People also need to let go of the past sometimes and keep on moving forward, while remembering what happened.
This led me to my next question, which was “How have you traveled through your Jewish journeys?”
My Grandma Sunny was very religious but believed in her daughters having bat mitzvahs. She liked the relaxed feeling of Conservative synagogues. She also said that Judaism is an individual journey for each and every individual person.
My Grandpa Larry also said the same. He acknowledged that he wasn’t very religious and did not keep kosher until he married my Grandma Sunny. He also remembered that temples were not as ornate when he was young compared to now.
These answers show the importance of learning and changing from our parents. My grandparents made their own choices to differ from their parents and to act for their children. Those choices are exactly the generational connection of L’Dor V’Dor.
Finally, I asked my grandparents, “What does Conservative Judaism mean to you?”
My Grandma Sunny answered that it is important to her since she believes in it. She enjoys the freedom she has there, and believes both women and men are equal. My Grandpa Larry said he enjoys conservative Judaism and is religious now. He also says it anchors him to his ancestors and shows him humility. My Safta Sylvie says she is not as fervent and may sometimes have doubts, but she enjoys the conservative temples.
Both of them agreed that Judaism really comes down to being a good person.
All in all, L’Dor V’Dor is one of the most, if not the most, important things we can recognize. It fosters connections between generations and also improves relationships with both the older and younger generations. It allows us to remember and honor the past, live in the present, and think of the future. As I think about their past and where it brought my family today, I am excited to see where my Jewish future takes me.
This essay was submitted as part of Exploring Judaism’s L’Dor V’Dor Essay Contest. To learn more, or submit your own essay, go here.
