Small Gifts

Birthdays were always a special time in my childhood home. We eagerly prepared the weeks before by buying special Hallmark cards, and finding a special small gift for our family member. The gifts were a thoughtful reminder of something whimsical about that special person. I did not, for instance, just buy my sister a piece of jewelry. Instead, I bought her a charm for her favorite gold chain necklace that was in the shape of a Tweety Bird, her favorite character in our morning cartoon reels.

And so, I have tried to maintain that tradition with my own family. Alas, my kids do not have patience for buying cards…and they certainly do not see the need for “random useless stuff” as one of my teens has called it. So, the tradition has sadly dwindled into a mortuary of memories. But, I do buy one lonesome birthday card, and pass it around for each child to sign for his/her siblings or parents. And, I enclose a gift card or cash for them to use. But, the wistful meaningful gift-giving is somewhat gone. At times, I think “Well, this is a new generation, and they are tired of material mores and symbols”. But, part of me misses running down the stairs, to find an envelope and a mystery box placed at the place setting set for the Birthday child!

My wistful memories of Birthdays engulf me as we just celebrated the precious birth of our newest grandchild, Kedem Idit. She was born on January 31st in Jerusalem on a beautiful winter morning. Her mother endured the end of the pregnancy as a soldier-wife. She bravely held the fort at home, with her older son, Noam, while her husband was in the Reserves. I honestly do not know how she held their home together during this time. She was mother/father wrapped in one at times. And, she did a terrific job. She was surrounded by a community of mothers who were in the same situation. And, they were all “in it together”. They made playdates, shared meals, and shared their personal triumphs with one another. Together, they became a sisterhood of mothers, supporting the war effort…simply by keeping their lives as normal as they could during a time of war.

My daughter and son-in-law named this precious girl Kedem. This word is mentioned in the morning prayer service as we replace the Torah in its ark. We sing: “A tree of life it is for those who grasp it, and its supporters are praiseworthy. Its ways are ways of pleasantness and all of its paths are in peace. Bring us back to You, G-d, and we will return as of the days of old and renew.” The word “renew” in this song of praise is the Hebrew word “Kedem” (קדם).

My daughter and son-in-law explained to us that they chose the name Kedem as their daughter’s first name as a testament to the time in which she was born. It is a time of war, but there is a steadfast desire for rebirth. And, although we cannot return to what once “was”, we can opt for a new future…one of growth, unity, and bonding.

Kedem’s middle name, Idit, is after my maternal grandmother, Ida Rollin. The name itself is loosely translated to “The Best”, and she truly was. She was a Jewish Romanian immigrant to the USA in 1928. She adeptly attended Elementary and High School where she learned to speak English without an accent. She also joined the WWII war effort by working in a factory that created parachutes for paratroopers in the war. She raised five children and had 8 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren by the time of her passing. Grandma Ida passed away on the Eve of Passover, her favorite holiday. Her children could only sit shiva for a few hours before the Passover holiday began. It was very befitting of her, for she absolutely loved the holiday, and I am sure that she was eager to celebrate it with her family in Heaven and to be able to have Jewish pride from her descendants here on Earth, continuing the traditions of her parents.

And, here we are…celebrating life’s Small Gifts. It is truly incredible how a newborn baby can light up any room. Teenage children in my home may be fighting about chores, unkept bedroom mayhem, and the like. But, the minute this baby comes to visit our home, it is as if life stops. All focus is on the cutest bundle of sunshine, whose eyes are eager to take in everything around her. She is a magic bullet at a time when we really could use some cheery dispensation. Everyone wants to hold her. Everyone wants to sing to her. Everyone just wants a piece of that small and precious new life in their arms. For, she is a symbol to all of us that yes, we are a nation that is best at moving forward, trudging ahead, and making a new effort from the cinders that are left behind.

This reminds me of the song by Rami Kleinshtein, titled “Small Gifts”. The refrain states:

Small gifts, Someone sent me small gifts! Shards of Intention. Circles of Faith. Small gifts… Someone sent me small gifts! Like the power to accept what is not and what is. What more can you ask for?

Yes, these small gifts will help us with our intentions, our faith, our power and our grace to survive this time period in our history. May this beautiful granddaughter be our source of strength and renewal.

זה עוד יום שישי נושם את האוויר
האור והצל משחקים שוב תופסת
השולחן ערוך תמונות ילדות על הקיר
שיירות לבנות חוזרות מבית כנסת
והריח הזה ששורט לי את הלב
מתגנב מתגנב ופותח דלתות
אל אושר קטן אל אותו שיר ישן
שעובר אצלנו במשך דורות

מתנות קטנות
מישהו שלח לי מתנות קטנות
רסיסים של כוונה עיגולים של אמונה
מתנות קטנות
מישהו שלח לי מתנות קטנות
כמו הכוח לקבל את מה שאין את מה שיש
מה עוד אפשר כבר לבקש

זה עוד יום שישי מרפסת ועיתון
השמש כמו הדאגות לאט נמחקת
מנגינות פשוטות זוחלות מהחלון
ושום סערה כבר לא תסתיר פה את השקט

כי בנו בחרת
ואותנו קידשת
ברוך אתה ה’
מקדש השבת

והריח הזה ששורט לי את הלב
מתגנב מתגנב ופותח דלתות
אל אושר קטן אל אותו שיר ישן
שעובר אצלנו במשך דורות

מתנות קטנות

Song written by Noam Chorev, 2014. Sung by Rami Klenshtein.

(נועם חורב)

Kedem Idit