The Season of Bejewelled Bazoombas…

The girls and I were at the mall this past week in search of nice spring shirts that were long enough to cover the midriff of my daughters that I think are now up to somewhere around 5 foot 9 and 5 foot 10.  I’ve already been on my diatribe about dressing teenage daughters with Tzunit in 2013.  So, I shall not tread through that muddy swamp again. However, we were at the mall and quiet certain we saw some stars of the show American Gypsy. They film in our little corner of Virginia all the time. However I digress.

As we sauntered through the mall we used our flashlight apps and perused Hollister. Cute clothes but way too short. Next we came to Victoria’s Secret.  I asked the girls if they were in need of some bejeweled bazoomba’s.  They decided against bejeweled thongs and bras and perused the more use full garments. They prefer the type that stays out of wedge while jogging about 6 miles.

So, we are going through the drawers of this and that amidst mannequins wearing wings and still promoting Valentine’s day or as we like to refer to it by its more politically correct term; Single Awareness Day.  This got the girls and me to talking about St. Valentine which circled its way around to Jews and Valentine’s Day.  I will try to avoid the whole history lesson because if you are reading this, you can Google it for yourself.  He was a real person. He lived a long time ago. He did nice things in the name a love. He died. He was not a Jew.

I have read articles and notes written over the past few days about the subject of Judaism and Valentine’s Day.  It’s not Kosher. Jews don’t celebrate Catholic holidays.  We don’t do this. Some do that.  One article found ways to validate celebrating Valentine’s Day by how it coincides with important events on the Jewish calendar.  Maybe we can just make heart shaped Challah wrote another.  How about just celebrating Valentine’s Day because it is Valentine’s Day?  The martyr may not have been Jewish, but do we hold the rights to love?   I’m sure St. Valentine would not mind non Catholics participating in his honor. I’m sure G_d does not mind anything that promotes peace, kindness and thinking of friends and loved ones for one day.

So often I hear the cry for acceptance, peace, love and less racism.  Then on the next breath we do what we can to separate ourselves from those that don’t celebrate our own faith.  Live and let live has to extend to ourselves as well as others.  Don’t rewrite Valentine’s Day. Embrace it for all that it is. ( Or ignore it if you wish) It’s day to honor a Catholic Priest or Bishop depending on one of the three that the Catholic Encyclopedia mentions.  It is a day for hear shaped peanut butter cups, flowers, cards and bejeweled bazoombas.