We moved our son, Josh, up to college at the University of Michigan last week. Lisa and I keep wondering how we could possibly be old enough to be the parents of a college freshman! Not that I'm complaining. I know that we're blessed with healthy children capable of matriculating to the good 'ole U of M and that it's with G-d's sustenance that we're able to reach this milestone. I'm just not sure when we got here! It seems like only yesterday that “we” (families including the Sperlings, Shepherds, Goldsteins, Fines, Starrs, Brickners, Betmans, Kirshenbaums, etc.) were the “young chavurah” group. But suddenly we're aged out of that designation. Now it's the Whelans, Cohens, Shermans, Kohls, etc., that make up the active young family group. When, exactly, did that happen?

This milestone for Josh has caused me to do a lot of reflection on his upbringing. I vividly remember Lisa and me going Shul shopping when Josh was getting ready to start kindergarten. We visited each of the area's conservative Shuls for Shabbat services and, of course, selected B'nai Moshe as our religious home. I also remember, around that same time, strongly considering sending Josh to Hillel Day School. Lisa and I were in total agreement that we wanted Josh to have a strong Jewish upbringing and we were evaluating all our options to provide him with one. After many considerations, however, we decided that the Day School education wasn't the right fit for us and selected instead a combination of public schools and a strong Jewish home.

Based on this decision, we turned our home into a kosher home for the first time. We also started having regular Shabbat dinners with our friends and our families. And, we both became active in B'nai Moshe (and look where that got me!) We did all this because we wanted both Josh and Jenna to know what it meant to be Jewish — that being Jewish wasn't just a situation of birth, but was also an obligation — even an honor. We wanted to bring our children up proud of their Jewish heritage so that once they leave the comfortable confines of our home and community they would want to maintain their strong Jewish identity throughout their lives. Once they leave the nest, it's up to them.

Now … suddenly … that time is here for Josh. I don't hold any illusions that Josh doesn't enjoy the occasional cheeseburger, or that he attends Hillel for Shabbat dinner every Friday night, or even that he won't take a nice non-Jewish Michigan girl out on a date. It's mostly up to him now. He'll still be home for holiday dinners and (this year at least) we'll still all be able to light the Chanukah candles together. But, most of Lisa's and my work is done. We've brought him up as best we can.

So … for all you young chavurah families reading this (or even for you grandparents with young grandchildren in the family) … no pressure! Seriously, take advantage of these impressionable years! Make Shabbat dinner a regular family event. Go to Shul on Shabbat mornings and on the holidays. Celebrate Purim, Simchat Torah and Chanukah. Make sure your children know what it means to be Jewish! Do it now…don't wait. Before you know it, your oldest child will be an entering college freshman making their own decisions and you'll be asking yourself … when did this happen?