By Laura Seymour

Dear Families,

We begin again with our reading of the Torah and there is no better book than Genesis. The stories are life lessons and filled with opportunities to interpret and give guidance for today. Of course, the family stories are the best but what about the very opening when G-d creates the world? No matter where you stand on belief there is always something to learn. As a Jewish educator for children, in addition to singing lots of songs on creation, the children ask and wonder about so many parts of the story. Perhaps the biggest question from young children is: When did G-d create the dinosaurs? The only possible text is in Genesis 1:21 — “G-d created the great sea monsters…” But that is not enough for the children or for the rabbis. There is a midrash or maybe more of a legend that says G-d created six worlds before ours which is a very interesting (and possible) idea. So if there were six world that didn’t work, why not dinosaurs as an example of what didn’t work? The book “…And Then There Were Dinosaurs” by Sari Steinberg is a wonderfully artistic reimagining of the legend and definitely a lesson for all of us. In the book, the dinosaurs start out getting along but then didn’t share (something that is taught to the very young and often forgotten as we get older). This led to fighting and no one wins when that happens (especially if we start eating one another which is a metaphor worth exploring but not for children).

So, besides our fascination with dinosaurs that many do not outgrow, what more can we learn from a Jewish perspective? The values associated with dinosaurs are kavod — respect (in case a dinosaur shows up at Shabbat which is the favorite Jewish preschool song); Ma’Aseh B’reishit — Miracle of Creation (the more that is discovered about dinosaurs, the more amazing we can imagine G-d’s mindset in creation); and Talmud Torah-Study (kids of all ages love to learn about dinosaurs!). There is an Israel connection as dinosaur footprints were sighted in the Judaean Hills near Bet Zayit and, of course, archeologists abound in Israel so who knows what they will find. 

  As we start at the beginning of the Torah and read of creation, let us remember the most important part: We have been given this amazing world and it is ours to “till and tend” and to “master and rule.” Before we go further in the story, we must remember the obligation to take care of the world and each other. How can we make the world a place for all to thrive – may this be the year!

Laura Seymour is director of camping services at the Aaron Family Jewish Community Center.