Shalom Y'all!

I was talking to my mom the other day and all of a sudden she said, "Oh Jan! I'm so upset! I just got the worst news." (Now normally most people would panic at a statement like that, but since I get my own flair for the dramatics from my mom, I wasn't too worried.)

My Mom: I just found out I'm not a Jew!"
Me: Really? Why not? (Thinking maybe she'd talked about genealogy with one of her cousins.)
My mom (the now non Jew): Well, I was watching this show last night, and they said that you can only be a Jew if your mom is a Jew. Your daddy can be a Jewish Rabbi, but if your mom's not a Jew, then either are you. You can also convert to Judaism, but those are the only two ways.
Me: Oh, I'm so sad for you. You love telling everybody you're a Jew.
My mom: I know! I was so upset I went and woke up your daddy to tell him. (I'm sure he was thrilled to be woken up for that little tidbit.)
Me: Well, you've been telling everybody you're a German Jew for so long, I'd just go ahead and keep telling it. It makes a good story. (And we're all about the good stories.)

So my mom, still wallowing in her new found non-Jewness, will be thrilled to hear that I got a postcard today from the Jews for Jesus! (Which is the picture I posted.) I was actually pretty excited because it starts off:
"Shalom Jan Ingersoll" (I don't think I've ever been 'Shalomed' before!)
So see, Mom, it's okay. I'm on the Jews for Jesus mailing list. And, in my book, you're still the best German Jew Presbyterian around!

Passover Dinner

If you've ever been around my mother for more than 15 minutes then you're probably aware that she's "a German Jew". I've been hearing that since I can remember, and recently she's upped it a notch and goes on to say that she thinks all her relatives died in The Holocaust because she has no information about her German ancestors. Jason and I always laugh when my mom brings up being a "German Jew" since she's also a dyed-in-the-wool Presbyterian. (She's gone to the Baptist church with my dad for 35 years but refuses to join.) But, to her credit, her great grandfather really was German, and he really was Jewish. He came over and became a Catholic so he could buy land in Texas. (Then I think somebody along the way married a Presbyterian which is how she's not a German Catholic Jew.) I've never claimed my German Jewish heritage. In fact, the only time it comes up is if somebody comments on how black my natural hair color is. It's then I'll say, "Oh, I got it from my mom; she likes to holler out that she's a German Jew." So you can imagine my mom's excitement today when I told her Jason and I were going to a Passover Seder Dinner at our church put on by Jews for Jesus. (Her exact words to me were: "Be sure and tell them your mother is a German Jew!") Jason and I both really enjoyed the dinner, and were amazed how the Passover story in Exodus could so parallel the life, death, and Resurrection of Christ. I even got to participate when, as the "woman of the house", I got to light the Passover candles. Of course I burned my finger in trying to do so, but still was happy I had a part. Some of the food was good, but I had to choke down the raw onion, horseradish, and parsley dipped in salt water. (Here's my Passover plate.)

Part of the Passover dinner involves dipping your unleavened bread into wine (Hello? Lord's Supper anyone?) which is how we ended a very nice evening. And BTW, Mom, just let me know if you want me to get you a Jews for Jesus T-shirt.