The Hygge of Singing the Shema

My Nightly Tradition with Nonny

My grandma on my mom's side, who I call Nonny, calls me every night to sing the Shema. When I was growing up, my parents would sing the Shema and "shelter us" song to my sister and me, and recently Nonny and I have continued the tradition nightly. We talk about our days, catch up, and recite the Jewish prayer.

This tradition started a few months ago. I live in Claremont, and my grandparents are only about an hour's drive away (which, to be fair, can greatly depend on LA traffic). I liked the idea of visiting my Nonny and Poppy, my maternal grandparents, about monthly. This slowed down a bit once I started teaching at Kiddie Academy, but I did get to visit them this past weekend.

A few months ago, when I was visiting them, I recited Shema with Nonny and we exchanged thoughts about what we are grateful for. It was a nice little thing to do before I slept and made me feel a type of familial comfort I hadn't felt since living on my own.

Here's a funny thing: sometimes the best things come from correcting mistakes, from trying to be better and make amends. When I drove back to Claremont that afternoon, I crawled into bed for a nap, which was not unusual for me. However, I had forgotten to call Nonny to let her know I got back safe, which subsequently made her quite nervous until I woke up and saw the missed calls and assured her I was just fine. Jewish (grand)mothers, am I right??

So that night, still feeling guilty about forgetting to call, I called her again to say good night and suggest we recite the shema. And thus, a tradition was born, a nightly ritual, a shared memory for years to come.

I love the Danish concept of Hygge. There's a song from Frozen: the musical all about this idea, which roughly translates to coziness. It is a feeling of comfort, of love, of family, and of being warm and cared for. It is knitting by the fireplace and potluck meals with friends. It is laughing about ridiculous jokes and singing along to the radio in the car.

I try and cultivate my life with a little bit of Hygge every day. My Shema with Nonny, as unique as it may be, is a form of this Hygge. It is love, it is comfort, it is coziness.

I highly recommend starting something like a nightly ritual, a self care practice, or a family tradition for yourself. It doesn't matter what starts it-- if by the end you are comforted and feel connected and cozy, the hygge has run its course.

With love and strength, 

Rivi