This is the question Teyve asks and quickly answers in the opening scene of Fiddler on the Roof—perhaps one of the greatest Jewish heritage movies of all time. What is ironic is that Teyve’s character must determine how far he can bend the rules from his traditional Jewish upbringing in order to bless his youngest daughter’s choice for a husband.
So, is tradition just an anchor that stabilizes us in a sea of change? Well, it certainly helps to maintain a particular focus or way of thinking. But tradition is more than just a fixture stuck in the past. Tradition is also a living, breathing social construct when stories are handed down from one generation to the next.

It is the act of re-interpreting and re-forming stories from the past, making them relevant in the present, and, hopefully, inspiring the children of the future. In this sense, tradition is kind of like a life preserver.
It is our belief at JewkBox.com that tradition should not be boring, and that tradition is continuously renewed by each generation’s reexamination of the former.
Whether you are Jewish, or you are simply curious about Jewish life or Jewish symbolism in general, we invite you to continue to engage in tradition by clicking through our Jewish-themed, hand-picked content and interactive games. From sunrise to sunset, if you so choose…