The Role of Tradition in a Liberal Society

I wasn't reared on tradition in any kind of strong sense, although there were the traditional American holidays and they were celebrated not as mattress day sales. But when my wife and I became parents, we joined a synagogue and over time, the genius of the Jewish tradition from Shiva and mourning to marking births and weddings to Shabbat. These things are the configuration of time, they are marking of the events of life,. They are building connections in which you stand in the shoes of people who have gone before and have given you something that is more precious than anything you can find out by yourself.