Syms, a clothing chain with stores from the East Coast to the Mid-West, has an interesting motto: "An educated consumer is our best customer." Newspaper and radio ads proudly proclaim the store's motto, as do the name tags of cashiers and salespeople - known as "educators."
When you're shopping in Syms, or any store for that matter, if you're knowledgeable - you know brand names, what comprises good quality, what is a "good price" - you're more likely to be able to make an excellent choice than if you come in without any prior information.
For some, shopping - whether it includes an obsession with finding "bargains" or just a delight in filling one's closets and home with beautiful possessions - is almost a full-time pursuit. For others, it is a hobby, while for still others it is pure drudgery - only to be done when absolutely necessary.
And yet, no matter in which category you place yourself, an educated consumer is still the best customer.
All of the above can be said about Judaism. Though, of course, we are not advocating here "shopping around," yet, in order to be a truly educated consumer of Judaism, one must be properly educated.
When is the proper time to become a full-fledged "Educated Jewish Consumer?" In the typical Jewish fashion, let's answer a question with a question. "When do you start shopping for a child? Certainly not when the child is already five or ten, after all, what would the child wear for its first years? Most parents start preparing for the imminent arrival of their children even before the child is born - looking at cribs, considering strollers, moseying into the children's department - sometimes even as soon as they find out that they'll be adding a bundle of joy to their family.
And that's when a child's Jewish education should start. Even before it's born, with the parents concerning themselves with the environment and atmosphere in which he or she will be raised, playmates the child will have, opportunities for Jewish education, Jewish experiences, Jewish celebrations.
What about those of us who are children in matters of Jewish education?
When and how do we start becoming an educated consumer? Maybe it's best to consider a Jewish shopping spree. First, go through all your closets, all those nooks and crannies of preconceived notions and narrowness and throw out stuff that's "unfashionable" in the Jewish sense. Then, you're ready to shop around, first for an "educator" - a friend or mentor who will be open, honest and patient with you as you will be with him/her. Let the educator lead the way in your shopping spree, understanding full well that he/she has more expertise in these matters. Lastly, be willing to make just as much of an investment in your new Jewish wardrobe and decor as you did previously in other aspects of your life.
Don't forget to let your friends know when you come upon any great bargains. They'll appreciate it and so will you.
