A new perspective of religion

by Irina Vishnevskaya, Tastemaker in Residence

For a multitude of reasons (which we don’t have time to go into today), I had a very unorthodox, quite unique upbringing. In our home we spoke many languages, often times simultaneously, and celebrated holidays of more religion than one. In our home, religion was a fluid tradition, one that we defined on our own terms, and one that was allowed to fluctuate based on time and place.

My Dad was Jewish (was because he passed away, not was because he converted). He wasn’t exactly the practicing kind- I believe the first time he stepped foot in a synagogue was when he was 50 years old. But it’s not because he was apathetic, but instead, he was raised in the Soviet Union, where being Jewish wasn’t quite an OK thing. Instead of identifying with his religion through prayer and ritual, Dad identified with his religion through culture and a common history. He was very proud to be Jewish, he just had never said a Jewish prayer in his life.

Mom on the other hand came from a Catholic family. She believes that God can only be found in a gold-clad Cathedral and that she needs a Priest to interpret the Bible for her. To her, the importance of religion is preserving traditions which in turn provide a sense of nostalgia and family order. For mom, it’s not about a relationship with God, instead it’s about a relationship with ritual and time, and she is an ardent defender of the traditions that define her religion.

So I guess you could say I’m a religious mutt. I learned from a young age that God is 100% in the eyes of the beholder. I learned that heaven is a concept we define for ourselves and our efforts are probably best placed in maximizing the good of our time spent on earth. I learned there really aren’t any absolutes and everything is actually up for discussion. And I mean everything. Oh and let’s be clear- spirituality is another thing in my book, and that’s ALL about God, but that actually has nothing to do with religion.

And holidays? We celebrated them all. Because they’re really mostly about gathering with close friends and relatives, shutting off the outside world and just enjoying each other's company around a delicious meal that defines comfort food for each and every one of us.

So I guess that’s the point of this bit of a ramble- for you to keep that in mind as you celebrate Easter or Passover or any other holiday that comes around this glorious time of year- that really, at the end of the day, it’s all about enjoying the people that you share the meal with (at least in my book!).