sweet as honey

This past week the internet was on fire with memes about the news that Sunkist fruit chews were being discontinued. As someone who did not grow up throwing candy in synagogue, I was not so attached to this particular confection. But I am nonetheless very attached to the traditions we have established about throwing candy at simchas – B’nei Mitzvah, baby namings, auf ruf’s. 

Nothing undoes a room like candy flying and children racing to collect their haul. It’s delightfully unruly, and helps to break down the decorum we have assimilated that houses of worship should be proper. 

I find the room sings louder after the candy toss. Layers of formality have been shed and we can now more easily access the feeling of simcha – of shared joy. 

As it turns out, after the national outcry following a report from e-Jewish Philanthropy, Sunkist says it will bring back the beloved fruit gems. “We hear you, Sunkist Fruit Gem fans!”, the company wrote, saying it had found a new manufacturer for the kosher synagogue staple. 

Of course, we learned this after we had rush-ordered 60 pounds and planned a Torah school contest to identify the new best candy to throw at simchas (which we still plan to conduct!). 

But the company's response still resonated. On Saturday night we will celebrate Simchat Torah. We will dance with the Torahs and the epic KT Simcha Band. Seven times we will call out to the Holy One, “Hear our cry, Help us, Save us, Answer us!” 

This year I will be thinking, Holy One, Answer us like Sunkist did!

May our study of Torah this year be sweet as honey, be a source of simcha, be filled with (fruit) gems.