Dear Certain Parents:

From Reform Jewish Outreach's Purim newsletter:

'Dress up as your favorite Purim character (or any costume you like). During the service, whenever you hear the name "Hamen," you should spin your grogger (a colorful, loud noisemaker), stomp your feet and do everything in your power to make sure his name is not heard. This is one time when it is truly a mitzvah (commandment) to make noise in the sanctuary.' (Emphasis mine.)

See that bold sentence there? That means that, the rest of the year, it is NOT a mitzvah to make noise in the sanctuary. We all know that sometimes babies cry and toddlers squawk. If these children cannot be quickly soothed, and we do understand if they can't, please take them out.

More to the point, however, if your school-age, verbal, possibly-literate* child is attending services with you, that's a really good time for them to learn about Sitting Down and Being Quiet and maybe...just maybe...even Following Along With The Service. Because even if your kids aren't particularly interested, there are a whole bunch of adults around you who are there to worship, and it's very difficult for some of us to focus and pray when there are unattended children running up and down the aisles. Especially when some of those children are nine or ten years old.

Yours in vexation,

Anath Shalom