In this 3.5 minute video, Rabbi Janet Ross Marder demonstrates how the blessing over the children allows family members to express their love for one another on Shabbat. Acknowledging that it may feel awkward for some, Rabbi Marder explains how the ritual combines physical touch, the powerful words of our tradition, and personal blessings to create a long-lasting experience of feeling cherished for children of all ages. Rabbi Marder is the Senior Rabbi at the Reform Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills, CA and the first woman to be elected president to the Central Conference of American Rabbis.