A Jewish home is not necessarily the same as a home in which Jewish people live. A Jewish home takes on a certain character and atmosphere. This unique ambiance is achieved in many ways — through the books and objects that are present in the home, by the way in which the home's residents conduct themselves, and perhaps even through the conversation and the music in a Jewish home.

The amazing thing about a home is that it is enclosed. It is a semiprivate space that can be, to some extent, controlled, influenced, and tweaked to reflect specific ideas and feelings. These ideas and feelings will be communicated to those who live there and to others who enter, not because they are told, but because of the very air of the home.

Judaism has a particular way of perceiving things. The aspects of our everyday lives, even in our homes, such as our time, space, food, languages, and the objects that comfort and surround us, all become part of our Jewish vision and our outlook on life. All the aspects of our lives — our home, family, and way of speaking — are a symphony of living. You can often sense the tune of a particular home and life just by entering a family's space.