Then I married Chavie. She came from a Texas family that ate dinner together almost every night. It was something she valued deeply and appreciated about her parents. When we adopted Chaya, Chavie told me she’d like us to have dinner as a family every night. So the tradition commenced. Everyone in Bozeman knows that from 5:30 to 6:30 PM, it's dinner/bedtime at the Bruk home, and the rabbi is with his family. I rarely attend any functions during this time; no classes, no services, no meetings, no phone calls. It’s family time and it’s sacred.

Like in every family, sometimes it's smooth sailing, and at other times, it feels like I'm in a three-ring circus, but the kids know that Chavie and I are always with them for dinner. It is they who matter, distraction-free.
A few years ago we introduced a dinner table practice. Each person, family or guest, adult or child, shares something that happened that day for which they are grateful. This adds gratitude to our family time, making it a beautiful tradition we adore.

Without any Kosher eateries in Montana, our meals are always home-cooked, which also makes them special and warm. Some days, my workload is overwhelming, and there's so much to be done in such a short time. But dinner is dinner, family is family, bedtime is bedtime. It isn’t secondary to my work, it isn’t even equal, it is the most important role I fulfill each day, as a father, as a husband, and as a family man.

Try this at home; you’ll be grateful you did!