Not meeting them is not only a sin according to the tenets of the religion, but it also causes damage to the spouse with whom a partnership was made and the children that are a result of that partnership.
More precisely, failing to live up to familial obligations is a sin because it causes damage to the spouse and children. Jewish daily life, as Mrs. Baron explains, is built around a constant devotion to God. Cooking, eating, sleeping, waking, bathing, and almost every other common task of everyday life is associated with some ritualistic elements and/or prayer to remind each person that every bit of good done is in service to God. Making sure your family is cared for in the best manner possible is part of this, and this explains the different roles that exist in her family. She acknowledges that the roles have changed somewhat since her grandparents first came to this country nearly a century ago, but maintains that the basic spirit behind these roles remains rooted in the same religion and traditions.
As far as changes in her own children as far as their understanding and performance of their roles in the family, Mrs. Baron doesn't really see or expect much. "They've been raised with our values, and although many of their friends aren't Jewish they've never had a real problem...
They are happy with is life, and they see that their father and I are happy, and hopefully they will lead the same kind of life and it will make them even happier." She encourages all of her children to study so that they can have a good profession, and she even plans on returning to work at least part time once her youngest children are old enough to go to school. "We can do anything anyone else can, we just do things a little differently out there and a lot differently in our home. I don't really see a need to change when things are working so well, and I don't think they do, either."
My own background as an African-American has definitely led to some different cultural beliefs about family. Though I am very lucky to have two involved and loving parents, demographically speaking children in my culture are much more likely to come from single-mother households than other children in this country. The idea of the strong African-American matriarch as the provider both of love and care at home and financial resources from outside the home has led to different ideas about familial roles than are apparent in the Baron family. These trends in the African-American culture may be beginning to show signs of changing, but only time will tell if a true reversal is in the works.
