May 6, 2021 Rabbi Sherre Hirsch and her mother When we were rebellious teens, my brother and I decided to cancel Mother’s Day. Incorrectly we believed that the holiday was invented by Hallmark to drive sales. As vociferous individualists against commercialism, we took a personal stand. Our plan was not well received. My father was furious, and my mother was destroyed. To this day, I still remember the tears gathering in her eyes as we explained why there would be no cards or gifts. I thought she would never forgive us. We were wrong on many fronts. First, Mother’s Day was not invented by Hallmark. It was established by Anna Maria Jarvis, whose mother was a social activist who committed her life to supporting mothers and communities. Following her mother’s death, Jarvis led a movement to create a day dedicated to honoring mothers. For Anna, this was her way to keep her mother’s memory alive. And while the card and flower industry overwhelmed the primary message, the original intent was pure of heart.