I recently listened to NPR's Fresh Air and heard an interview with Dr. T. Berry Brazelton, world-renowned family and child developmental specialist. The conversation turned to the impact that the tragedies of the past few years — 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and Columbine, among others — have had on the psyche of our nation's children.

When asked what parents can do to help their children live in a world that has become more violent and less predictable, Dr. Brazelton responded with a simple but profound answer. He said that while we cannot honestly assure our children that bad things won't happen in their lives, we can teach them to be resilient when they do.

I agree that such inner strength may be one of the most important qualities we can teach our children. But can we actually teach them fortitude? Are qualities of personal stamina and inner courage innate or are they teachable like other subjects, such as math or science?

I don't have Dr. Brazelton's credentials, but I believe that what he is suggesting is something akin to a concept that lies at the heart of Jewish thinking and being: a five-letter word called "faith."

In Hebrew, the word for faith is emuna. Having faith means that we believe and trust that there is a greater order to the world although we may not be able to perceive or understand it. But it is more than a belief system. It can help us get through the most difficult of times even when they are traumatic, tragic, or seemingly senseless.

Faith gives us a sense of hope in a world that is not always fair, good, or just. It is the basis of an inner buoyancy that keeps us afloat when we are ready to sink. It is also at the heart of our will and determination to live, because we know deep within that life matters.

Yet many people struggle with the concept of faith because it is not based on what we know factually, but on what we understand intuitively, emotionally, and spiritually. Some view faith as overly simplistic and anti-intellectual because it requires us to accept things that cannot be seen or proven, like God. But having faith does not necessarily mean that we believe God exists the same way we believe a tree or an apple exists. It does not mean that we know with certainty what God is or is not or that we don't have doubts or struggle with the God-concept.

The very idea that one's faith cannot be questioned is anathema to the Jewish tradition, for it is in the questioning and challenging of our faith that we often find a deeper and more genuine way of thinking, believing, and living out our lives.

The beauty of having faith is that it permits us to be in a relationship with the divine without having to know with certainty what the divine is. And in this way, even at the worst of times or in our darkest hours, we are never truly alone.

As parents, the way we act and respond to our own physical, emotional, social, or financial challenges will set the stage for our children to learn to do the same. Having faith can make a huge difference in the way we respond and give us the spiritual resilience we need to assure us that whatever happens, we will have the strength to make it through another day.