These Disney attractions can be found at Walt Disney World in Florida and at Disneyland in California.

Discussion:
What strikes you as Jewish, religious or spiritual about Disney?

Over the past years, Disneyland received more than 4 million phone calls. Who was called most? Mickey Mouse!

Thanks to his encounter with Rafiki, the baboon and ritual master of the jungle, Simba seeks out his dead father by looking into a pond. He is disappointed to find only his own reflection.

"Look deeper," says Rafiki. After a good, hard look, Simba finally connects with something greater than himself. He hears the voice of his father, his conscience, his teacher. "Remember who you are."

"Remember your destiny," comes booming back. "Remember..."

Powerful memories are created most often by relationships with people and by events. "The Lion King" is not only about relationships but also about the importance of life-cycle rituals. As we watch this film with our two daughters, we point out that the movie starts with a ceremony that is like a bris (rite of circumcision), with Rafiki acting as rabbi.

After the private ceremony in the lion's home, the newborn is presented to all the animal kingdom with much fanfare. Simba grows into a young cub, asserting himself, testing rules, making friends, and trying out his roar. His adolescence is spent with his buddies, Timon and Pumbaa, without a care and without any higher values. Only after he returns to claim his place in the circle of life does he take responsibility for the fate of his community and also marries Nala. And in classic fashion, the movie ends with the bris of his son, officiated by Rafiki. (Thank you, "Rabbis" Katzenberg and Eisner!)

Reprinted with permission from Jewish Family & Life: Traditions, Holidays and Values for Today's Parents and Children (Golden Books).