SHALOM

So, in it being the Jewish High Holy Days, I would like to take the time to profess my love for Judaism. Now I will tell you right of the bat (mitzvah, get it?) that I am not Jewish – I just wish I were. We’ll just say a conversion may be in my near future. There is only one thing holding me back…and he goes by the name of JC.

Ever since I was a little girl I have admired the Jewish faith. I generally try to hide this fact because when it comes out, my mouth tends to run and I sound craaaaaaazy. I get uber excited. This reaction generally only occurs in the presence of people who are actually Jewish.

Judaism is a beautiful religion, culture, whatever you want to call it. I LOVE it. It’s great to feel like you are a part of something, to share the same traditions. I feel like I don’t have that in my life. I can’t speak a cool language (thank you Latin class), I eat boring food (no challah and honey for me), I can’t go on a birthright. Luckily I have made friends – who happen to be Jewish – who invite me into their homes to eat matzo ball soup and spin the dreidel. They have deepened my understanding and love of Judaism and to them I will be forever grateful.

I suppose you could say I have a tendency to love all of the world’s religions – Quakerism, Hinduism, Islam – whatever it is I will probably find it fascinating. I enjoy learning about different beliefs and practices because I have found that doing so strengthens my own beliefs. I remember being at my Aunt’s house (who is a pretty straight laced person), when my family began to joke about my love of Judaism and my need to convert. I thought my Aunt would be offended, considering she was at my Baptism, but she said to me “It doesn’t matter what you believe in, as long as you believe.”

So just believe.

-Ponyboy Curtis