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Cute, unnamed baby joins the earth
What could be more important to my Jewish growth than the moment I came into this world? I was extremely lucky to be born into a caring, loving, and commitment Jewish family who invested in my Jewish life and identity from the second I was born...or well, three days later, when I was at my first Pesach seder! -
שמונה ימי מילה...well, something like that
The truth is, I had jaundice, so I'm not entirely sure what day my Bris was, but it was defnitely sometime around now. My bris was the day that I was officially welcomed into the Jewish people. I was invetsted before then, but now there was no turning back. -
A random day in grade 5...
I went to public school my entirely schooling career, and was always aware that I was different in some ways, even from the other Jewish students beacuse I would always take off for all the holidays, my dad would come in with his kippah to pick me up. It really never bothred me though, until this day. I was eating my lunch of pasta and tomoto sauce and a fellow student came by and put in a piece of pepperoni and needless to say, I couldn't eat my lunch. It made me very aware of my difference. -
יעמוד, הבחור הבר מצוה....
My bar mitzvah, the day I became a man, and more importantly, the day I became officialy obligated in mitzvot. For me, this was the start of my commitment to Judaism on a daily level. It was around this time that I started to take all the mitzvot more seriously, and make meaning of them for myself. -
First USY convention
I was extremely active in USY and it all started in the spring of eighth grade. From then on, USY was my life. I credit USY with imbuing me with a true love of Judaism, and passion for committing to it in my day to day life. I saw that judaism could be fun, relevant and meaningful. -
Period: to
Jules Gutin
When I think back on educators in my life, I'm automatically drawn to one name: Jules Gutin. It's a name that would resonate with anyone active in USY for any of the 21 years between 1991 and 2012. Jules served as the Director of USY, attending all international conventions, visiting every summer trip bus or group, for all those 21 years. Jules spoke to me as an educator because he found a way to connect to each of the USYers whom he intereacted with in a special in deep way. -
USY on Wheels
I spent my summer on a coach bus, with 49 other teens, travelling through the United States. More than just an amazing social settting, this trip taught me the most important lesson in my Jewish growth: you can be Jewish, and practice Judaism anywhere. From the grand canyon, to a park in alabama, we davened, bentched, etc. After this summer was over, I began wearing a kippah every day because I knew it didn't matter where I was, I could be proudly Jewish. -
USY Israel Pilgrimage
I always knew I loved Israel. Maybe it was my family who brought me up in a very deeply zionist home, or maybe it USY. Either way, I always loved Israel. But I didn't fall in love with Israel until my first trip there on USY Israel Pilgrimage. The second I stepped off the plane, I knew I was in love, and that connection has only grown greater over the years. -
York University
By this point, I was learning very much toward Orthodox Judaism, but I hadn't yet found an Orthodox community in which I could feel comfortable because all my friends were from USY and conservative. York was my first time I found a group of friends who were all orthodox, and a daily minyan which was orthodox so that I could express myself in an orthodox environment. This is where my commitment to an Orthodox jewish practice truly began. -
Year Abroad in the Holy Land!
My year at the Rothberg School at Hebrew University was so influential for me on many levels. Because it was my first time living outside of my own home, I had a change to really grow at my own pace, with my own rules. I spent more time learning Jewish texts deeply, praying more seriously, and creating my own unique Jewish life. It was that year that I really grew into the Jewish person I am today, because I had the chance to explore on my own terms. -
עוד ישמע בערי יהודה...
After nearly 7 years of dating, I finally got married. Aside from being the best day of my life, this was also the beginning of my truly indepedent life. I now had the chance to develop my life as I see fit. I had to run my own shabbat table, host my own chaggim, and all the other parts of my day to day Jewish life. It made me seriously think about what I valued because I really valued it and what just came from my family.
