18 things I love about being Jewish
we are encouraged to question things and to have an understanding of why we do what we do
challah is delicious and I get to eat it (theoretically) every Friday night and Saturday
...speaking of which, I think it's pretty great that our days start in the evening because then I get to start my day off with rest and rejuvenation!
back to the challah note, I love that it gives me a great reason to learn to make bread and all other kinds of fun cooking and baking that connects me to my ancestors
learning in general โ Jewish culture values learning so much and it makes for such great opportunities and conversations, and I never feel out of place being a person who loves accumulating knowledge for knowledge's sake!
we have a holiday almost every month of the year, and the one month where there are no holidays is nicknamed "bitter" specifically because it has no holidays
our new year is in the beginning of the fall, usually right around the same time that the school year starts, so all the new beginnings happen at the same time
"Bubbie" and "Zayde" are way more fun to say than "Grandma" and "Grandpa" and also provide me with a really cool opportunity to use the language my ancestors did in every day life!
the opportunity to develop a bond across generations that comes with the teaching of Torah skills in preparation for b'nei mitzvah, and the leadership opportunities given to teenagers who go from student to teacher
the inherent willingness to consider multitudes that is exemplified in the age-old saying "three rabbis, four opinions"
the fact that I don't need permission from anyone to believe what I believe, and personal beliefs are secondary to community for many people especially when it comes to relationships with divinity. looping back in #10, many of us hold multiple conflicting beliefs, sometimes at the same time!
our holidays are treated as holy days and the commandments we follow require us to pause and reflect and devote our time to being in the moment and considering the meaning behind the day
we have a commandment "shmirat haguf" that requires us to care for and protect our health and wellbeing, making self care an imperative for those who follow the commandment โ this also instructs us to prioritize our safety above following other commandments such as keeping kosher or observing shabbat
the focus of our practice and belief systems is on the living world and not the afterlife, which means both that i can use my religion as a way of grounding me in the present and that i get to use my imagination when thinking about the fates of my dead loved ones
even though we may disagree about significant aspects of our practices and traditions, having Judaism in common with someone is always a rich vein of bonding when making new connections, and it also helps set us up for success in having relationships with people we disagree with about things!
Hebrew gives me a common ground language with every Jewish community in the world, so even if I don't speak a single word of the local language if I find my way to a synagogue I know I'll be able to communicate and be welcomed and understood
the unique blend of resilience and good (if dark) humor embedded in our culture that comes through in quips like "they tried to kill us, we survived, let's eat"
the blessing of community and cultural continuity that allows me to feel connected in perpetuity with a collective entity larger than the sum of its parts and fills me with warmth and confidence in the knowledge that we will outlive them
