I had lost sight of how important Judaism was to me. Hillel helped me remember that.
“After I became a bat mitzvah, I let Judaism fade into the background of my life.”
Tag: Humans of Hillel
115 results
People always ask me what kind of Jew I am. I’m just a Mizrahi Jew, and that’s good enough.
“People would always ask me what kind of Jew I was. Orthodox? Conservative? Reform? I always said, ‘I’m just a Mizrahi Jew, and that’s good enough.’”
I always feel the most connected with my Judaism when I’m in nature.
“I always feel the most in touch with my Judaism when I’m in nature, surrounded by trees, on the beach, taking hikes, watching the sunrise and sunset.”
I was scared my Jewish community wouldn’t accept me when I came out as trans.
“When I first came out as trans, I was really scared that I wouldn’t be accepted by my Jewish community.”
Many people didn’t understand I was chronically ill. I didn’t look physically disabled.
“Not all disabilities are visible.”
Raised in a Persian Jewish community, I was surrounded by people who shared my culture.
“I didn't expect to find such a vibrant Persian Jewish community at Berkeley Hillel.”
As a cadet in Charleston, I was worried I wouldn’t see another Jewish person.
I knew South Carolina didn’t have a big Jewish population, and I was worried I wouldn’t see another Jewish person for the next four years.
Asking my Jewish community to use my new set of pronouns was frightening yet liberating.
“When I first came out as transgender, asking my Jewish community to use my new set of pronouns (he/him and they/them) was frightening yet liberating.”
I realized I can be Jewish and queer. One identity doesn’t negate the other.
“When I came out as nonbinary, I distanced myself from my Jewish community. I wasn’t sure how people would react.”
Being diagnosed on the autism spectrum made my identity even more complex.
“I was diagnosed on the autism spectrum my senior year of high school.”
