Cloud Nine

I went to a shiur today for the first time in a long time. I went specifically because of the speaker, and I was not disappointed. When she spoke, I found myself transformed into a previous life. An old life of mine, idealistic and striving. And I realized that I've been stagnating. I realized what I should be doing, what my goals should be.

I realized that obsession with school does not a better me make, nor does it bring me closer to G-d. That the one thing that drives me, that makes me wax poetic (relatively, anyway), that makes me feel all full inside, is (dun dah dun): Torah. And DOING for my people.

And so, I resolve today, with you, my waning readership as witnesses, to focus on Reality. Or at least to try a little more than I've been trying.

Wish me luck! Or rather, הצלחה ;)

Intolerant about intolerance

I think that quite a lot of people have a complex. From discussions I've had recently with people telling me what they know about Orthadox Judaism, based on the fact that they can apparantly read other people's minds, every Orthadox Jew is judging them.

Um. What?

I've just experienced it quite a bit recently, due to my fascinating job, and I've come to a realization about judging. Now read this slowly, think about it, and read it again:

In order to assume that someone is judging you, you have to judge them. You know that you're making a judgement, and you only assume that they're judging you. So who's stereotyping here?

So please, I beg of you. Converse, don't assume. If you think Orthadox Jews just are a certain way, look into it. Ask an Orthodox Jew!! Speak to Jews outside of New York, for example. As a general rule, it's healthy to speak to all kinds of Jews outside your comfort zone. You'll find many, different types of Orthodox Jews, many quite friendly, many quite open-minded and tolerant.

And you'll become a much happier person, 'cause you'll realize that they're not judging you, and they don't hate you!!