Sunday, June 20, 2010

My Life?

A few weeks ago, at our Shabbat shiur nashim, Women's Torah Class, a new neighbor told his life's story and how he became religious.  I found something "missing." It was dry.  Yesterday afternoon, Shabbat, I was asked to do the same (plus my aliyah story) for a group of visiting teens.

I was under the impression that they were older, like mid-high school, but it ended up they were graduating eighth graders from a nearby elementary school.  I'm not used to talking to kids of that age at all.  Events I lived through are ancient history for them.  They're from backgrounds very different from mine, though some of their parents may have similar histories.  Of course, few of us wear our personal histories on our skin.

I did my best to tell my story.  They seemed incredulous at times.  I hope that some messages will stay with them.

Shiloh

5 comments:

Jennifer in MamaLand said...

Sadly, I've found that Christians often have the best "conversion" stories. Still, I'm sure yours was anything but dry!
What kinds of things were they incredulous about?

Batya said...

It's hard for many FFB's to understand the absolute ignorance I lived in about Judaism.

To be an ordinary teen, no drama, just feeling better as a Torah Jew would make a bad screenplay.

Hadassa said...

Shalom!
Well, my daughter (the one in that eighth grade class) is used to stories like yours, but she's the only one. In addition to her parents who knows how many Shabbat guests have related BT stories, but I'm sure yours was the most detailed and thought provoking. (If you like I'll do some in-obtrusive sleuthing to see what stuck with the class. Warning: The Shabbat was three days before their end of year play.)

Batya said...

Nu? what was the report? Were they bored out of their minds? I'm not used to that age.

Hadassa said...

Shalom!
After all the rehearsals etc. for their end of year play (lovely play, btw) they were exhausted out of their minds. If they were incredulous, IMHO that's a sign that the message was getting through.