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.