What Judaism Means to Me

Across the millennium, it’s been hard to be a Jew. Our history is replete with countless stories of oppressors savagely trying to erase us from our historic homeland and from the diaspora. Some people have succumbed, hiding their Jewishness or converting to other religions.

It’s likely that life would be easier if I lived in another skin. But as I read the news daily and fret about the frightening rise of antisemitism around the world and the way that Israel and Jews are being portrayed, I am reminded once again why that’s never been an option for me.

From my earliest memories, Judaism has been an integral part of my life, shaping my decisions, informing my actions and prodding me to do more. It’s also given me a sense of belonging. From family to community, from food to holidays, from a moral compass to a sense of compassion, the roots of Judaism lie deep within me. They have informed who I am and what I have done with my life. I cannot ever remember a time when I didn’t have a sense of being a Jew and belonging to a special, but different, community.

My earliest childhood memories include holidays spent with my parents and grandparents – fasting on Yom Kippur, scrubbing the kitchen and changing the dishes for Passover and lighting the candles during Hanukkah.

And I have wonderful recollections from my childhood of our rabbi, Hebrew School and the beloved Shabbat morning youth services in which all the students participated. (Although my hopes of becoming a Bat Mitzvah at 13 were derailed because of a move, the fact that I was able to achieve this while in my 40s, several months after my son celebrated his coming of age, made it no less meaningful.)

While in high school, I joined BBG (B’nai B’rith Girls) through which I met my husband, who was president of an AZA (Aleph Zadik Aleph) chapter—the fraternal counterpart to BBG; the Hebrew letters stand for ahava (love), tzedakah (benevolence) and achdoot (harmony). I was just 15 years old and, of course, I didn’t know it then, but he was to become my partner in life, celebrating life’s joys and facing life’s challenges with a similar perspective and background as Jews.

We wanted our two children to have a deep connection to Judaism from both a spiritual and cultural perspective and always took the opportunity to further their understanding. They both attended synagogue pre-school, went to Hebrew School regularly, celebrated their B’nai Mitzvah, attended confirmation classes, visited Israel and chose universities with sizeable Jewish populations.

As we raised them, we talked about issues from a moral, ethical and Jewish perspective. We chose to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary with a trip to Eretz Yisrael, the land of Israel.

For me it wasn’t just one thing — it wasn’t the Kotel (the Western Wall) or the ancient fortress of Masada; it wasn’t the communal living situation of the kibbutzim or the ancient Dead Sea Scrolls that made Israel so awe-inspiring. It was the beauty of the land, the raw power of our people and the history behind each rock; it was the sense of belonging to the land and the connection that I felt with the people. It was my land, and I was home. How wonderful to be surrounded by Jews, how proud I was of my people’s accomplishments, how blessed I felt to be part of this religion.

How else does Judaism impact my life? I take seriously the commandment of tikkun olam (repairing the word). My work, both professional and volunteer, has allowed me to increase the success of non-profit organizations in serving women and children, as well as people with health issues.

I am a proud life member of Hadassah and appreciate the fact that the organization advocates for women’s health equity and women’s rights and is such a tremendous support of research and innovative healing in Israel. And I am proud that Hadassah helps to instill Jewish values l’dor v’dor (from generation to generation).

When I have an important question about life, I search for the modern Jewish perspective. I appreciate the fact that my practice of Reform Judaism allows me to find meaning in everyday existence, as I pay attention to its tenets.

I find it so helpful that during difficult times, such as when we lose a loved one, there are guidelines that support us in our time of need, providing meaningful rituals to follow. When I lost my father, I really understood for the first time the importance of shiva (Judaism’s seven-day mourning period) and was so grateful for the wonderful support I received, not only from our family and friends, but from the clergy and congregants at our synagogue and my extended Jewish community.

So, what does Judaism mean to me? It’s the sum of all my parts and a guidepost for how to live my life. It makes me whole. I believe that I am but a small link in a beautiful chain of those Jews who came before and those who will follow. So, I try to be as strong and steadfast as I can, knowing that the whole chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

Lana is a member of the Hadassah Writers’ Circle, a dynamic and diverse writing group for leaders and members to express their thoughts and feelings about all the things Hadassah does to make the world a better place, to celebrate their personal Hadassah journeys and to share their Jewish values, family traditions and interpretations of Jewish texts. Since 2019, the Hadassah Writers’ Circle has published nearly 450 columns in the Times of Israel Blog and other Jewish media outlets. Interested? Please contact hwc@hadassah.org.