Thoughts on Kallah

By Kallah 2010 Bloggers on 07/29/2010 @ 08:05 PM

Kallah

Kallah Reflection, Melissa Diamond -- North Texas Oklahoma Region

At Kallah, we've each had a chance to choose a creative arts elective that interests us. I'm in the elective called "Kallacapella," and it's an amazing experience. We all love the same thing- singing- and you can tell how much we enjoy singing together just by watching us for a second. When someone mentions a song title, the whole group immediately starts singing it. In our sessions, we've sung both Jewish/Hebrew songs and popular English songs. No matter what we're singing, I can't help but smile and laugh and put my whole heart into the song. We'll be performing several songs at Café Kallah, and I can't wait to share with everyone what we've been working on.

I came into Kallah as a person who lost herself over the course of the year, unsure of who she was and what she wanted to be. I had disregarded my Jewish identity, feeling slightly embarrassed because of all the stereotypes. With a difficult year in my past, I had negative feelings about coming to Kallah. I thought it would be weird to attend services two times a day, and that everyone would have had a sense of themselves and I would be the outsider.

Kallah Reflection, Hayley Goldman -- Southern Region, Atlanta Council

But all of this quickly changed. I cannot say when I cannot say how, but Kallah has truly changed me. I came in afraid of who I may encounter, but everyone turned out to be people I could really talk to. The conversations with kids my age were so deep and mind-boggling, which was so unusual to me since most kids are just about material ideas.

But I loved it. I loved the challenge that they were placing on me, and all the different views and ideas totally changed my perspective on life. I felt my first real connection with G-d. I felt myself creating my own beliefs instead of going just by the books. I felt a connection to people from all over the country. And I finally felt a connection to myself. Kallah has changed me. The educators, the staff, the teens, the environment, the classes, the opportunity, the experience. Kallah has made me a proud Jew and someone who can feel comfortable with her own identity.