When people used to ask me if I was Jewish, my natural response was “Barely. It doesn’t really matter to me.” Little did I know, my Jewish background was going to become the foundation of my everyday life moving forward.

I was born and raised in Richmond Hill, Ontario, which is a smaller city right outside of Toronto. Growing up, I had little to no Jewish friends. Throughout elementary school, I was one of four Jews in my year. My parents aren’t religious either, so I never really cared to explore beyond the fact that, yeah, I’m Jewish. As I grew older, and political climates shifted intensely, questions began to arise around me about Israel and the Jewish people. My friends started to ask me about the Israel-Hamas war and where I stood. I always told them I had no opinion, which was honestly true at the time. I remember going home to ask my parents about it, and they told me that Israel is the only homeland for our people and we must stand in solidarity with all of our brothers and sisters fighting for their lives. I was really confused, as everyone around me was saying the opposite. I began to do my own research, where I formulated my own educated opinion. When my friends would ask me these same questions, I responded with confidence. I told them that I supported Israel defending itself against Hamas. Little did I know that was not acceptable to those around me. I began repetitively witnessing acts of antisemitism every single day. People would discuss how Jews should die and etch hateful symbols into our school. You would think that this would have gotten to me, but it didn’t. I was so accustomed to antisemitism that I assumed this was just a worse version of how it has always been.

When I told my parents about the things I was witnessing, they decided that there had to be change. At the time, I was in grade 8, where I was deciding what high school I wanted to attend the following year. When my parents proposed the idea of going to an all-Jewish high school, I initially refused. “Why would I want to go to a school full of Jewish people?” is what I told them. I wanted to stay with all of my friends and attend the local public school. Time went on, and antisemitism worsened. As I became more and more of a target, I told my parents that I'd be willing to tour the school. I ultimately decided that I would be willing to apply to the school and see what happens. Fast forward to April 2024, when I found out that I had been accepted to join their class of 2028. I agreed to go, oblivious to the huge impact this decision would have on my life.

September 3rd, 2024: the first day of freshman year. Going into high school, especially one where I knew nobody, was terrifying. It felt so weird entering a building with over a thousand other Jewish teenagers, something I had never been close to experiencing before. As time went on, I began learning more and more about the Jewish people. I learnt so much, from simply learning Hebrew to exploring Jewish traditions and the history of Jews within and outside of the Tanakh. I attended my first ever Shabbaton, where I experienced what it was like to keep Shabbat for the first time ever, which was extremely beautiful. I finally discovered what Judaism meant to me. Practicing all of these sacred traditions alongside my new best friends who shared the same background as me was something I had never experienced before. Today, I write this two months into my junior year at said high school. Being blessed with the privilege of attending the biggest Jewish school in North America is something I am eternally grateful for and would not trade for anything. 

While my experience in a Jewish school played a huge part in discovering my heritage, you may be wondering: where does BBYO fit in?

At the start of grade 9, my only Jewish friend from elementary school kept bothering me to attend this Jewish youth group program every Wednesday night. I constantly brushed it off, saying that I'd be there next time, yet I never went. However, in February 2025, I decided to attend my first-ever program. I slowly fell into the habit of showing up every single week, which eventually led me to join Dor Chadash BBG #2404. I found myself showing up to every little event and making new best friends every single time. Eventually, people started encouraging me to run for chapter board. I learnt about all of the positions, and decided that I was gonna run for chapter Mazkirah. I lost, and I am forever grateful for that.  I was elected as Shli’cha, which allowed me not only to explore Judaism within myself, but also to learn how to spread it to others who may feel how I once did. In my first term, I organized four Shabbat dinners for my chapter. I taught my fellow chapter members about Shabbat traditions, which felt so empowering knowing that I was once in some of their shoes, not knowing anything at all. Attending my first IC in February 2026 made me realize how beautiful the Jewish community truly is and how I am a part of something so much bigger than myself and the community I live in. Now, I am entering this school year not only as chapter Shli’cha, but also as a member of Lake Ontario Region’s Jewish Experience Team, the IC Shabbat Committee, and the Rise-UP Cohort. 

Whether you are reading this as someone who shared a similar experience to me, or an entirely different one, my advice to everyone is to keep learning. Taking initiative to explore my religious background and find my place within Judaism has changed my life immensely for the better. Keep learning new things, and you will discover so much more about life and yourself. Today, if anyone were to ask me about my Jewish identity, I'd tell them how beyond proud I am to be a part of this religion and how I wouldn’t wish for anything else.