How do you want to fit Judaism into your life? This question can be taken in many directions, in ways that are more than one path. As a Jewish teen living in South Jersey, I have been surrounded by a large Jewish community my entire life. I always had a presence of like-minded people who grew up with the same values their Jewish mothers instilled in them. Still, I found my friends drifting further apart from their religious identity. They stopped going to Hebrew school, camp, and services. They no longer held a connection to our Jewish community. 

On the other hand, my connection strengthened. My Jewish community is what has grounded me these past sixteen years, and has guided me to leadership positions, committees, and a love for learning. I created strong relationships and devoted myself to be as involved as I could. 

This is the difference between myself and others. I fit Judaism into my life through friendships, activities and more. I no longer dread Hebrew school but instead look forward to discussing Jewish culture represented in society (a topic discussed in class). I mark my calendar with BBYO events every month and attend everything I can. 

Nitzavim Vayelech is a double portion in Deuteronomy, one of seven double portions in the Torah. Throughout the portion, Moses lays out the principles of Jewish faith, all from what he has learned in his 120 years of living. The principle that stuck out the most to me was teshuvah, translating to repentance. Moses tells the Israelites the Torah isn’t hidden high up above but attainable in our hearts. This principle entails that even after a person may have turned away from faith, they can always find it again, readily there. 

Right now, the South Jersey Jewish community is losing its appeal. As kids notice they are constantly surrounded by Jewish people, they don’t go out of their way to delve into Jewish life. They think it is enough to live with other Jews. My personal hope is that they realize it's never too late to become more involved. There is still time to ask questions, learn, volunteer, and overall contribute to a community bigger than themselves. 

Once Moses tells the Israelites all his knowledge, he lives his last day on earth. He transfers his power to Joshua, the next generation of the Jewish people. Moses’ last command as leader of the Israelites is for the mitzvah of Hakel to occur, which is a national gathering every seven years during Sukkot for everyone to listen to the reading of the Torah.

Moses’ last task isn’t random: he wants the Israelites to be held responsible for learning from their ancestors. He wants them to be reminded of our battles, successes, failures, and moments of pride. Just as Moses’ created the mitzvah of Hakel, I too want to create a mitzvah. I want to see members of my Jewish community excited about their heritage and want to learn more about their ties to the rest of the Jewish world. I want to see others want to be in Jewish spaces and participate. 

As Moses tells the Israelites, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be dismayed by them, for the Lord your God, He is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6), I hope my community knows that what Moses said rings true 1,300 years later.

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Simchat Torah Challenge Podcast Series

Interested in listening to this week's parsha? Check out Connecticut Valley Regions' take on Parshat Nitzavim and BBYO Italys' take on Parshat Vayelech as a part of the Simchat Torah Challenge Podcast Series. The Simchat Torah Challenge is a yearlong journey where teens from around the Order are exploring the Torah, one parsha at a time. Teens are connecting with the text, sharing their thoughts, and exploring how it relates to their own lives.