It might be a culture or a religion or a mindset or just a set of circumstances but being Jewish will always be an unbreakable connection to a common history, present and future. This was the undeniable feeling shared by the group of BT and SSG kids during our Friday night boy’s DMC (deep meaningful conversation).
The first topic offered was how we were going to stay in touch, but the discussion quickly shifted to Jewish identity. Slowly and thoughtfully, everyone shared their connection to Judaism. The answers given varied greatly from person to person and even more so from BT kids to SSG kids. Many SSG kids had no connection to Judaism outside of SSG and some did not believe in G-d, while most of the BT kids had maintained strong connections to their faith throughout their lives. Despite this stark difference, the open exchange of deeply personal feelings and experiences tightened the group dynamic and fostered a sense of community.
Flash forward to the following night: the same kids who said that they lacked any formal connection to Judaism or a belief in G-d were wholeheartedly singing literal praises to G-d with their arms wrapped around the person next to them. Even when BT kids could not carry on with the singing, the SSG kids were the ones encouraging us to continue.
The takeaway here, for me, was not that these kids magically found their faith or are necessarily going to continue with this level of religious fervor, but rather that Judaism could bring these two groups, from Baltimore and Hungary, together so quickly. Judaism an inherent bond that connects people throughout the world in a way that few other things do.
