Hi everyone! 25 yo male med student in Chicago and a Jew trying to find the best ways to get in touch with other people of a similar background. So for context, my family are Macedonian Jews. I grew up speaking Macedonian, being around family in Ohrid, Macedonia every summer until they passed away, etc. and being a part of Jewish youth/Am Olam-inspired agricultural organizations in Macedonia. The groups were small (5 people max) and have mostly dissolved since I was a part of them pre-2014 due to low numbers. The point is, that I am having a hard time finding fellow Macedonian Jews in the USA. Even when searching online or through my local Hillel, Chabad, etc., I mostly find Jews who are 1. Ashkenazi (so not Macedonians, who are Sephardic) 2. Sephardic but with no knowledge of the particulars of Macedonian Jewish life (like the language, culture, history), 3. Non-practicing/observant Jews who don’t ascribe to any European country’s culture. I am really struggling as the loneliness and isolation from fellow Macedonian Jews is tough, since being specifically a Macedonian Jew is a very big part of who I am and not having it at all throughout my life so far is slowly killing me. I just don’t know what to do to be honest.
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