Synagogue might have saved my life.

I remember I moved to South Carolina. It was an unimaginably difficult time. I had family back home in Oregon, so you could say it was a traumatic move :(. But one day, my mom had the idea to take us to a synagogue. I had not seen a synagogue in over 5 years since then, and it was a refreshing visit. I even entered Hebrew school at the age of 16. (much older than anyone else enrolled lmao) I didn’t like it too much. Studying Hebrew after a while became boring. But it provided me with so much social interaction. Quarantine was absolutely soul crushing, and likely messed with my social development. But still, going to Synagogue kept me mentally sane. I was still dealing with homesickness.

After a year of Hebrew school, (this year) summer finally arrived! I learned so many life lessons from that Synagogue. I met so many people. I made so many friends. And yeah, I still struggle with mental issues occasionally. But Synagogue will always be there for me.

I don’t go as much as I used to, but I always learn something new every time I go for the Sabbath! Thank God I am a jew. I wonder what life has in store for me in 2024!