This past weekend I had the pleasure of traveling to Atlanta, Georgia to attend my little cousin Mathis’ Bar-Mitzvah. For those of you who may not be educated in Jewish traditions and practices, a Mitzvah is simply the transition for young boys and girls into Jewish adulthood. This is an incredibly impactful moment in our lives, and above all, it is an opportunity to gather all of your extended family in one place. For some people this may not be a big deal, but with how widely dispersed my family members are, it is a special occasion when we can all be together. I know all of you can share in the sentiment that your family shapes you. I credit much of my success to all of their love and support.

A Bar-Mitzvah is broken up into the service, where the actual reading of Hebrew from the Torah is done, the Kiddish, which is the post service communion (kind of just like a brunch) and then a party in the evening. One fun fact you may not know is that Hebrew that is written in the Torah does not have vowels! I myself had a Bar-Mitsvah when I was 13 and although it was a lot of work, as you are literally learning to read another language to chant your portion — which you have to do in front of potentially hundreds of people — I felt like it was an important accomplishment. Although I am not actively very religious, Judaism is more than just a religion, and an experience like a Bar-Mitzvah is one that left me with a sense of gratitude for an opportunity to bring together a community. I know there are similar practices in other religions that help transition young men and women into adulthood, but I felt like this was a great vessel to share my experience and help others learn about the Jewish faith.

Like I previously mentioned, I am not the most actively practicing, religious individual, but I am still so proud of my heritage, especially in this increasingly difficult political climate. I know we all would be much better off as humans if we took the time to better understand those are different from ourselves. This may not be directly related to life as a student, but understanding and compassion are essential skills for any future doctor or physician to hone.

We are in the final few weeks of the trimester, and I know we are all counting the days until finals. Let’s finish strong!

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