Growing up in a non-observant Jewish home in Long Island, New York, I felt Judaism was outdated and irrelevant; not realizing it had any credible spiritual value. Like so many other Jews, I had been looking everywhere but Judaism along my spiritual journey. For the first two years of college, as I explored Buddhism, Transcendental Meditation, and Universalism, I didn’t step foot into Hillel or Chabad on campus. Then, in my sophomore year, I, like all of my friends, applied to go on Birthright but the timing didn’t work out. Well, G-d had other plans for me.
That same summer I had planned to go on Birthright, I ended up on a longer, and yet unbeknownst to me, more religious trip to Israel. Almost immediately upon arriving, I was blown away by the depth, relevance, and relatability of the Torah. For instance, I learnt that contrary to popular belief, the mitzvot aren’t arbitrary rules, but opportunities for spiritual growth and connection to G-d.
After a few more years of learning Torah and slowly observing mitzvot for myself, I began to understand that this is true. Before law school, I began observing Shabbos. How was I going to pursue a joint degree in law and a Masters in Environmental Studies at the University of Pennsylvania while keeping Shabbos, I wondered? I was nervous, but it turned out that keeping Shabbos kept me. A forced break from the never-ending work each week helped me to refocus and remember what is most important- connection to myself, my family and friends, and G-d.
Today I live in sunny Los Angeles with my husband, where in my free time I continue to learn, and now write about, spiritual growth and sustainability from a Jewish perspective on my website, www.jennamarin.com.
