10 years ago today, Humans of Judaism was created. This is a photo of me and my father in Jerusalem, some time ago. Sadly, he passed away in November 2013, and during the year of mourning, I wanted to do something meaningful in his memory. So, on June 8, 2014, I uploaded Humans of Judaism’s first post to Instagram, without any real ambition other than sharing positive Jewish content on social media.
The page was born during a time of tremendous grief and served as a tool in my personal healing. What comforted me was learning the lessons from our history and seeing how warmly the project was embraced. Humans of Judaism is an inclusive online community and a space to share our experiences and individual stories, birthdays and condolences, Jewish holidays, and Holocaust education. Your stories are our stories, and we proudly celebrate our rich traditions, survival, and perseverance.
Over the past 10 years, I have devoted myself to you and this mission. There have been days I have wanted to quit and just stop posting, especially over this past difficult year. But with each story, you have all been by my side, helping to keep things going. And 10 years later, now more than ever, our stories are so important.
The success of Humans of Judaism can only exist with the participation of all of you. Your encouragement and support have made this space what it is, and I thank you all for trusting me with your stories and joining me on this journey.
Stay tuned in the coming weeks for an exciting announcement. I look forward to sharing with you the next chapter of Humans of Judaism.
With love,
Nikki Schreiber
