Many of you know I have become a practicing Jew in a new way. I don't even want to start getting into labels because the words carry unspoken connotations which bias the perception before anyone has even understood what we're trying to talk about here. The reason I sat down to write right now is to put out what I consider to be the important reasons for doing this, and why it makes sense for me personally. I could put it in the form of a challenge-response format but I don't want to come off as didactic or defensive.
First a couple stories.
#1 on being a professional:
Yesterday I ran into an old friend who happens to be Jewish, Israeli, Skokie-raised, and non-religious. He is working now doing as a real estate equity investor from what I understand, and is happy because he is quote "making bank". In typical fashion he aggressively challenged my reasons for turning serious about Judaism and for making it so much a part of my life. One of the explicit questions he raised was, "why are you making it into your entire life ? what can't it just be a part of your life?" After I had explained what I had been doing this past year - working 2 jobs part-time, 2 unpaid internships, tutoring on the side, and studying 3 hours a day at a Yeshiva - his question was, "so when are you going to start your real life?" As in, "why aren't you working full-time", and also, "why aren't you doing something pertinent to your degree.
#2 on the professional world:
Today at one of my internships I had to review candidates' resumés applying for a position with the company I work for, Your Edge for Success. Looking through dozens of resumés and cover letters, I was very much struck with the feeling that this is indeed what life is all about. People listing their accolades, accomplishments, skills, and goals, all of it having to do with the work world in all its infinite varieties -- much of it is impressive and the enthusiasm these people genuinely have is amazing. One cannot help but feel inadequate unless you have something equally official and full-fledged and legitimate to show against the competition.
#3 on having a successful life:
Just read a post by David Brooks in the NYTimes on college graduates and the tendency to go into investment banking, non-profits, high-tech, academia. You can see it here he is an insightful guy.
#4
One of my best friends has now a full-time job in the IT field with a company that does marketing for pharmaceutical companies. It's big business and seemingly an awesome place to have a job, if you have to have a 9-to-5 (and this is a highly unconventional and individualistic kid so I'm especially keen on noticing how it goes; he also happens to be one of the people I look up to most so I take his actions legitimately as examples of authentic ways to live one's life. yeah yeah don't get weepy on me)
He and I have debated passionately on the philosophical and psychological meaning of becoming a "believer". It seems to him that any system which must completely subsume one's way of thinking is scary and dangerous. I know plenty of people who would agree with that statement, including most of my closest friends, my father, my mother, and people whom I look up to and respect.
#5
Just now I was lying on the couch and thinking, "why does this make sense to me?" and then I hit it: I am not a conventional human being. I am something of a mystic-hippe and also something of a normal guy with some amount of talents and intelligence and the ability to do something in the usual life of one who applies themselves and makes money and hopefully accomplishes something decent along the way.
JUDAISM is the ONLY way I have found to successfully combine BOTH the completely mystical, consciousness-changing, assumption-bending way of life AND the "normal", professional, working-world life of a regular person.
That is basically the bottom line of this post. I hope it makes sense to you.
Thanks,
Nathan
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